Precision scanning in robotic welding with Bestech Australia

The scanCONTROL Laser Profile Scanner, supplied by Bestech Australia, offers high-precision measurement of the weld seam geometry.

It can calculate the welding path allowing for the automation of the welding process. The profile scanner is compact enough to easily integrate into a robot, enabling access to different industrial measurement applications.

In the dynamic manufacturing world, technological advancements redefine efficiency and productivity. One such

innovation making a significant impact is the integration of automated welding robots.

Robotic Welding has been widely applied in manufacturing to meet the demand of the welding process in producing high-quality products more efficiently. It allows manufacturers to automate the welding process, offers a higher accuracy process, faster operations, and less manufacturing waste.

Precision is vital in welding processes, as even the smallest deviations can compromise the quality and strength of the final product. Automated welding robots excel in this aspect, operating with unmatched accuracy and consistency. These robots are integrated with advanced, high-precision sensors to visualise and calculate the welding path to ensure precise positioning, arc length, and weld penetration depth.

The scanCONTROL laser profile scanner is manufactured by the world-leading sensors and high-precision measuring instrument manufacturer, Micro-Epsilon. Numerous systems integrators and manufacturers in Australia and New Zealand have used these laser profile scanners for advanced measurement and testing applications. Our engineers at Bestech Australia provide full technical support, from test setup, system design and commissioning, and after-sales support.

Inrotech has demonstrated the applications of laser profile scanners in industrial robotic welding. They are a company that designs and manufacture automated welding solutions for shipbuilding, renewables, offshore and heavy industries. For this demanding application, the scanCONTROL 2D/3D laser profile scanners are integrated into its ‘Inrotech-Crawler’ welding robot, which calculates welding processes before carrying them out.

The scanCONTROL laser profile scanner is mounted on the Inrotech-Crawler in this application. The sensor is programmed to measure the geometry of the seam to be welded before the actual welding process starts. These high-precision profile measurements enable the welding process to be automated.

The advanced laser scanner is ideally suited for automated robotic integration due to its compactness and ability to calculate the specific profile properties in its integrated intelligent controller. In this particular application, the laser scanner has a measuring width of 100mm, a measuring rate of 300Hz and a profile resolution of 12µm in the z-axis.

Another versatility of ScanCONTROL is its flexibility to interface with a wide range of industrial communication systems. With its SDK (Software Development Kit), the profile data can be directly transmitted from the sensor and calibrated to the measurement software.

For example, in this application, the welding robot incorporates the Weldlogic technology to calculate the number of weld passes, the position of the weld seams, the weld speed and the oscillation width required to produce a quality weld. Directly after the calculation, the Inrotech-Crawler automatically performs the welding process.

The Inrotech-Crawler weld robot uses the scanCONTROL laser profile scanner to optimise the quality of weld seams in a fully automatic process

The welding robot enables the scanning of weld geometries such as plates or curves with various characteristics. Based on optimal exposure time control and high resolution, the laser profile scanner reliably measures almost any measurement object.

Designed for mobile applications, the Inrotech-Crawler is ideal for different environments, for example, for pipeline welding tasks in the oil & gas industry, offshore, shipbuilding, wind turbines and building construction. A resistant sensor is the base requirement in this and many other environments. The scanner is installed with a protective housing to enable long-term measurement application in these challenging environment.

The scanCONTROL 2D/3D laser profile sensors from Micro-Epsilon are specifically designed for industrial measurement tasks where compact design and high accuracy are required.

Due to their high resolution, self-contained housing, versatility and excellent price-performance ratio, the scanners are particularly suitable for static and dynamic applications, for example, on robots. The scanners measure and evaluate a variety of geometrical features such as angles, steps, gaps, distances and extreme values.

Bestech Australia is a leading provider of sensors, measurement and control technology for various industries, including manufacturing. We offer a wide range of high-precision sensors, such as laser profile scanners, pressure sensors, strain gauges and other high-precision measurement systems from world-leading manufacturers.

We have established long-term collaboration with local manufacturers in Australia and New Zealand. Combining more than 40 years of experience in sensors and industrial measurement applications, we can assist you in selecting the most suitable sensors for your projects and measurement applications.

It can be for product quality inspection, equipment assessment or condition monitoring of machinery. Our team of experts can work closely with you to understand your specific requirements and recommend the best solutions for your application.

Our engineers come from diverse backgrounds and have been trained in sensor applications. Therefore, we can guide you in choosing the right technology for your project, considering accuracy, speed, budget and ease of use. We can also assist with installation, calibration, and training and after-sales technical support to ensure you get the correct measurement data.

For more information on the scanCONTROL laser profile sensors, please visit www.bestech.com.au or contact our engineers at Bestech Australia on 03 9540 5100 or email [email protected].