Description
Challenge
Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) is a method where metal fusion heat is generated by an electric arc between the electrode and workpiece. Flux, a granular substance, is applied around the welding area, acting as a protective barrier to submerge the arc and minimize visible sparks or spatter during welding. The flux also shields the welding arc from atmospheric contaminants, facilitates metal fusion by melting, and promotes clean weld deposits. A specialized vacuum system follows the torch vacuuming up the excess flux after the weld has been formed.
Submerged Arc Welding is typically a mechanized process, conducted on large parts where either the fixture or the part is moving. Due to the scale of the operations, seeing the torch positioning throughout the entire welding process can be challenging and dangerous. A camera solution would facilitate continuous monitoring of the welding process, enhancing torch guidance while supporting quality control efforts.
Development
The Sub Arc Welding Camera System required an effective cooling method and be durable enough to withstand the harsh application conditions. Given its application on large, rugged parts, the camera needed to incorporate extended cabling to track the torch along the entire weld path. Additionally, integrating a reference point feature would assist operators in ensuring proper torch alignment. This would entail writing a customized software for controlling the camera, and providing a positional crosshair system, for guidance from the camera during the welding process.
Solution
The solution comprised KZ-10 Camera Core equipped with a spatter shield for extra lens protection. This camera features a 1080p resolution at 30fps, 10x zoom capability, and integrated lighting consisting of four adjustable LEDs. This design allowed for operation within large chambers being welding or in low-light environments. The TVI interface was chosen to maintain system flexibility across various SAW applications, without being restricted by the various cable length requirements. Cooling barbs were incorporated on the back of the camera to keep the camera from overheating.
For simplicity, a touchscreen monitor was included with the camera controller. This monitor allows the user to control the zoom or manipulate the on screen guidance lines through touchscreen or with a mouse. This solution became a simplistic sub arc welding system providing real-time weld viewing to allow for immediate adjustments or quality control monitoring.
Related Products:
Weld-i® Submerged Arc Weld (SAW) Camera Monitoring System
To learn more about different arc welding process read:
Different Arc Welding Processes, Behaviors, and Applications