Computerized radiographic weld penetration control with feedback on weld pool depression : Guu, A.C.; Rokhlin, S.I. Materials Evaluation, Vol. 47, No. 10, pp. 1204–1210 (Oct. 1989)

Abstract

Welding pool depression depends on plasma pressure and heat input to the pool and therefore is related to weld penetration. On the basis of information on pool depression received from radiographic images in real time during welding, the possibility of using automated weld penetration control to maintain the required weld penetration has been studied. The experimental system developed includes an arc welding unit, a welding manipulator, a real-time x-ray system, an image processing unit, and a system controller. By analyzing the radiographic information together with metallographs of the appropriate weld cross section, the depth of the liquid metal in the pool has been determined at different levels of current and weld penetration.