What is Optical Profile Projector working principle?

A comparator is a precision instrument used to compare the Dimensions of a given working component with the actual working standard.  There are different types of comparators are available. In this article, we are going to discuss the Optical Profile Projector in detail.

An Optical Profile Projector is a type of comparators.

What is meant by a projector?

A projector is an optical device, which enlarges the image. This is the principle we are going to use it in the Optical projector comparator.

This Optical Profile of projectors is used to check relatively small engineering components with the working standard.

Optical profile Projector Working principle (Construction)

List of components

1. Light source
2. Condenser Lens (C)
3. Projection Lens (P)
4. Screen

Let’s see how these components are working together to make a measurement.

A beam of light from the light source is passed thru the condenser lens(C) and Projection lens(P) and fall on the Screen. the workpiece will be placed in between the light source and condenser lens.  A shadow image of the workpiece will be created. while we placed the workpiece.

The magnified image will be shown on the screen. This magnification is up to 5 to 100.

Working with Optical profile Projector

See the following Schematic diagram of Profile Projector

There is a lamp source, it can be a tungsten lamp or a filament lamp or a mercury lamp. Coming to workpiece holding table it will be stationary or it can be movable with an angular adjustment. There are two lenses, one is condenser lens (Collecting and directing the light) Projecting Lens.  A mirror is placed to reflect the image on to the screen. This is how a commercial profile projector is constructed.

Let’s see how it will work to compare the workpiece with a working standard.

When an object is placed in between condenser lens and the light source, a shadow of the profile is projected at some enlarged scale on the screen. this enlarged profile will be used to compare with the working standard.

Here, Lenses plays a significant role in the magnification of the profile(Image).

Optical Profile Projector Applications

Optical profile projectors have a wide range of applications.

• Used in the automotive industry to inspecting surface deformities.
• In glass Producing industries to inspecting minute flaws in glassware.
• Used to inspect the components with irregular shapes and sizes.

Read about other comparators as well