Sensors & Applications Welding Automation

Maximum productivity along with consistent quality are required in automated welding processes. In spot welding, additive manufacturing procedures and robot welding, all process steps are clocked and carried out with the highest precision. This increases the need for sensors that perform path planning, distance control and quality inspections. Micro-Epsilon offers a wide portfolio of robust sensors for welding automation which impress in harsh environments and with high precision. Their high precision and high measuring rates enable the sensors to increase the performance of various welding processes....

Path planning scanCONTROL Blue Laser Technology Laser profile scanners from Micro-Epsilon are among the highest performing profile sensors with respect to accuracy and measuring rate. These scanners with blue laser line are used in particularly demanding applications and impress with their high signal stability. The Blue Laser Technology from Micro-Epsilon for measurement tasks on redhot glowing objects is patent-protected.

3D scan of components before laser cladding With laser cladding, the component surface is melted by a laser beam and joined to form a new, pore-free layer by the addition of a powdered filler material. Prior to laser processing, the components are scanned with a scanCONTROL laser scanner from several directions. The core task of the scanners is the detection of free forms as well as the recognition of form deviations. Regardless of the reflection properties of the material, the scanners provide stable measurement values. The raw data is transferred directly to the customer software, assembled...

■ Inductive sensors (eddy current) for high precision measurements of displacement, distance & position ■ High frequency response for dynamic measurements ■ Temperature resistance for harsh ambient conditions ■ Pressure-resistant versions up to 2000 bar, resistant to oil, dust & dirt ■ Compact sensors for integration into confined spaces

Distance control with fully automatic laser welding In fully automatic welding units, welding head positioning is crucial for the quality of the welded joint. In order to position the welding head at the correct distance, optoNCDT 1900 laser sensors are used. These measure the distance from the steel plates with high accuracy. As they offer the highest insensitivity to ambient light in their class, the laser sensors are ideal for the distance control of welding heads. Focal point control in additive manufacturing With additive manufacturing methods such as selective metal melting, the focal point...

Quality assurance 3D Inspection of weld seams using laser scanners Laser scanners from Micro-Epsilon are used for quality assurance and the documentation of weld seams. Their high resolution enables the scanners to detect threedimensional shapes and the finest of details and structures. The 3D-View software allows quick and easy visualization of the evaluated readings. Moreover, multiple interfaces can be used in order to integrate the scanner in common image processing environments.

Sheet edge measurement with laser welding Automated robotic welding cells monitor the quality of pipes with longitudinal welding on the basis of several points. On the one hand, the edge position must be known along the sheet edge length while also ensuring the optimal alignment of the sheet edge. Laser scanners from Micro-Epsilon which process several measurement programs in the integrated controller are used for monitoring. The scanCONTROL SMART sensors require no additional controller, which considerably simplifies the installation procedure. Sensor: scanCONTROL SMART Weld seam tracking for...

Quality assurance

Color sensors for the presence check of weld seams When welding gear parts, the weld seam is automatically inspected for quality assurance purposes. Here, CFO100 color sensors are used which detect the entire seam while the component is rotating. As the weld seam has a different color than the surrounding materials, the presence of the seam can be reliably inspected. The multi-teach function enables teach-in of the color shades of the weld seam. If there is no seam, a switching signal is output. Sensor: colorSENSOR CFO100 Diameter measurement of welding wires In order to monitor the thickness...

Sensors and systems for displacement, distance and position Sensors and measurement devices for non-contact temperature measurement Measuring and inspection systems for metal strips, plastics and rubber Optical micrometers and fiber optics, measuring and test amplifiers Color recognition sensors, LED analyzers and inline color spectrometers 3D measurement technology for dimensional testing and surface inspection More Precision Whether it is for quality assurance, predictive maintenance, process and machine monitoring, automation or R&D – sensors from Micro-Epsilon make a vital contribution to...