Is it possible to create a laser-scan card grading machine?

[sportscardtheory]

If you have an issue with the use of the word lasers, you are missing the point entirely. I'm not explaining the blueprints on manufacturing the machine, I'm asking if it's possible for a machine to grade cards. Relax. I never claimed to be an expert on machine card grading. I asked if people think it's feasible. I do love the "get off my lawn" responses though. Close-minded people are funny. In this day and age... railing against technology. lol

[steve B]

Originally Posted by sportscardtheory

If you have an issue with the use of the word lasers, you are missing the point entirely. I'm not explaining the blueprints on manufacturing the machine, I'm asking if it's possible for a machine to grade cards. Relax. I never claimed to be an expert on machine card grading. I asked if people think it's feasible. I do love the "get off my lawn" responses though. Close-minded people are funny. In this day and age... railing against technology. lol

Not railing against technology, amusing that's what you got from it.

I trained in CAD/CAM 1984-86, and was doing computer stuff before that. Let it go because times changed while I was in school and the couple computer drafting jobs I interviewed for paid less than McDonalds. Got back into things a few years ago, and a lot has changed.

CNC milling machine 1984- Hard programming and cost about 250K for what's now a fairly simple one.
Today? You can get a decent tabletop machine for under 3K and running it is pretty easy. Full size only around 8400, and they do way more than the one I learned on.

CAD stuff? 1984 - not really any 3-D systems unless you were a major corporation. Saw one on a field trip that was 2d, but did all 3 views at once. Cost 50K for the workstation, plus whatever the software cost, plus a mainframe to run it on.
By 1987 there was AutoCAD which did that but on a PC that cost maybe 4K
Now? A couple years ago I downloaded a so-so 3d program for free. And a really good 2-D program also for free.

The first self driving car I was film of couldn't stay on a closed well marked road at anything over a brisk walking pace. I hear they're pretty good now.

3D printing was a lab experiment in about 1986 or so. Now you can get one in the bookstore for about $300

Technology is a wonderful thing, a lot of what we take for granted was insanely impossible a decade or two ago.

But the current stuff has limits to what it can do just like the old stuff had, just different.
What does bug me is silly use of technology where it's unnecessary or makes things less reliable. Like having a switch tell a computer to turn another switch to turn on my headlights. Just a wire and switch worked really well for oh...a century, and will still be reliable and less expensive.
or
One of the guys at the makerspace wanted to drill a hole in a metal bar. Just a simple 3/8 hole with a lot of tolerance for location "about here, maybe within a 16th of an inch" He wanted to know how to program the CNC machine. And was shocked when I told him I could get it done far faster than I could program it. Took under 5 minutes, most of which was finding the drill bit.


So can someone make a card grading machine right now? Probably.
Would it be all that good at it? Probably not.
Could someone make a card grading machine at some future date? Certainly
Could they make one that would be good at it? Someday, I just don't think that time is now.

And-- Could it involve lasers?

YES! It's possible to make really fine measurements with lasers. That's how they detected gravity waves earlier this year. Something like 4 Kilometers of distance for the laser paths which have to be perpendicular. And the difference that made for a detectable event was so small I don't have an easy way to explain it. Of course, that cost a LOT of money.

These are pretty cool. And may be cheap enough for me to get one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKhbEz00ksM


Now git offen my lawn ya pesky kid


Steve B

[JustCollectVP]

Several factors that are not taken into account is that there are so many anomalies in any specific given card. To design a program that would eliminate the chance of anomaly would also result in losing many of the key flaws that the program would be designed to identify.

Is the white speck in the background of the crowd a print dot, a cola cup or a design on the fan's shirt?

Was the program designed to identify the cut characteristics of each specific issue or only measure for specific size?

What tolerance would be acceptable for size and what method would be used to determine if a card was original, filed, trimmed or otherwise made to the exact size for the issue.

How would the program recognize variations in registration or focus given that many issues have portions that are purposely out of focus and have different shading.

In theory, the database would require a perfect specimen of every card to utilize as a baseline reference. Since this is not feasible, I'm assuming that some poetic license would have to be taken to complete the database or otherwise the database will be incomplete and the application will still be more human based than mechanically structured.

My premise would be that you can design programs that will assist in grading cards, but anyone that is naive enough to think that a few cameras and programs can provide consistent and accurate results is underestimating the complexity involved in authenticating and grading cards. Additionally, the dirty underbelly of the hobby would quickly identify and abuse the loopholes in the system.