Method and apparatus for inspecting and analyzing welded structures
First Claim
1. An apparatus for inspecting and analyzing welded structures comprising:
- a laser for directing at least one beam of light at a weld bead formed on at least two workpieces joined by said weld in a predetermined manner to define at least one visible profile line, said at least one profile line extending along at least a portion of each workpiece and along a full dimension of said weld bead;
a camera directed at said weld bead for capturing an image of said at least one laser light beam forming said at least one profile line and generating a usable image signal based on said image; and
a preprogrammed microprocessor assembly configured for;
receiving said usable image signal and processing said signal as an image;
locating at least one profile line on said image;
locating said weld bead along said at least one profile line;
determining a dimension of said weld bead defined along said at least one profile line;
comparing said length of said weld bead with a predetermined dimension set point to determine the quality of said weld bead;
locating a first straight portion of said at least one profile line extending for a predetermined distance without curving on said image to identify a first workpiece portion;
determining a weld start point by determining where said first straight portion of said at least one profile line begins to curve;
defining a first weld dimension line extending tangent to said at least one profile line at said weld start point;
locating a second straight portion of said at least one profile line extending for a predetermined distance without curving on said image to identify a second workpiece portion;
determining a weld bead endpoint by determining where said second straight portion of said at least one profile line begins to curve; and
defining a second weld dimension line extending tangent to said at least one profile line at said weld bead endpoint, wherein said first and second weld bead lines intersect at a weld bead midpoint.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for inspecting and analyzing welded structures includes a laser for directing at least one beam of light at a weld bead to define at least one visible profile line; a camera directed at the weld bead for capturing an image of the at least one profile line and generating a usable image signal based on the image; and a preprogrammed microprocessor assembly configured for receiving the usable image signal and processing the signal as an image to determine a dimension of the weld bead defined along the at least one profile line and comparing the dimension of the weld bead with a predetermined dimension set point to determine the quality of the weld bead.
18 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus for inspecting and analyzing welded structures comprising:
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a laser for directing at least one beam of light at a weld bead formed on at least two workpieces joined by said weld in a predetermined manner to define at least one visible profile line, said at least one profile line extending along at least a portion of each workpiece and along a full dimension of said weld bead; a camera directed at said weld bead for capturing an image of said at least one laser light beam forming said at least one profile line and generating a usable image signal based on said image; and a preprogrammed microprocessor assembly configured for; receiving said usable image signal and processing said signal as an image; locating at least one profile line on said image; locating said weld bead along said at least one profile line; determining a dimension of said weld bead defined along said at least one profile line; comparing said length of said weld bead with a predetermined dimension set point to determine the quality of said weld bead; locating a first straight portion of said at least one profile line extending for a predetermined distance without curving on said image to identify a first workpiece portion; determining a weld start point by determining where said first straight portion of said at least one profile line begins to curve; defining a first weld dimension line extending tangent to said at least one profile line at said weld start point; locating a second straight portion of said at least one profile line extending for a predetermined distance without curving on said image to identify a second workpiece portion; determining a weld bead endpoint by determining where said second straight portion of said at least one profile line begins to curve; and defining a second weld dimension line extending tangent to said at least one profile line at said weld bead endpoint, wherein said first and second weld bead lines intersect at a weld bead midpoint. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11)
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8. An apparatus for inspecting and analyzing welded wheel structures comprising:
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a laser for directing at least one beam of light at a weld bead formed on at least two workpieces comprising a wheel disc and a wheel rim joined by said weld bead in a predetermined manner to define at least one visible profile line, said at least one profile line extending along at least a portion of each of said wheel disc and said wheel rim and along a full dimension of said weld bead; a camera directed at said weld bead for capturing an image of said at least one laser light beam forming said at least one profile line and generating a usable image signal based on said image; and a preprogrammed microprocessor assembly configured for; receiving said usable image signal and processing said signal as an image; locating at least one profile line on said image; locating said weld bead along said at least one profile line; determining a dimension of said weld bead defined along said at least one profile line; comparing said dimension of said weld bead with a predetermined dimension set point to determine quality of said weld bead; locating a first straight portion of said at least one profile line extending for a predetermined length without curving on said image to identify a wheel disc portion; determining a weld start point by determining where said first straight portion of said at least one profile line begins to curve; defining a first weld dimension line extending tangent to said at least one profile line at said weld start point; locating a second straight portion of said at least one profile line extending for a predetermined length without curving on said image to identify a wheel rim portion; determining a weld bead end point by determining where said second straight portion of said at least one profile line begins to curve; and defining a second weld dimension line extending tangent to said at least one profile line at said weld bead end point, wherein said first and second weld bead lines intersect at a weld bead midpoint. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for inspecting and analyzing welded structures comprising the steps of:
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providing a laser for directing at least one beam of light at a weld bead formed on at least two workpieces joined by said weld bead in a predetermined manner; defining at least one visible profile line using said laser, said at least one profile line extending along at least a portion of each said workpiece and along a full dimension of said weld bead; providing a camera directed at said weld bead; capturing an image, using said camera of said at least one laser light beam forming said at least one profile line and generating a usable image signal based on said image; and providing a preprogrammed microprocessor assembly configured for receiving said usable image signal and processing said signal as an image to determine quality of said weld bead, said processing including the steps of; locating at least one profile line on said image; locating said weld bead along said at least one profile line; determining a dimension of said weld bead defined along said at least one profile line; comparing said dimension of the weld bead to a predetermined dimension set point to determine quality of said weld bead; locating a first straight portion of said at least one profile line extending for a predetermined length without curving on said image to identify a first workpiece portion; determining a weld start point by determining where said first straight portion of said at least one profile line begins to curve; defining a first weld dimension line extending tangent to said at least one profile line at said weld start point; locating a second straight portion of said at least one profile line extending for a predetermined length without curving on said image to identify a second workpiece portion; determining a weld end point by determining where said second straight portion of said at least one profile line begins to curve; and defining a second weld dimension line extending tangent to said at least one profile line at said weld end point, wherein said first and second weld bead lines intersect at a weld bead midpoint. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification