A detection device adapted to verify or determine a welding quality includes a housing, a moving assembly, a mounting bracket, and a rotating assembly. The moving assembly is movably installed on the housing and is adapted to be moved up and down in a vertical direction. The mounting bracket is fixed to the housing. The rotating assembly includes a rotating member rotatably connected to the mounting bracket and movably connected to the moving assembly, and a contact probe fixed to the rotating member. The contact probe is adapted to make sliding contact with a second component welded on a first component and to push the moving assembly to move in the vertical direction through the rotating member.

A method, apparatus, and system are provided to monitor and characterize the dynamics of a phase change region (PCR) created during laser welding, specifically keyhole welding, and other material modification processes, using low-coherence interferometry. By directing a measurement beam to multiple locations within and overlapping with the PCR, the system, apparatus, and method are used to determine, in real time, spatial and temporal characteristics of the weld such as keyhole depth, length, width, shape and whether the keyhole is unstable, closes or collapses. This information is important in determining the quality and material properties of a completed finished weld. It can also be used with feedback to modify the material modification process in real time.

The present disclosure relates to a device for distance measurement for a laser processing system, comprising a collimator lens system, which is set up to collimate an optical measuring beam, a deflection lens system, which defines an optical axis, wherein the deflection lens system comprises at least one transmissive optical element, which is displaceable relative to the optical axis, in order to deflect the collimated optical beam from the optical axis, and a focusing lens system, which is set up to focus the deflected measuring beam onto a workpiece.

A method, apparatus, and system are provided to monitor and characterize the dynamics of a phase change region (PCR) created during laser welding, specifically keyhole welding, and other material modification processes, using low-coherence interferometry. By directing a measurement beam to multiple locations within and overlapping with the PCR, the system, apparatus, and method are used to determine, in real time, spatial and temporal characteristics of the weld such as keyhole depth, length, width, shape and whether the keyhole is unstable, closes or collapses. This information is important in determining the quality and material properties of a completed finished weld. It can also be used with feedback to modify the material modification process in real time.

The present disclosure concerns a system and associated method for welding a piece. The system includes a 6-axis welding robot including a robotized arm, a vision module and a computing device. The vision module is mounted to a fourth axis of the robotized arm and includes optical sources and a camera. The optical sources are operable to irradiate the piece along irradiation paths. The camera is configured to receive irradiated light from the piece and to generate image data. The computing device is operatively connected to the camera and includes non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored instructions that, when executed by a processor causes the processor to receive the image data; obtain a reference welding path to be followed by the welding robot for welding the piece; send instructions to the welding robot to weld the piece according to the reference welding path.

A position detection device for a seam portion and a heated portion of a welded steel pipe detects a position of the seam portion of the welded steel pipe and a position of the heated portion generated by heating the seam portion and/or near the seam portion, and includes: an irradiation unit configured to emit light; an imaging device configured to capture a first image of the seam portion and the heated portion irradiated with light and a second image of the seam portion and the heated portion not irradiated with light; and a control device configured to control light irradiation by the irradiation unit and an imaging timing of the imaging device.

A method for monitoring a laser welding process for welding workpieces by a welding laser beam is provided. The method includes, during the laser welding process, directing a measuring beam of an optical coherence tomograph onto an interaction area in which the welding laser beam interacts with the workpieces. The measuring beam penetrates the workpieces in the interaction area in a through weld of the workpieces. The measuring beam penetrating the workpieces is incident on a reference element. The method further includes acquiring measured values using the measuring beam, defining a first measured value range corresponding to detection of a material of the workpieces, defining a second measured value range corresponding to detection of the reference element, and determine a ratio of a number of measured values lying in the first measured value range and a number of measured values lying in the second measured value range.

The present disclosure relates to a device for distance measurement for a laser processing system, comprising a collimator lens system, which is set up to collimate an optical measuring beam, a deflection lens system, which defines an optical axis, wherein the deflection lens system comprises at least one transmissive optical element, which is displaceable relative to the optical axis, in order to deflect the collimated optical beam from the optical axis, and a focusing lens system, which is set up to focus the deflected measuring beam onto a workpiece.

A laser welding device includes a laser irradiation unit, a visible light sensor and a control unit. The laser irradiation unit irradiates a laser beam. The visible light sensor detects an emission intensity of visible light that is emitted from a welded portion. The control unit can freely switch the operation of the laser irradiation unit between a welding mode for welding a plurality of metal members to each other by irradiating laser beam and an inspection mode for irradiating the laser beam again onto the welded portion as an inspection light. After the welding the metal members, the control unit switches the laser irradiation unit to the inspection mode to irradiate the laser beam again onto the welded portion as an inspection light. The control unit detects if a hole is generated after welding based on changes in the emission intensity of the visible light.

Systems, methods and apparatuses are used for monitoring material processing using imaging signal density calculated for an imaging beam directed to a workpiece or processing region, for example, during inline coherent imaging (ICI). The imaging signal density may be used, for example, to monitor laser and e-beam welding processes such as full or partial penetration welding. In some examples, the imaging signal density is indicative of weld penetration as a result of reflections from a keyhole floor and/or from a subsurface structure beneath the keyhole. The monitoring may include, for example, automated pass/fail or quality assessment of the welding or material processing or parts produced thereby. The imaging signal density may also be used to control the welding or material processing, for example, using imaging signal density data as feedback. The imaging signal density may be used alone or together with other measurements or metrics, such as distance or depth measurements.