Exploring Infrared Sensoring for Real Time Welding Defects Monitoring in GTAW.docVIP

Sensors 2010, 10, 5962-5974; doi:10.3390/s100605962 OPEN ACCESS sensors ISSN 1424-8220 /journal/sensors Article Exploring Infrared Sensoring for Real Time Welding Defects Monitoring in GTAW Sadek C. A. Alfaro* and Fernand Díaz Franco Automation and Control Group, Departamento de Engenharia Mecanica/Mecatr?nica, Faculdade de Tecnologia, The Brasilia University, Brasília–DF, CEP: 70910-900, Brazil * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: sadek@unb.br; Tel.: +55-61 Fax: +55-61 Received: 25 April 2010; in revised form: 15 May 2010 / Accepted: 30 May 2010 / Published: 14 June 2010 Abstract: This paper presents an evaluation of an infrared sensor for monitoring the welding pool temperature in a Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) process. The purpose of the study is to develop a real time system control. It is known that the arc welding pool temperature is related to the weld penetration depth; therefore, by monitoring the temperature, the arc pool temperature and penetration depth are also monitored. Various experiments were performed; in some of them the current was varied and the temperature changes were registered, in others, defects were induced throughout the path of the weld bead for a fixed current. These simulated defects resulted in abrupt changes in the average temperature values, thus providing an indication of the presence of a defect. The data has been registered with an acquisition card. To identify defects in the samples under infrared emissions, the timing series were analyzed through graphics and statistic methods. The selection of this technique demonstrates the potential for infrared emission as a welding monitoring parameter sensor. Keywords: Gas Tungsten Arc Welding; welding monitoring; infrared; statistic methods 1. Introduction Technology advancements seek to meet the demands for quality and performance through product improvements and