MRI: Acquisition of Instrumentation for Vision Based Control of Welding and Droplet Manufacturing Processes

这项主要研究仪器（MRI）拨款为购买高速数字成像系统和快速处理硬件以及液滴沉积平台和机器人气体金属弧焊提供资金。该设备将用于建立先进的基于视觉的传感能力，可应用于弧焊和基于液滴的制造工艺。这些过程是密切相关的，因为它们都涉及将熔融材料的液滴转移到工件上，尽管特定的传递方法不同。该设备将允许液滴和焊接池的高速成像，目标是严格控制凝固过程。由于液滴加工可以在先进的制造过程中发挥关键作用，包括净形制造和快速原型，因此这些过程的传感和控制将是至关重要的。我们将探讨基于视觉控制的几个方面。例如，通过提取液滴沉积过程的动态行为，利用液滴传递和凝固模型，可以控制材料的微观结构。同样，对焊缝熔池进行动态成像，可以实时确定并控制焊缝质量。基于视觉的焊接和液滴制造过程控制涵盖了几个不同的理论领域，包括流体动力学，传热，计算机视觉，控制系统和机器人。因此，该仪器将加强科罗拉多矿业学院工程部门以及校园内的跨学科联系。

This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant provides funds for the purchase of high speed digital imaging systems and fast processing hardware along with a droplet deposition platform, and a robotic Gas Metal Arc welder. This equipment will be used to build advanced vision based sensing capabilities that can be applied to arc welding and droplet-based manufacturing processes. These processes are intimately related, as they both involve the transfer of droplets of molten material to a work piece, although the particular method of delivery is different.This equipment will allow high-speed imaging of droplets and weld pools, with the goal of tight control of the solidification process. Because droplet processing can play a key role in advanced manufacturing processes, including net-shape manufacturing and rapid prototyping, the sensing and control of these processes will be critical. Several aspects of vision based control will be explored. For example, by extracting the dynamic behavior of the droplet deposition process and utilizing models of droplet transfer and solidification, control of the material micro-structure is possible. Similarly, dynamic imaging of the weld pool will enable the determination, and thus control, of weld quality in real time. Vision-based control of welding and droplet manufacturing processes encompasses several different theoretical areas, including fluid dynamics, heat transfer, computer vision, control systems, and robotics. This instrumentation will thus strengthen the interdisciplinary connections within the Engineering Division at the Colorado School of Mines, as well as across campus.