GB2185816A - Ultrasonic weld monitoring - Google Patents

Ultrasonic weld monitoring Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2185816A
GB2185816A GB08630114A GB8630114A GB2185816A GB 2185816 A GB2185816 A GB 2185816A GB 08630114 A GB08630114 A GB 08630114A GB 8630114 A GB8630114 A GB 8630114A GB 2185816 A GB2185816 A GB 2185816A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
weld
monitoring
bead
laser beam
wave generator
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB08630114A
Other versions
GB8630114D0 (en
GB2185816B (en
Inventor
Dr Francis Alan Wedgwood
Dr Christopher Brian Scruby
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
UK Atomic Energy Authority
Original Assignee
UK Atomic Energy Authority
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by UK Atomic Energy Authority filed Critical UK Atomic Energy Authority
Publication of GB8630114D0 publication Critical patent/GB8630114D0/en
Publication of GB2185816A publication Critical patent/GB2185816A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2185816B publication Critical patent/GB2185816B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01NINVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N29/00Investigating or analysing materials by the use of ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves; Visualisation of the interior of objects by transmitting ultrasonic or sonic waves through the object
    • G01N29/22Details, e.g. general constructional or apparatus details
    • G01N29/24Probes
    • G01N29/2418Probes using optoacoustic interaction with the material, e.g. laser radiation, photoacoustics
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23KSOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K26/00Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
    • B23K26/02Positioning or observing the workpiece, e.g. with respect to the point of impact; Aligning, aiming or focusing the laser beam
    • B23K26/03Observing, e.g. monitoring, the workpiece
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23KSOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K9/00Arc welding or cutting
    • B23K9/095Monitoring or automatic control of welding parameters
    • B23K9/0956Monitoring or automatic control of welding parameters using sensing means, e.g. optical
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01NINVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N2291/00Indexing codes associated with group G01N29/00
    • G01N2291/04Wave modes and trajectories
    • G01N2291/048Transmission, i.e. analysed material between transmitter and receiver
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01NINVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N2291/00Indexing codes associated with group G01N29/00
    • G01N2291/26Scanned objects
    • G01N2291/267Welds
    • G01N2291/2675Seam, butt welding

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Immunology (AREA)
  • Pathology (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Investigating Or Analyzing Materials By The Use Of Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)

