Camera technology “closes the loop” in arc welding

Date: 2008-11-21

FORCE Technology is working on improving the control of arc welding by integrating cameras for handling the welding process.

A PhD project, with the expert guidance from FORCE Technology, DTU and KU, is aimed at finding a more accurate method for controlling the arc welding process to replace the traditional methods using laser scanners.

The problem with the traditional methods is that a scanner monitors several centimetres in front of the arc and is thus not able to make corrections should there be irregularities during the welding process.

Looks straight down into the molten pool

In contrast, FORCE Technology’s camera solution is a copy of what a real welder would do, namely look straight down into the molten pool to ensure that the process is controlled fast and accurately: ”You may say that the use of cameras for controlling arc welding will “close the control loop” for a significantly better welding result. Moreover, the camera solution is much cheaper than a laser scanner,” says Technical Manager, Jens Klæstrup Kristensen of Welding Engineering Innovation at FORCE Technology.

The challenges for the PhD project now are how to filter the light from the arc and to work out how the necessary controlling parameters are automatically determined in real time.