Welding Camera Optical Filter for High Dynamic Range Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional imaging devices for welding struggle to clearly observe the welding portion, limiting remote control and automatic welding applications due to insufficient visibility of the molten pool, electrode, and peripheral bead.
Innovation Solution
An imaging device comprising a lens, a CMOS imaging unit with wide dynamic range, and a video signal processing unit, along with an optical filter that includes a neutral density filter, ultraviolet filter, and blue-green bandpass filter, which transmits specific wavelengths of light to enhance visibility of high and low luminance areas, and performs automatic gain control to equalize brightness differences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the dynamic range of the imaging device is increased to capture both high-luminance and low-luminance areas, then the luminance range coverage is improved, but the visibility of welding details remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The optical filter is divided into multiple filter sections with different characteristics (ND filter for high-luminance areas, UV filter for blocking harmful radiation, blue-green bandpass filter for enhancing welding arc visibility). Each filter section processes different aspects of the light, allowing simultaneous capture of both high and low luminance areas while maintaining welding detail visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the optical parameters by using a variable neutral density filter that can adjust its transmittance, and a blue-green bandpass filter that selectively transmits specific wavelengths. This allows optimization of the image quality for different welding conditions while maintaining clear visibility of welding details across the entire luminance range.
2Productivity
If remote control welding is implemented to reduce labor, then labor cost is reduced, but clear observation of welding state becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging device serves as an intermediary between the operator and the welding process. By incorporating specialized filters (ND, UV, blue-green bandpass) and wide dynamic range CMOS sensing, the device transmits clear visual information about the welding state to the remote operator, enabling effective remote control without direct observation.
Solution Approach 2:
The blue-green bandpass filter enhances the visibility of the welding arc by selectively transmitting blue-green wavelengths that are characteristic of the welding arc spectrum. This color filtering makes the welding state more observable to the remote operator, facilitating accurate remote control.
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
The imaging device allows for clear observation of the welding state, facilitating remote control and expanding the applicability of automatic welding, thereby reducing labor costs and increasing the number of suitable welding locations.
Implementation Method 1
a lens configured to focus incident light
Implementation Method 2
an optical filter configured to transmit a predetermined amount of light having a predetermined wavelength in the light focused by the lens
Implementation Method 3
the optical filter includes a neutral density filter configured to reduce an amount of the incident light
Implementation Method 4
an ultraviolet filter configured to block ultraviolet light
Implementation Method 5
a blue-green bandpass filter configured to transmit blue-green light
Implementation Method 6
a CMOS imaging unit configured to sense the light focused by the lens and transmitted through the optical filter and convert the thus-sensed light into an electric signal
Data Source
AI summary
A welding camera (1) is constructed with: a lens (11) for focusing incident light; an optical filter (12) that comprises a neutral density filter for reducing the amount of the incident light, an ultraviolet cut filter for cutting ultraviolet rays, and a green band-pass filter for transmitting green light; a CMOS imaging unit (13) that has a wide dynamic range function, and detects the light which has passed the optical filter (12); a video signal processing unit (14) that has an automatic gain control function and a digital signal processor, and outputs an image signal, which covers a range of a low-intensity dark part to high-intensity arc light, to a display unit on the basis of an electric signal that is input from the CMOS imaging unit (13).