Protective Glass Transparency Inspection for Laser Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laser welding protective glass becomes opaque due to smoke and molten material deposits, affecting weld quality, and existing methods fail to reliably assess its transparency for continued use.
Innovation Solution
An inspection device using a light source emitting test light within a specific wavelength range (855 nm to 1276 nm) and a receiving means to quantify light transmission, allowing reliable assessment of the glass's suitability for continued use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If protective glass is used to shield the lens from smoke and molten material, then the lens is protected from damage, but the protective glass becomes opaque due to deposits, affecting weld quality
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection device performs preliminary assessment of the protective glass transparency before welding operations. By measuring light transmission at wavelengths matching the laser source (±20%), the system detects deposits and opacity changes before they affect weld quality, allowing preventive replacement or cleaning of the protective glass
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous monitoring of protective glass transparency through light transmission measurements. The receiving means quantifies light intensity after passing through the protective glass, providing feedback on glass condition. This enables real-time assessment and triggers alerts when transparency thresholds are exceeded, ensuring weld quality maintenance
2Ease of operation
If existing transparency testing methods are used, then testing can be performed, but the methods fail to reliably distinguish between usable and non-usable protective glass
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection device uses light sources emitting at specific wavelengths matching the laser welding source (±20% range). This parameter selection is critical because protective glass transparency varies with wavelength, and deposits affect different wavelengths differently. By measuring at the relevant wavelength range, the system achieves accurate discrimination between usable and non-usable glass
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces subjective visual inspection or simple透光性 tests with an automated optical measurement system. The receiving means quantifies light transmission numerically, and the system automatically compares measurements against predefined thresholds, eliminating human judgment variability and achieving reliable, repeatable assessment
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 differentiation between usable and non-usable protective glass, ensuring consistent weld quality by quantifying transparency and identifying opaque areas.
Implementation Method 1
a light source designed to emit a test light, receiving means designed to receive at least a portion of the test light and to quantify at least one quantity of the received light
Data Source
AI summary
An optical inspection device designed for testing an optical component such as a protective glass, an optical transmission system of a welding laser beam having a laser wavelength, comprising:a light source designed to emit a test light,receiving means designed to receive at least a portion of the test light and to quantify at least one quantity of the received light,means for holding the optical component designed to position the optical component between the light source and the receiving means, characterized in that:the portion of the test light received by the receiving means has a wavelength at ±20% of the laser wavelength.