Defect detection system for identifying defects in weld seams

US8046178B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ABB RESEARCH LTD. · CH

Inventors

• Fan Dai · Zwingenberg, DE
• Björn Matthias · Bad Schönborn, DE
• Sönke Kock · Hagfors, SE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 12, 2006
• Grant date: Oct 25, 2011
• Expiry date: Apr 25, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B23K9/0956
• WIPO field: Machine tools
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A defect detection system identifies defects in weld seams. An exemplary system includes a scanner device, mounted on a displacement device of a processing unit and which can be displaced by the unit over at least one weld seam that is to be examined. The scanner unit scans the weld seam using a predefinable frequency, each scanning sweep being correlated with a time signal. The time signal is used to record the point in time when at least one location containing defects is scanned. An analysis module determines the co-ordinates of the defects from the signals that are obtained by the scanning sweeps and stores the co-ordinates of the defects and transmits them to a localisation module. The localisation module determines the spatial arrangement of the defects of the weld seam by evaluating a speed profile of the displacement device during the scanning sweeps, the time signal and the co-ordinates.