Weld Inspection Optimizer

• US 20080149687A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Brown, Aimee E., Norman, James R., Garnett, Mark D.
• Application Number:
  US11/615,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20080149687A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 228/104
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 31/12 relating to investigating the properties, e.g. the weldability, of materials
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 31/125 Weld quality monitoring

Abstract

A method for inspecting welds comprising sorting a plurality of welds to be inspected according to a weld device that made the welds. After sorting the welds according to the weld device that made the welds, the welds are sorted according to a plurality of weld schedules at which the weld devices made the welds. Then, the welds are sorted according to a weld number. Subsequently, at least one weld made by each weld device is inspected, and the process is repeated until every weld made by each weld device at each weld setting is inspected.

Claims

1. A method of inspecting welds, comprising:

sorting a plurality of welds according to predetermined weld criteria;

organizing an inspection routine after sorting said plurality of welds; and

inspecting the welds according to the inspection routine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said weld criteria includes a model number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said weld criteria includes a weld number on a unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said weld criteria includes a weld device that made the welds.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said weld criteria includes a weld schedule of a weld device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said weld criteria includes a weld classification.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said weld criteria includes a substrate thickness.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of sorting said plurality of welds includes driving a unit that includes said welds into a plurality of zones, and sorting said welds according to their location in said zones.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking information related to inspection of said welds.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said inspection step includes visually inspecting said welds, inspecting said welds with a chisel, or using a weld inspection tool to inspect said welds.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of sorting said welds including first prioritizing said welds according to a plurality of weld devices that said welds are produced on, then according to a weld schedule of said weld device, and then according to a weld number.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising inspecting at least one weld made by each welding device.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein after inspecting at least one weld made by each welding device, inspecting at least one weld made at a different weld schedule by each welding device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising inspecting every weld made by a welding device if a discrepant weld is found.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising after a predetermined number of welds have been inspected, inspecting each weld located in at least one zone.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said inspecting step may be performed in-line or off-line.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said sorting step is done with a computer, a remote device, or a weld analyzing device.

18. A method for inspecting welds comprising:

sorting a plurality of welds to be inspected according to a weld device that made the welds;

after sorting the welds according to the weld device that made the welds, sorting the welds according to a plurality of weld schedules of the weld device that made the welds;

after sorting the welds according to the weld schedules, sorting the welds according to a weld number;

inspecting at least one weld made by each weld device; and

repeating said inspecting step until the plurality of welds made by each weld device at each weld schedule is completed.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising, after the sorting steps, forming an inspection routine.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said inspection routine is formed by a computer, a remote device, or a weld inspection tool.