3D Tire Tread Measurement on Vehicles with Basler ace Cameras

GL Messtechnik GmbH produces tire measuring systems to determine tire tread depth.

Earlier GL measuring technology systems measured tread depth on stationary systems or with mobile 2D systems.

GL Messtechnik GmbH originally developed its devices primarily for tire developers, research/development centers, quality testing centers and tire manufacturers.

Then the company developed a system that is also designed for service garages, car dealerships and freight carriers.

The new system enables 3D measurement of tread depth on vehicles and is also portable so that it can fit under any truck or car.

The very low system height required for this feature was one of the main challenges to solve during the development. Normally, GL Messtechnik GmbH uses compact laser sensors in its measuring technology, but those were too large for this application and thus were out of the question. To solve the problem of the low height, GL Messtechnik GmbH chose an approach where the camera and laser sensor can be used separately. The separated camera and laser sensor are smaller than a compact laser sensor, which is the alternative approach. GL Messtechnik GmbH decided for Basler ace cameras in their system.