Camera Placement in a Short Working Distance Optical Inspection System for RF Cavities

Inspection of the RF surface of cavities for the purpose of detecting surface anomalies has been well established, and is typically based on long working distance optical systems using on-axis camera and mirror systems to scan the cavity surface. In order to improve the systematic inspection of the full RF surface of large area cavities, a novel short working distance inspection system is being developed at CERN. This new system is based on a mechatronic robotic system to position that camera at normal incidence close to the cavity surface. To accommodate working distance fluctuations, and to provide increased depth of field resolution, the short working distance camera is coupled with a liquid lens focusing system, providing a programmable focusing function. Details of inspection bench design and first results are reported, as well as details on camera positioning optimisation and the proximity detection surveillance for collision-free scanning of the full-cavity surface.