Sensor-Driven Automated Weld Control

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Traditionally, welding and inspection of high-integrity joints are separate, sequential, often manual processes in manufacturing and repair. Ultimately, these limitations reduce productivity, throughput, schedule certainty and increase rework if defects are detected at weld completion. Furthermore, a shrinking and ageing skilled workforce, along with a desire to reduce hazardous working, drives process automation. Current state-of-the-art automated welding systems deploy optical and tactile sensors for process feedback, which are naturally limited to surface mapping, while ultrasonic inspection systems only examine completed fully-filled welds once cooled. As welding is a dynamic volumetric process, fusing joints of depth and width, this fellowship seeks to exploit the volumetric imaging capability of ultrasonics, and introduce this inspection modality directly into the welding process control loop. By investigating automated in-process ultrasonic inspection and control, this fellowship aims to deliver high-integrity welds right, first time, every time and overcome current technical and process limitations.Babcock undertake large numbers of complex high-integrity fusion welds on structural components in sectors such as Nuclear, Defence and Energy including Carbon Capture and Hydrogen. In-process ultrasonic-enabled welding control will offer Babcock significant reductions, estimated from current operational data of:> 55% in weld process time> 50% in overall weld cost> 75% in man hoursThese significant technical, commercial and safety benefits underpin long-term research sustainability and empower Babcock for future contract awards and repatriation. The establishment of a new globally-unique "Sensor Enabled Automation" research group ensures the UK remains at the forefront of international manufacturing innovation.