Abstract

A method and apparatus (30) are provided for monitoring a weld (10), in particular to detect failures of fusion at the sidewall (21) between the weld (10) and an object (12). Pulses of ultrasonic energy are generated in the weld (10) by a focussed laser beam (34), and ultrasonic waves propagating in the object (12) are detected by an electromagnetic non-contact probe (40). The method can be used on a hot weld (10) straight after its formation, and is particularly advantageous in monitoring a multi- pass weld. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Ultrasonic weld monitoring The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for monitoring the quality of a weld using ultrasonic techniques.
It is known to inspect welds after fabrication of an object using ultrasonic or radiographic techniques. These techniques enable major defects to be detected, so that the defects can be located and rectified, but inspection must take place after the weld is completed.
Where a weld consists of several beads formed by successive passes of a welding apparatus, then any defect (such as a failure of sidewall fusion) would be easier to rectify if detected immediately after its creation and before being buried by the next bead; but if the weld must be allowed to cool before inspection can occur then such detection will be very time consuming.
According to the present invention there is provided a method of monitoring a weld comprising a bead on an object, the method comprising generating ultrasonic waves in the weld bead with a non-contact wave generator, and detecting the waves propagating through the object.
Preferably the wave generator is a pulsed laser beam. The wave detector may be an electromagnetic non-contact probe.
By generating ultrasonic waves within the weld bead itself and detecting the waves in the object a relatively simple transmission path for the waves can be achieved, passing through the sidewall region of the weld where lack of fusion is most likely to occur. Inspection of this region by pulse-echo techniques would be geometrically complex. The use of a non-contact wave generator and in particular a pulsed laser beam enables monitoring of the weld bead to be performed on a hot weld bead straight after welding; furthermore the monitoring may be performed on a weld as the object moves past the wave generator.
In a further aspect the invention provides an apparatus for monitoring a weld comprising a bead on an object, the apparatus comprising a non-contact ultrasonic wave generator arranged to generate ultrasonic waves within the weld bead, and a detector arranged to detect ultrasonic waves propagating through the object. The apparatus may be supported adjacent a welding head so as to monitor the weld straight after welding while the bead is still hot.
Preferably the wave generator is a pulsed laser beam, and the beam is desirably focussed onto a line extending in the direction of the weld, so that the ultrasonic energy is directed in a plane perpendicular to the weld direction and so approximately perpendicular to any defect in the sidewall.
The invention will now be further described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a sectional view through a partly completed multipass weld; and Figure 2 shows a diagrammatic view of an apparatus for monitoring the weld of Fig. 1.
Referring to Fig. 1, a multi-pass weld 10 is shown joining two adjacent objects 12, 14 at a stage where the first five passes have been made. On each successive pass, a weld bead 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 is produced, gradually filling the gap 20 between the objects 12, 14.
The first bead 15 bridges the gap 20 as its narrowest point while each successive bead 16, 17, 18 or 19 fuses onto one or other of the sidewalls 21, 22 of the weld 10. Any failure of a bead 15, 16, 17, 18 or 19 to fuse to the respective sidewall 21 or 22 is a serious defect which can significantly weaken the weld 10.
Referring to Fig. 2, an apparatus 30 is shown for monitoring the weld 10, and in particular for monitoring fusion between the bead and the respective sidewall 21 or 22 after each successive pass. The apparatus 30 comprises a Q-switched neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminium-garnet laser 32 whose light beam 34 is focussed by a cylindrical lens 36 to form a line image 38 on the surface of the most recently formed bead 19 of the weld 10 (the individual beads are not indicated in Fig.
2 for clarity). The image 38 is about 0.5mm wide in the plane of the Figure and about 4mm long. Each pulse of the laser 32 is of energy 100mJ and duration 25 nanoseconds and sets up thermal stresses within the weld 10, so that a pulse of ultrasonic energy propagates principally as a compression wave pulse through the weld 10 and into each object 12, 14. Because the waves originate along the line image 38, most of the wave power is directed parallel to the plane of the Figure.
An electromagnetic ultrasonic detector 40 is arranged next to the lower surface of the object 12 and spaced away from the weld 10 in such a position as to receive ultrasonic waves from the line image 38 which have passed through the sidewall 21 of the weld 10. The detector 40 is connected to a signal recorder 42.
In operation of the apparatus 30 the laser 32 is energised to produce pulses at a rate of 1 KHz, and the apparatus 30 is scanned along the length of the weld 10. Any variation in the degree of sidewall fusion between the bead 19 and the sidewall 21 will be indicated by a variation in the ultrasonic signal strength received by the detector 40, and defects of this nature can thus readily be detected. It will be appreciated that the scanning may be brought about by movement either of the apparatus 30 or of the objects 12 and 14. It will also be understood that the laser 32 can be used as described above to generate ultra sound even in a very high temperature weld 10, so that the apparatus 30 can be supported adjacent to a welding head (not shown) to monitor the weld 10 straight after the bead 19 is formed and before it has cooled much below its melting point.The laser 32 has the further advantage that the ultrasonic pulses produced are of substantially constant energy so that there is no need to monitor the energy of the ultrasonic pulse.
In an alternative arrangement of the apparatus 30, the detector 40 is arranged next to the upper surface of the object 12 and further from the weld 10 so as to receive ultrasonic waves which have passed through the sidewall 21 and have then undergone specular reflection at the lower surface of the object 12. This has the advantages that all the apparatus 30 is on the same side of the object 12 or 14, and that the detector 40 is further from the heat of the weld 10, but the signals will not be as large.
Although the detector 40 described above is an electromagnetic detector, other types of detector may equally be used, for example a piezo-electric transducer provided with liquid couplant, or a piezo-electric transducer coupled by a wheel probe and compliant tyre with or without a liquid couplant.

