Spot Welding Electrode Position Tracking for Defect Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current welding quality inspection methods, particularly in the automotive industry, face challenges with destructive testing that poses safety risks, incurs high costs, and is time-consuming, while non-destructive methods require significant investment and struggle to detect spatter and welding defects effectively.
Innovation Solution
A welding quality inspection apparatus and method that utilizes a position detection unit to generate position data based on the welding gun's electrode positions, comparing first and second position data to reference data to determine defectiveness, without the need for additional devices, thereby reducing costs and improving defect detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If destructive inspection is used to check welding quality, then welding defects can be detected, but safety risks increase and time is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical destructive separation method with an electromagnetic sensing method. The welding inspection apparatus uses a sensor to detect changes in magnetic flux caused by welding defects, eliminating the need for physical separation and force application. This substitution of mechanical inspection with electromagnetic field-based detection resolves the contradiction by maintaining defect detection capability while eliminating safety risks associated with destructive testing.
2Reliability
If non-destructive inspection methods like laser, ultrasonic sensors are used, then safety risk is reduced, but investment cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the welding inspection apparatus multi-functional by integrating it with an existing welding robot system. The inspection apparatus uses the welding robot's movement and existing sensors to perform both welding operations and quality inspection. This universality allows the system to perform non-destructive inspection without requiring separate expensive laser or ultrasonic sensing equipment, thereby reducing investment cost while maintaining safety.
3Reliability
If conventional non-destructive methods are used, then safety is improved, but defect detection capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning the inspection sensor very close to the welding area, specifically at a predetermined distance from the welding gun. This localized positioning allows the sensor to detect subtle magnetic flux changes caused by spatter and welding defects that remote sensing methods would miss. The sensor is strategically placed to focus detection capability on the critical welding zone, improving defect detection precision while maintaining safety through non-contact measurement.
4Measurement precision
If destructive inspection is used, then welding quality can be determined, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous inspection by integrating the sensing apparatus with the welding robot's movement. The sensor continuously monitors magnetic flux changes during the welding process itself, rather than performing separate inspection steps after welding completes. This continuity allows welding quality determination to occur in real-time during manufacturing, eliminating time loss associated with post-welding destructive testing while maintaining accurate defect detection.
Data Source
AI summary
A welding quality inspection apparatus for inspecting the welding quality of a plurality of welding parts formed on the material through the upper electrode and the lower electrode of the welding gun includes a position detection unit for detecting a position of the upper electrode, a control unit generating a position table based on a signal detected by the position detection unit during a total welding time of welding the plurality of welding parts of the material, generating first position data for a first welding time and second position data for a second welding time of a spot welding time of each of the welding parts based on the position table, checking whether the welding parts are defective by using the first position data, the second position data, and reference data, and generating result data based on whether the welding parts are detective, and an output unit for outputting the result data.