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Applied Machine Vision Laboratory
Contact: Dr. YuMing Zhang, Center for Manufacturing, University of Kentucky, Lexington,
KY 40506. Phone: 859/257-6262 Ext. 223; Fax: 859/323-1035; email: ymzhang@engr.uky.edu.
The Applied Machine Vision Laboratory operates within the Center for Manufacturing,
a unit of the University of Kentucky's College of Engineering. The center
is made up of several applied research laboratories that develop practical
technologies for industry.
Working closely with the automotive and piping industries, the vision
laboratory has focused on developing automated real-time systems that
can inspect weld quality and control adaptive welding. These new inspection
systems can spot defects like undercuts, porosity, craters, burning-through,
and penetration insufficiency at a frame rate of up to 1000 images per
second. The adaptive welding systems can adjust torch and welding parameters
on-line, based on real-time measurement of the groove geometry (for the
root pass) and weld profiles (for the succeeding pass).
Automated Weld Quality Inspection Systems
Submerged Arc Welding Process Control System
Technical Specialties
External Funding
Automated Weld Quality Inspection
Systems
A number of automated weld quality inspection systems have been developed
and installed on the shop floor for wheel weld quality inspection. The
inspection cycle ranges from 72 to 90 wheels per minute depending on the
type of the inspection system. One type of inspection system monitors
the heat-affected zone from the back to determine the weld quality while
the wheel is rotating. Another type of inspection system projects a laser
stripe to the weld on the rotating wheel. Different defects such as porosity,
burn-through holes, craters, and undercut can be inspected from the geometry
of the laser stripe at a 1 mm increment.
Submerged Arc Welding Process
Control System
The system was originally developed for the welding of propane tanks.
A cylinder is overlapped on a cast head and joined by submerged arc welding.
The groove of the cylinder is prepared by plasma cutting and the groove
of the head is formed during casting. The first pass is intended to achieve
approximately 60 percent partial penetration. A laser stripe is projected
to image the groove geometry. The wire speed and torch position are adjusted
on-line based on the groove geometry to achieve the desired weld penetration
level during the first pass. The wire speed, arc voltage, and torch position
are controlled on-line to achieve the desired weld profile during the
second pass.
Technical Specialties
Real-Time Image Processing; Manufacturing Processes/Systems, Systems Integration.
External
Funding
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