Machine-vision-based estimation of pose and size parameters from a generic workpiece description

Automatic disassembly of used products can not assume that CAD databases will provide precise knowledge about the pose, size, and shape of components to be manipulated because some of the components may have been repaired, repositioned, or replaced, thereby possibly invalidating the original construction data. In principle, the missing information can be provided by machine vision which often becomes more robust if it can rely on some knowledge about the workpiece to be manipulated, for example, in the form of generic descriptions. Use of the latter necessitates, however, that not only an unknown pose, but in addition unknown size and shape parameters of a component have to be determined. A solution to the automatic determination of location, orientation, size, and shape of truncated cones is demonstrated by the example of shock absorber lids in the engine compartment of a used car.