Seam Tracking

University of Twente
D reb b el Institu te The Netherlands

laser beam In laser welding a high A seam tracking system Seam coordinates
plasma energy laser beam is measures the seam to be Data
keyhole processing Process signals
base material
scanned along the seam welded and guides the laser
meltpool Seam
weld between two metal parts and beam, which is manipulated by
location Seam
in this way creating a melt a robot, over the seam. sensor
pool at their interface. After Path
generation Laser
irradiation, the melt pool Such a system consists of: beam
resolidifies, joining the two A seam sensor to measure Robot
plates together. seam coordinates, position Seam
A data processing unit, which Robot
High-speed laser welding may take measured signals controller
requires accurate posi- from the weld process itself, Robot
tioning of the laser beam A path generation unit. Functional layout of robot-assisted laser
relative to the seam to be There are 2 approaches:
welding with seam tracking.
welded (typically better than First-teach-then-weld: the seam is first measured. Next the seam is
50um). For this purpose a welded blind,
Poor laserweld due to seam tracking system is Track-and-weld: simultaneous measuring and welding.
misalignment of the laser beam. required.

Low power Seam

laser diode (1)

Low power left plate Steel (1mm)

laser diode (2) High power
Camera laser beam right plate Steel (1mm)
(Nd:YAG)

left plate Steel (1mm)

right plate Steel (2mm)
Welded
seam

left plate Steel (1mm)

tilted right plate Steel (1mm)
Seam
Plates to
be welded Tailored blank:
left plate Al (2mm)
Configuration of optical sensor based on structured lighting right plate Cu (0.2mm)
and triangulation. The 2 laser diodes project a line on the work
piece, which is monitored by the CCD camera.

Seam

Field of
Seam
view of
sensor

Field of
view of
sensor

Laser spot Laser spot

To ensure that the seam remains in the Field of View (FoV) of the camera, First results of laser welding with seam tracking.
in the case of strongly curved seams, the sensor is “rotated in the Material: Steel E340 (thickness 1mm),
direction of the seam”. This requires an additional axis on the robot. power Nd:YAG laser 1.6kW, welding speed 75 mm/s.

prof. dr. ir. J.B. Jonker Drebbel Institute, WB-WA

prof. dr. ir. J. Meijer University of Twente
dr. ir. G.R.B.E. Römer P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede
The Netherlands
drebbel@rt.el.utwente.nl
http://www.rt.el.utwente.nl/drebbel/