Integrated optical sensor
First Claim
1. A method for electronic data acquisition and multifunction controlling of a welding operation, comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning a laser and electronic imaging device in close proximity behind the path of a welding torch so that the torch shields the imaging device from light directly emitted from the welding arc site;
(b) directing a laser stripe of a known wavelength from the laser to a position traversing a weld bead site;
(c) filtering light reflected from the weld site by a band pass filter of approximately the same wavelength as the laser stripe;
(d) acquiring images of the weld bead site by the electronic imaging device;
(e) processing and extracting from the acquired image the location of;
the molten weld pool edges, the welding torch gas cup edge, and the laser stripe;
(f) analyzing the extracted information and calculating data for controlling the welding process;
(g) controlling the welding process based upon the calculated data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated optical sensor for arc welding having multifunction feedback control. The sensor, comprising generally a CCD camera and diode laser, is positioned behind the arc torch for measuring weld pool position and width, standoff distance, and post-weld centerline cooling rate. Computer process information from this sensor is passed to a controlling computer for use in feedback control loops to aid in the control of the welding process. Weld pool position and width are used in a feedback loop, by the weld controller, to track the weld pool relative to the weld joint. Sensor standoff distance is used in a feedback loop to control the contact tip to base metal distance during the welding process. Cooling rate information is used to determine the final metallurgical state of the weld bead and heat affected zone, thereby controlling post-weld mechanical properties.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for electronic data acquisition and multifunction controlling of a welding operation, comprising the steps of:
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(a) positioning a laser and electronic imaging device in close proximity behind the path of a welding torch so that the torch shields the imaging device from light directly emitted from the welding arc site; (b) directing a laser stripe of a known wavelength from the laser to a position traversing a weld bead site; (c) filtering light reflected from the weld site by a band pass filter of approximately the same wavelength as the laser stripe; (d) acquiring images of the weld bead site by the electronic imaging device; (e) processing and extracting from the acquired image the location of;
the molten weld pool edges, the welding torch gas cup edge, and the laser stripe;(f) analyzing the extracted information and calculating data for controlling the welding process; (g) controlling the welding process based upon the calculated data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for data acquisition and control of a welding operation, comprising:
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a. an electronic image sensor positioned in close proximity behind the path of a welding torch on a work piece so that the torch shields the imaging device from light directly emitted from the welding arc site; b. means for creating a laser stripe transverse to a weld bead path, said laser stripe being a known wavelength; c. lens means attached to the electronic image sensor for focusing the image; d. a band pass optical filter to limit the frequency of light reflected from the weld bead being imaged, the band pass frequency corresponding to the wavelength of the laser stripe; e. computer means for acquiring and processing data from the image and controlling the welding process. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification