Optimization of the welding process
in laboratory, Offline
comprehensive analysis
Welding process optimization with PROline
The fast non destructive quality control of laser welds is essential for the protection of humans and environment, especially in the automotive industry. The goal is ensuring the load capacity of components with simultaneous savings of costs and resources. Vogt Ultrasonics had produced the PROlineSCAN 6-Axis Inspection System for sub-suppliers of the automotive industries for the inspection of rotationally symmetric components in the laboratory.
In the cycle-dependent, production accompanying inline inspection and due to cost factors a short single line scan with a large sound field is used to perform a fast sorting o fcomponents. The sorted out components subsequently undergo a 2nd non destructive inspection, to determine the extent of the defect areas.
comprehensive analysis
Optimizing of the welding process
In contrast to this, in the testinglaboratory it´s important to detect smallest defects in the weld seam and precisely locate them to optimize the welding process in correlation with the non destructive inspection. For the research on correct welding parameters operator-friendly inspection software is required, which adapts to the requirements of the researchers. The intuitive operated PROlinePLUS inspection and evaluation software is of modular design and concentrates on intuitive handling with simultaneous highest flexibility. With little training effort the customer can create inspection plans in shortest time, to optimize the welding process. By filing various inspection plans different types of components can be flexibly inspected one after another without effort. The automatic evaluation, creation of inspection reportsand report archiving saves time and creates inspection reliability.
Fig. 1: PROlineSCAN laboratroy ultrasonic inspection system
The inspection system includes a X-,Y-,Z- axis and turntable (W-axis) as well as amechanical inspection probe manipulator with a large working range (a, b-angle). Thanks to the scanning area of 600x700x400 mm and to the universal jig of the turntable the inspection system is not only suitable for the inspection of welds, but also for volumetric examination or measurement of the wall thickness and can also be used with immersion- or bubbler technique. Next to rotationally symmetric components the system is also suitable among other parts for the inspection of plates and metal sheets. The system can optionally be extended with a water circulation-, filtering-, heating/cooling- and safety system, bubbler pump and drying unit.