OPTICAL EDGE BREAK GAGE

A projector (20) projects a structured light pattern (46) along a first optical axis (44) onto a surface (80). A viewer (50) attached to the projector (20) receives a reflection of the structured light pattern (46) from the surface (80) along a second optical axis (54), and digitizes a two-dimensional snapshot. The optical axes (44, 54) are non-parallel, and they meet within a common field of view of the projector (20) and the viewer (50). A computer (61) interfaced to the viewer (50) receives the digitized snapshot, and analyzes it to mathematically model the surface for display and inspection. The projector and attached viewer are designed as a hand-held unit with a hand grip (66) and a trigger button (68) to trigger a snapshot. A guide tip (70) on the unit extends beside the two optical axes (44, 54) to the common field of view to position the hand-held unit.