Contactless Optical Inspection for Plastic Butt Welds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing manual visual assessment of butt welds in plastic pipes is time-consuming and inconsistent due to the human factor, while existing non-contact methods like ultrasonic testing are also labor-intensive and require cooling, hindering efficient pipeline installation.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a support structure, lighting system, and a movable sensor, such as a digital camera, that inspects the weld seam and pipe ends contactlessly, allowing continuous recording and comparison against standards during the cooling process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual visual assessment is used to inspect butt welds, then inspection can be performed, but it is time-consuming and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection with an automated optical measurement system that uses a sensor, lighting device, and evaluation unit to automatically capture and assess weld seam images, eliminating the need for manual intervention while maintaining inspection quality
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-assessment by automatically capturing images of the weld seam, evaluating them against predetermined criteria, and generating inspection results without requiring human specialists, thereby reducing both time and cost
2Reliability
If ultrasonic sensor inspection is used to inspect weld seams, then internal fusion can be detected, but the process is very time-consuming and requires cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces ultrasonic sensing with optical sensing that captures images of the weld seam surface, enabling rapid inspection without the cooling requirements and time constraints of ultrasonic methods while maintaining sufficient inspection accuracy for surface defects
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection system operates during the cooling process itself rather than requiring the weld to be completely cooled first, by capturing images at appropriate stages of the cooling process, thereby eliminating the waiting time required by ultrasonic methods
3Reliability
If automated sensor inspection is implemented, then inspection consistency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a digital camera that can capture images under different lighting conditions and from different angles, allowing a single device to perform multiple inspection functions and reduce overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The evaluation unit serves as an intermediary that processes images from the sensor and compares them against predetermined evaluation criteria, simplifying the complexity by centralizing the evaluation logic in a dedicated component rather than distributing it across multiple systems
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 rapid, consistent, and cost-effective quality inspection of butt welds without additional time expenditure, ensuring compliance with standards and detecting defects or contaminants.
Implementation Method 1
a lighting device (6), in particular as backlight, for illuminating the weld seam (9) or the pipe ends (5)
Implementation Method 2
an electronic light-sensitive sensor (4), in particular a digital camera, for contactlessly inspecting and recording the weld seam (9) or pipe ends (5)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
Device and an associated method for non-contact inspection of a butt weld of plastic pipes and fittings comprising a support device, a light source and at least one sensor for checking the pipe ends or fitting ends to be welded and the weld seam, wherein the sensor is an electronic light-sensitive sensor, preferably a digital camera, and this serves for inspection.