Micrometer-precise inline inspection of the weld bead
Radar sensor solution for weld bead monitoring near the welding head
Our radar sensors enable a micrometer-precise inline inspection of the weld bead in the very close range of 1 to 5 cm. The teflon-filled measuring head of the radar sensor withstands high temperatures and is able to measure with extremely high reliability even in adverse lighting conditions, smoke and dirt. This enables an inspection in the proximity of the welding head for immediate identification of defects such as missing weld bead parts, length defects as well as errors in the bead height and shape.
The challenge
A laborious visual inspection
Depending on the welded component, weld beads must meet specific quality criteria in order to meet the requirements for quality and service life. If the irregularities of the weld bead exceed the applicable tolerance values, there is a weld bead error. Typical errors are missing weld beads, errors in length as well as defects in the bead height and in the bead shape. Even today, the inspection of the weld bead quality is often carried out in a laborious manual visual inspection – a time-consuming and therefore expensive matter. Automation of visual inspection has become increasingly important in recent years, in particular solutions that enable an inline inspection of the weld bead. The available market solutions for automated weld bead inspection are mostly based on optical sensors. Due to the high temperatures and adverse lighting conditions, these systems usually cannot detect defects in the weld bead in immediate proximity of the welding head.
The solution
Inline inspection of the weld bead close to the welding head
With the OndoSense radar sensor system, a micrometer-accurate measurement of the distance to the weld bead is possible in the extremely close range of 1 to 5 cm. The teflon-filled measuring head of the radar sensor is separated from the electronics: It can therefore withstand high temperatures and measures extremely reliably even with adverse lighting conditions, smoke and dirt. This enables an automated inspection of the weld bead, even at high temperatures, in close proximity of the welding head. Errors in manufacturing quality such as missing weld bead parts, defects in length, errors in the bead height and shape (e. g. gaps, indentations, sagging) can be identified immediately. An inspection speed of over 50 meter per minute is possible with OndoSense radar sensor technology. In addition, the use of several radar sensors makes it possible to determine the dimension or the horizontal displacement of the weld bead: The cloud-based OndoNet sensor software enables the networking and evaluation of the sensor data using smart algorithms.
Products & solutions
OndoSense proxi 
Industry range
Automotive Industry
Electrical industry
Plant & mechanical engineering
Metal industry
Your inquiry on our solution
Tell us about your application. Let us know how we may help you.
Are you interested in implementing our solution in your company? Do you have any questions about the application or our products? We will provide you with answers, advise you on the use of OndoSense radar sensors and work out a solution for your individual challenge together with you.