Claims (11)

1. A method of monitoring a weld comprising a bead on an object, the method comprising generating ultrasonic waves in the weld bead with a non-contact wave generator, and detecting the waves propagating through the object.
2. A method as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the wave generator is a pulsed laser beam arranged to be incident on the surface of the weld beam.
3. A method as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the laser beam is brought to a line focus on the surface, the line being at least approximately parallel to the orientation of the weld bead.
4. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the method is performed on a hot weld bead straight after welding.
5. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the waves are detected by an electromagnetic non-contact probe.
6. A weld monitoring apparatus for monitoring a weld comprising a bead on an object, the apparatus comprising a non-contact ultrasonic wave generator arranged to generate ultrasonic waves within the weld bead, and a detector arranged to detect ultrasonic waves propagating through the object.
7. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the wave generator comprises means to generate pulsed laser beam.
8. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 also including means to bring the laser beam to a line focus.
9. An apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 6 to 8 wherein the detector comprises an electromagnetic non-contact probe.
10. A method of monitoring a weld substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
11. A weld monitoring apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.
GB8630114A 1986-01-27 1986-12-17 Ultrasonic weld monitoring Expired - Fee Related GB2185816B (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB868601873A GB8601873D0 (en) 1986-01-27 1986-01-27 Ultrasonic weld monitoring

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8630114D0 GB8630114D0 (en) 1987-01-28
GB2185816A true GB2185816A (en) 1987-07-29
GB2185816B GB2185816B (en) 1990-04-25

Family

ID=10591982

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB868601873A Pending GB8601873D0 (en) 1986-01-27 1986-01-27 Ultrasonic weld monitoring
GB8630114A Expired - Fee Related GB2185816B (en) 1986-01-27 1986-12-17 Ultrasonic weld monitoring

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB868601873A Pending GB8601873D0 (en) 1986-01-27 1986-01-27 Ultrasonic weld monitoring

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (2) GB8601873D0 (en)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2677185A1 (en) * 1991-05-30 1992-12-04 Electricite De France LASER TRANSMITTER IN PARTICULAR FOR THE GENERATION OF ULTRASONIC WAVES AND ITS APPLICATION TO A NON-DESTRUCTIVE NON-CONTACT CONTROL DEVICE.
US5535006A (en) * 1992-07-16 1996-07-09 Lockheed Idaho Technologies Company Method and system for evaluating integrity of adherence of a conductor bond to a mating surface of a substrate
CN102294549A (en) * 2010-05-21 2011-12-28 株式会社东芝 welding system and welding method
US9217731B2 (en) 2010-05-21 2015-12-22 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Welding inspection method and apparatus thereof
CN109773187A (en) * 2019-02-26 2019-05-21 重庆理工大学 A kind of double light beam laser method for quickly forming and manufacturing based on laser-ultrasound

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3978713A (en) * 1975-05-27 1976-09-07 General Electric Company Laser generation of ultrasonic waves for nondestructive testing
GB2038481A (en) * 1978-06-20 1980-07-23 Sumitomo Metal Ind Method of non-contact supersonic flaw detection and apparatus therefor
GB1583057A (en) * 1976-11-23 1981-01-21 Ibm Sonic pulse generator
US4246793A (en) * 1979-02-08 1981-01-27 Battelle Development Corporation Nondestructive testing
US4480475A (en) * 1983-01-28 1984-11-06 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Real-time ultrasonic weld inspection method
EP0129205A2 (en) * 1983-06-15 1984-12-27 Hitachi, Ltd. Noncontacting ultrasonic flaw detecting method
GB2172106A (en) * 1985-03-07 1986-09-10 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Ultrasonic microstructural monitoring
GB2172994A (en) * 1984-03-08 1986-10-01 Rockwell International Corp Contact-free ultrasonic transduction for flaw and acoustic discontinuity detection

