Establishing welding process documentation

Innovative product increases efficiency in training about and quality assurance of welded seams by improving the documentation through generating visual solutions.

The Institute of Automation (IAT) at Bremen University, Germany, Optrel, Switzerland, global player in welder protection and EWM Hightech Welding, manufacturer of welding machines, have collaborated to initialise a BMBF-sponsored research project via virtual and extended realities during welding.

Thanks to this intensive knowledge transfer, the QS-Viz system resulting from the project was presented at Euroblech 2006 in Hanover.

The system will shortly be verifying the excellent laboratory tests in practice and positive feedback is expected.

* Visual documentation of the welding process - reliable documentation in the areas of training and quality assurance continues to gain in importance; this is also the case in the area of welding.

To date, however, it has only been possible to record the current and voltage flow, but not visual sequences.

The objective of the research project of the three partners IAT, Optrel and EWM Hightech Welding is to improve the documentation by generating visual solutions.

The QS-Viz add-on system resulting from the project offers enhanced access to the welding process for the first time by also allowing visual documentation in addition to the procedures and settings of the welding machine.

This means that the length of the arc, the droplet transfer, the welding bath and the undercuts can be detected and evaluated visually.

The environment becomes visible With the previous camera system, it was impossible to record the environment of the welding process.

Due to the intensity of the arc during welding, the environment could not be detected by the camera.

The camera used in QS-Viz has an extremely high dynamic area, enabling a detailed display in a grey value image.

This means that not only is the arc displayed cleanly, but also the environment is visible in the image and helps with orientation.

Quality as a cost factor - in order to approve a weld whilst considering the viewpoints of quality assurance, various - sometimes costly - procedures such as X-rays, ultrasound, magnetic powder or dye penetration are necessary.

With the use of the QS-Viz system, these tests can be kept to a minimum in the future, thus lowering costs.

Near-reality training - during the welding process, the trainers find it almost impossible using common teaching methods to record errors in the blowpipe guidance, the current voltage, etc, and to evaluate these together with the welder.

The QS-Viz provides the opportunity to keep the process true to detail and to analyse it with the welder using the relevant welding machine data once welding is complete.

The trainer also has the option of changing the welding machine parameters online using an external computer.

With this new system, the trainer can let his experiences and knowledge be used more directly in the training.

Back to top