Process Control of GMAW by Detection of Discontinuities in the Molten Weld Pool
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Begun in 1973, the Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation (QNDE) is the premier international NDE meeting designed to provide an interface between research and early engineering through the presentation of current ideas and results focused on facilitating a rapid transfer to engineering development.
This site provides free, public access to papers presented at the annual QNDE conference between 1983 and 1999, and abstracts for papers presented at the conference since 2001.
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Abstract
The use of ultrasonic sensors to detect discontinuities associated with the molten pool is one phase of a project to automate the welding process [1]. In this work, ultrasonic sensors were used to interrogate the region around the molten/solid interface during gas metal arc welding (GMAW). The ultrasonic echoes from the interface and the molten pool provide information about the quality of the fusion zone and the molten pool. This information can be sent to a controller that can vary the welding parameters to correct the process. Previously ultrasonic shear waves were used to determine if the geometry of the molten/solid interface was indicative of an acceptable weld [2,3]. In this work, longitudinal waves were used to interrogate the molten weld pool for discontinuities. Unacceptable welding conditions that can result in porosity, incomplete penetration, or undercut were detected.