The information on this site is subject to a disclaimer and a copyright notice . Thermal eye watches weld quality A steel maker and a research centre have developed an automated system for monitoring the quality of welds in industrial seam-welding. An optical pyrometer senses the temperature of the weld as it emerges from the machine. The weld is acceptable if the average and standard deviation of the temperatures along its length both fall within set values.
Studies show excellent correlation with traditional inspection techniques.
The system can also detect any gradual deterioration in the weld quality, indicating the need for preventative maintenance of the welding machine. W hen done correctly, welding is a strong and reliable means of joining two pieces of metal and is widely used in manufacturing industry. However, strict quality control is essential if welds are to made to a high and consistent standard. Traditionally, a weld is tested by visual inspection and by tapping it with a hammer to check that the two metal edges have fused properly. Though effective, these tests are qualitative and partly subjective.