The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for sensing distortions in patterns of reflected light to create profiles representing surface topographies of absorbent structures during the manufacture of absorbent articles. Inspection systems may include sensors arranged adjacent an advancing absorbent structure on a converting line. In turn, a controller may monitor and affect various operations on the converting line. The inspection systems herein may also include a radiation source that illuminates a surface of an absorbent structure with a predetermined pattern of light extending in the cross direction CD. The sensor senses distortions in patterns of light reflected from the illuminated surface of the absorbent structure and triangulates changes in elevation of the illuminated surface of the absorbent structure relative to the sensor. Based on the triangulated changes in elevation, the sensor creates a profile representing a surface topography of the illuminated surface of the absorbent structure.
