Identifying a pathway for condition of assembly validation

A method and apparatus for establishing a pathway (304) for performing an automated validation (202) of a condition of assembly (204). A sensor system (210) coupled to an automated guided vehicle (222) is moved into test positions (308) relative to the structure (206). Image data is generated (1004) at each test position (308), using the sensor system (210), to build test images (310). Each test image is registered to a computer model (236) of the structure (206) to form registered images (312) that are added to a collection of registered images (314). An optimal set of positions (318) that will allow an entirety of an area of interest to be captured using a fewest number of registered images from the collection of registered images (314) is determined (1008). A pathway (304) is generated (1010) for moving the automated guided vehicle (222) to each optimal position in a least amount of time. A computer file (320) identifying the pathway is generated (1012) for use in performing the automated validation of the condition of assembly (204) . 200 2/13 Fig. 2 MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENT 230 PLURALITY OF STRUCTURE CONDITION OF 204 LFIXED POSITIONS ASSEMBLY PREDETERMINED SET OF PATH POSITIONS I206 222 VALIDATION 202 SYSTEM ( AUTOMATED AUTOMATED GUIDED VEHICLE VALIDATION PROCESS 210 SYSE PROCESSOR 232 214 IMAGING VALIDATOR 212 SYSTEM__ PLURALITY OF IMAGING SENSORS 237 COMPUTER MODEL 236 IMAGE DATA PLURALITY OF 7- ENGINEERING DRAWINGS 216 215 217 228 IMAGE PROCESSING COMPARISON COMPONENT COMPONENT PLURALITY PLURALITY OF IMAGES 238 OFIMAGE INITIAL SECTIONS 240 SCORE 245 SET OF IMAGE FINAL 2- SECTIONS SCORE 244 DISPLAY SYSTEM SECTION 242 REPORT 246 GRAPHICAL USER 1.I. GRAHIAL SE --- COMPUTERIZED NUMERICALLY 248 250 252 CONTROLLED MACHINE