Mapvison Develops Image-based Weld Seam Inspection Software
Mapvision has developed an image-based software solution for weld seam inspection to save companies time and money. The solution utilizes cameras existing in Mapvision's dimensional inspection solution.
Vision inspection technology creator Mapvision has released an image-based weld seam inspection software. The new weld inspection solution looks to circumvent the pitfalls of traditional weld inspection technology.
Weld seam inspection is important to ensure a product’s quality and safety. Image used courtesy of Adobe Stock
Weld Inspection Challenges
Weld inspection is a necessary part of many manufacturing processes. The welds that hold together different products made in modern manufacturing plants are critical to their performance. Not only is it important that welds be strong for quality control reasons but in many cases, welds hold together key components that can cause safety issues should the welds unexpectedly fail.
Weld inspections are often used to prevent unexpected weld failure and ensure that welds do their job properly. There are different ways to inspect welds, but they all involve their own set of pros and cons. Manual weld inspection can be tedious, and weld inspectors can become fatigued from performing the same task repeatedly. This fatigue of monotonous work can lead to unreliable results.
Weld Seam Inspection Methods
Current weld scanning systems on the market are effective at weld inspection. Still, they come with limitations, mainly the time it takes to implement the technology effectively. Weld seam inspection using scanner-based technology can take up to six months to become operational for weld seam inspection. This lag must also be considered when welding or production processes change.
Voltage and current monitoring during the welding process can work for some weld inspection. While this process doesn't have the unreliable results of manual weld inspection or the time constraints of scanning systems, voltage and current monitoring is limited to only understanding the specifics of the weld during the weld's production. This means that post-weld inspection is not possible with this method.
Mapvision’s Weld Seam Inspection solution is image-based, using multi-camera technology that makes up Mapvision’s in-line quality inspection solution (click image to enlarge). Image used courtesy of Mapvision
Mapvision’s Weld Seam Inspection Solution
Mapvision’s Weld Seam Inspection solution works by utilizing multi-camera technology used for Mapvision’s dimensional inspection system. When a customer orders Mapvision’s in-line quality inspection solution, they now have the option to include a “hardware setup” that enables weld seam inspection. To activate the weld seam inspection solution, all that is needed is a software upgrade.
Mapvision's Weld Seam Inspection is image-based. It works by taking photos of welds that need to be inspected and passing these images on to a neural network for inspection. Since the system is software-based, it takes up much less floor space than a traditional weld inspection station. Additionally, upgrading and improving the technology is as simple as a software update.
Flexible Inspection
Mapvision has integrated flexibility into its software to meet companies' diverse weld inspection needs. Mapvision can tailor its solution to manufacturers' needs more easily since the solution is entirely software-based. This flexibility enables the software to be used for everything from 100% weld inspection to partial weld inspection. The current software can provide what Mapvision deems to be level 1 inspection, which consists of weld anomaly detection.
