Patent ID: 8164022

Claim:
A system, comprising: a focusing lens configured to receive a multi-directional light spectrum from a plasma plume of a fusion welding process; a photo detector operatively coupled to the focusing lens, the photo detector is configured to detect at least one of a visible and a non-visible multi-directional light; a computer configured to selectively receive a signal from the photo detector, measure a spectral line intensity of at least one element and an electron temperature of at least one element from the plasma plume, wherein the at least one element is one of a zinc element and an iron element, and wherein the computer is further configured to calculate a ratio of the spectral line intensity of the zinc element of interest in the plasma plume with a spectral line intensity of the iron element of interest in the plasma plume; and a feedback control loop operatively coupled to the computer and configured to provide a feedback signal to the system in order to alter a real-time welding parameter to meet a set of pre-determined quality standards as compared to the calculated ratio of spectral line intensity.