Acoustic Weld Tracking for Real-Time Technique Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
It can be difficult for less experienced human operators to accurately judge whether their welding technique is good or bad, which can negatively impact the quality of the weld.
Innovation Solution
A weld tracking system using tracking anchors and tags that transmit and receive electromagnetic and acoustic signals to determine the location and orientation of welding devices, allowing for the assessment of welding performance through a processing system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If human operators manually judge welding technique, then the system is simple and easy to operate, but the accuracy and reliability of welding quality assessment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical assessment system with an automated acoustic tracking system. Acoustic sensors detect welding sounds, and signal processing algorithms automatically analyze welding technique quality, substituting human subjective judgment with objective acoustic-based measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces acoustic signals as an intermediary to assess welding quality. Instead of direct visual inspection, the system uses sound waves generated during welding as a mediator to evaluate technique quality, enabling indirect but more accurate measurement of welding parameters.
2Reliability
If acoustic tracking system is implemented, then welding technique monitoring accuracy improves, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The welding system performs self-assessment through acoustic monitoring. The system automatically captures, processes, and evaluates its own welding sounds without requiring external inspection equipment or manual intervention, enabling the system to self-diagnose and self-evaluate welding quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the measurement parameter from visual to acoustic domain. By detecting sound frequency, amplitude, and temporal characteristics of welding processes, the system transforms welding quality assessment into an acoustic signal analysis problem, enabling more reliable and automated monitoring.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate monitoring and feedback on welding technique, improving the quality of welds by providing real-time guidance and performance scores.
Implementation Method 1
tracking anchors, each configured to: transmit a triggering signal, and transmit a response signal, or receive the response signal from a tracking tag
Implementation Method 2
determine distances between each of the tracking anchors and the tracking tag based on a time between the response signal being received and the triggering signal being sent or received
Data Source
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AI summary
The present application relates to a weld tracking system (100), which include a plurality of tracking anchors (200), each of the tracking anchors (200) configured to: transmit a triggering signal, and transmit a response signal, or receive a response signal from a tracking tag (204); a welding device (102, 104, 106) having the tracking tag (204) attached to the welding device (102, 104, 106), the tracking tag (204) configured to receive the triggering signal and receive the response signal, or receive the triggering signal and transmit the response signal in response to receiving the triggering signal; and a processing system(142) configured to determine a distance between the tracking anchor (200) and the tracking tag (204) based on a time between the response signal being received and the triggering signal being sent or received, and determine a location of the welding device (102, 104, 106) based on predetermined locations of the plurality of tracking anchors (200), and based on determined distances between the at least one tracking tag (204) on the welding device (102, 104, 106) and corresponding ones of the plurality of tracking anchors (200).