Real-time imaging for arc welding

Abstract ESPRIT (CIM) Project 9 has taken automated welding systems as instances of 'machines' for which have been developed local, intelligent, corrective systems. Two widely different systems have been studied: single-pass welding, representative of the thin-sheet/high-volume industry (e.g. automotive), and multi-pass welding, representative of the heavyweight/low-volume industry (e.g. power generation). Vision sensory systems have been used to effect control of the welding systems. The problems of signal co-ordinating and analysis to give meaningful, real-time, output in the absence or presence of an arc, have been addressed. The single-pass system provides user programmable process control, whilst the multi-pass system derives its process control from algorithms embedded in the system: both systems provide full positional control. This paper gives an overview of work undertaken over a 5-year period (1983/88) under the ESPRIT (CIM) Programme (Project Number 9), which has been fully documented in the bi...