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3978713A (en) * 1975-05-27 1976-09-07 General Electric Company Laser generation of ultrasonic waves for nondestructive testing
GB1583057A (en) * 1976-11-23 1981-01-21 Ibm Sonic pulse generator
GB2038481A (en) * 1978-06-20 1980-07-23 Sumitomo Metal Ind Method of non-contact supersonic flaw detection and apparatus therefor
US4246793A (en) * 1979-02-08 1981-01-27 Battelle Development Corporation Nondestructive testing
US4480475A (en) * 1983-01-28 1984-11-06 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Real-time ultrasonic weld inspection method
EP0129205A2 (en) * 1983-06-15 1984-12-27 Hitachi, Ltd. Noncontacting ultrasonic flaw detecting method
GB2172994A (en) * 1984-03-08 1986-10-01 Rockwell International Corp Contact-free ultrasonic transduction for flaw and acoustic discontinuity detection
GB2172106A (en) * 1985-03-07 1986-09-10 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Ultrasonic microstructural monitoring

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
J SZILARD, }ULTRASONIC TESTING}, 1982, JOHN WILEY & SONS, PAGE 428 AND PAGES 402-403 *

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2677185A1 (en) * 1991-05-30 1992-12-04 Electricite De France LASER TRANSMITTER IN PARTICULAR FOR THE GENERATION OF ULTRASONIC WAVES AND ITS APPLICATION TO A NON-DESTRUCTIVE NON-CONTACT CONTROL DEVICE.
WO1992022110A1 (en) * 1991-05-30 1992-12-10 Electricite De France - Service National Laser transmitter particularly for generating ultrasonic waves, and use thereof in a contactless nondestructive testing device
US5535006A (en) * 1992-07-16 1996-07-09 Lockheed Idaho Technologies Company Method and system for evaluating integrity of adherence of a conductor bond to a mating surface of a substrate
CN102294549A (en) * 2010-05-21 2011-12-28 株式会社东芝 welding system and welding method
CN102294549B (en) * 2010-05-21 2015-01-14 株式会社东芝 Welding system and welding method
US9217731B2 (en) 2010-05-21 2015-12-22 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Welding inspection method and apparatus thereof
EP2388572B1 (en) * 2010-05-21 2023-01-04 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Welding method
CN109773187A (en) * 2019-02-26 2019-05-21 重庆理工大学 A kind of double light beam laser method for quickly forming and manufacturing based on laser-ultrasound

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8630114D0 (en) 1987-01-28
GB8601873D0 (en) 1986-03-05
GB2185816B (en) 1990-04-25

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
Sun et al. Sensor systems for real-time monitoring of laser weld quality
CH665909A5 (en) METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ULTRASONIC DETECTION OF INTERNAL DEFECTS OF A RAILWAY RAIL LOCATED IN THE EDGE OF THE MUSHROOM OF THAT RAIL, USE OF THE DEVICE.
US4480475A (en) Real-time ultrasonic weld inspection method
JP2011257163A (en) Laser ultrasonic inspection method and laser ultrasonic inspection device
CN113640384A (en) Remote TOFD laser ultrasonic weld nondestructive testing equipment and method
US2937522A (en) Ultrasonic rail weld scanner
JPH05337662A (en) Method and device for determining welding quality
US4509369A (en) Near surface inspection system
GB2185816A (en) Ultrasonic weld monitoring
CN110687204A (en) Laser ultrasonic detection method and device
JPS6252678B2 (en)
JP2004500560A (en) Ultrasonic inspection method of welding seam of welded turbine rotor
JP5292012B2 (en) Ultrasonic inspection equipment
CN211627451U (en) Laser ultrasonic detection device
JP4067203B2 (en) Spot welding inspection method
JPS6340692A (en) Quality inspection instrument for laser butt welding
JP3165888B2 (en) Ultrasonic flaw detection method and ultrasonic flaw detection apparatus
US11815447B2 (en) Femtosecond laser-based ultrasonic measuring apparatus for 3D printing process and 3D printing system having the same
JP2682390B2 (en) Ultrasonic flaw detector for welds
JP2000180421A (en) Method and apparatus for inspecting thin plate lap seam welded part
JPS5831872B2 (en) Non-contact ultrasonic flaw detection method
JP2018136252A (en) Ultrasonic inspection device, ultrasonic inspection system including the same, and ultrasonic inspection method and program
JPS589783A (en) Method of inspection for laser working
JP2003057214A (en) Ultrasonic flaw detection method and apparatus in fillet welding section
US3929005A (en) Ultrasonic inspection recess in heat exchanger and nuclear steam generator tubesheets

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee