Inspection path planning of free-form surfaces based on improved cuckoo search algorithm

To address the problems of long run times, long path length and low efficiencies of traditional intelligent algorithms to optimise free-form surface inspection path algorithms, this paper proposes a method based on an improved cuckoo search algorithm. Since the basic cuckoo search algorithm suffers from problems such as low search efficiency and the tendency to fall into local optimum solutions, the basic cuckoo search algorithm is improved by using a parameter adaptive adjustment strategy and dynamic neighbourhood search strategy, so that the improved cuckoo search algorithm can obtain the optimised inspection path stably and quickly. The local composition of the free-form surface inspection path and the corresponding mathematical model are first analysed, and then traditional intelligent algorithms and the improved cuckoo search algorithm are applied to optimise the mathematical model. The results of inspection experiments conducted with an engine impeller showed that the improved cuckoo search algorithm reduced the length of the optimised inspection path by at least 8.6%, reduced the algorithm run time by at least 35%, and improved the inspection efficiency by at least 1.2% compared to those of the genetic algorithm, simulated annealing algorithm, and ant colony Optimisation algorithm. The improved cuckoo search algorithm allows for effective free-form surface inspection path Optimisation and an improved inspection efficiency.