Online Weld Quality Benchmarking and Assurance during the Mass-Production Resistance Spot Welding Process

Article Preview

Abstract:

Nowadays online quality estimation for the resistance spot welding (RSW) has benefited a lot from monitoring the electrode displacement caused by nugget thermal expansion. Based on these emerging monitoring techniques a new approach is proposed to classify the weld quality and assure the quality for mass-produced weld group, which enables the continuous quality improvement concept during the welding process. A causal models are built with the offline trained Bayesian Belief Networks (BBN). It is a weld quality assessment net reveals the dependency of the weld quality on the features displayed by the displacement curve, which can be used for overdesigning the safety welds or as the probabilistic forecasting model for online weld quality assessment. The experimental results show that the proposed approach is valid and feasible to predict the weld quality and assure the overall quality for weld group in real applications.

You might also be interested in these eBooks

Info:

Periodical:

Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 443-444)

Pages:

872-880

Citation:

Online since:

January 2012

Export:

Price:

Permissions CCC:

Permissions PLS:

Сopyright:

© 2012 Trans Tech Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved

Share:

Citation:

[1] Stiebel, A. et al, Monitoring and control of spot weld operations, SAE Technical Paper, In: International Congress and Explosion, Detroit, Mich., 1986. #860579.

DOI: 10.4271/860579

Google Scholar

[2] Auto/Steel Partnership, Weld Quality Test Method Manual, Standardized Test Method Task Force, (1995).

Google Scholar

[3] Hass, B., Resistance spot welding- the key to quality, Welding and Metal Fabrication, 60(5): 166-170, (1992).

Google Scholar

[4] Tsai, C. L., et al, Analysis and development of a real-time control methodology in spot welding, Welding Journal Research Supplement, 70(12): 339-351, (1991).

Google Scholar

[5] Honeywell Sensotec, Weld Displacement Transducer - WLP AW621HQ Welding Accessories Data Sheets Honeywell Sensotec, Weld Displacement Transducer Specifications, Honeywell Sensotec Corporation, (2005).

Google Scholar

[6] Ji, C.T. , Zhu, Y., Dynamic electrode force and displacement in RSW of Aluminum, " Journal of Manufacturing Science and Technology, 126(3): 605-610, (2004).

Google Scholar

[7] Podrzaj, P., et al, Expulsion detection system for resistance spot welding based on a neural network, Measurement Science and Technology, 15(2): 592-598, (2004).

DOI: 10.1088/0957-0233/15/3/011

Google Scholar

[8] Lin, Z.Q., et al, Study on real-time measurement of nugget diameter for resistance spot welding using a Neuron-fuzzy algorithm, In: IEEE conference on Instrument and Measurement Technology, Come, Italy, 18-20, (2004).

DOI: 10.1109/imtc.2004.1351535

Google Scholar

[9] C.S. Chen, E K. ASIBU "Displacement measurement using a fiber optic sensor in resistance spot welding, In: Proceeding of 5th International Conference: Trends in Welding Research, Pine Mountain, Georgia, 622-627, June (1998).

Google Scholar

[10] Chang, Y.L., et al, Research on Robert spot welding process using electrode displacement method of thermal expansion, Robert, 21(3): 134-138, (1999).

Google Scholar

[11] Farson, D. F., et al, Monitoring Resistance Spot Nugget Size by Electrode Displacement, Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering, 126(2): 391-394, (2004).

DOI: 10.1115/1.1644550

Google Scholar

[12] Farson, D. F., et al, Monitoring of expulsion in small scale resistance spot welding, Science and Technology of Welding & Joining, 8(12): 431-436, (2003).

DOI: 10.1179/136217103225009071

Google Scholar

[13] Zeng, H.Z., San, P., Research progress in the resistance welding process and quality control strategy, Welding Technology. 29(5): 1-3, (2000).

Google Scholar

[14] Khan, J. A., et al, Numerical Simulation of Resistance Spot Welding Process, Numerical Heat Transfer: Part A: Applications, 37(5): 425-446, (2000).

DOI: 10.1080/104077800274145

Google Scholar

[15] Chen, J.Z., et al, Modeling small-scale resistance spot welding machine dynamics for process control, International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 27(6): 672-676, (2006).

DOI: 10.1007/s00170-004-2238-9

Google Scholar

[16] Waller, D.N., Head movement as a means of resistance spot welding quality control, British Welding Journal, 11(3): 118-122 , (1964).

Google Scholar

[17] Messler, R.W., Jou, M., Li, C.J., An intelligent control system for resistance spot welding using a neural network and fuzzy logic, In: IEEE conference on Industry Applications, vol. 2, Orlando, FL, 1757-1763, Oct. (1995).

DOI: 10.1109/ias.1995.530518

Google Scholar

[18] Burmeister, J., Weber, G., Press, H., Automated Quality Assessment in Alternating Current Resistance Spot Welding by Fuzzy Classification, Welding and Cutting, 34(6): 103-106, (1994).

Google Scholar

[19] Jou, M., Real time monitoring weld quality of resistance spot welding for the fabrication of sheet metal assemblies, Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 132(1): 102-113(12), (2003).

DOI: 10.1016/s0924-0136(02)00409-0

Google Scholar

[20] Zhang, H.Y., et al, A statistical analysis of expulsion limits in resistance spot welding, Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering, 122(3): 501-510, (2000).

DOI: 10.1115/1.1285873

Google Scholar

[21] Rowlands, H., Antony, J., Application of design of experiments to a spot welding process, Assembly Automation, 23(3): 273-279, (2003).

DOI: 10.1108/01445150310486549

Google Scholar

[22] Li, W., Hu, S.J., Ni, J., On-line quality estimation in resistance spot welding, Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering, Transactions of the ASME, 122(3): 511-512, (2000).

DOI: 10.1115/1.1286814

Google Scholar

[23] Wu, Y. M., Murakawa, H. , Fuzzy control for resistance spot welding of aluminum alloy by monitoring electrode displacement (in Chinese), Transactions of the China Welding Institution, 25(6): 111-114, (2004).

Google Scholar

[24] FULLBNT software, http: /www. ai. mit. edu/~murphyk /Software/BNT, April (2007).

Google Scholar