CMOS camera images automotive welding

OCTOBER 14, 2008--Welding tailored blanks is one of the most important applications oflaser welding in the car industry. Visual inspection for faults in the laser weld by humans is too expensive and insufficiently reliable. This necessitated an automatic measuring system suitable for use in industry that could enable a complete and thorough check of the laser joint. The system was to make visual inspections during laser welding and laser soldering; analyze the profiles, weld structure, and pores with one compact sensor; and fully automate online inspection. This challenge was met by Soudronic Automotive that developed a PC-based image-processing system, the Souvis 5000, using a real-time operating system incorporating image processing and a CMOS camera from Photonfocus (Lachen, Germany; www.photonfocus.com). For more information, go to http://www.photonfocus.com/html/eng/applications/applicationReports.php?catId=1.