The Xiris Blog

A photodiode is an electronic which, when exposed to light, generates a change in its electrical resistance. When incorporated into an electronics circuit, it can generate a signal when exposed to the right amount of light. The Xiris Weld Cameras are equipped with photodiodes to detect the presence of a weld arc. 

Using Xiris  WeldStudio software, the photodiode circuit can be used to toggle the operating mode of a weld camera from “NO WELD” mode to “WELD” mode or vice versa, based on the amount of light present in the weld environment.  As a result, two sets of parameters can be defined, each associated with one of the two camera modes. Of the many parameters that can be defined, there is the shutter mode, which can be set typically for Rolling shutter in the NO WELD mode and Global shutter in the WELD mode. Toggling between the two modes can happen automatically by enabling the Auto Weld Mode option in the WeldStudio software.

The photodiode sensitivity threshold can be adjusted from within the WeldStudio software to ensure that the NO WELD/WELD triggers on the right amount of light coming from the weld process. When light is emitted from the welding process, the photodiode will activate, toggling the software from NO WELD to WELD mode. When the welding process ceases, the lack of light will have the opposite effect.

Better Images. Better Decisions. Better Process Control.

In today's modern manufacturing environment, continuous improvement is needed to stay competitive. This means equipment up-time, speed and product quality must always be optimized to increase yield and profitability. Any downtime can be minimized by keeping all production and online inspection equipment well maintained and calibrated. 

The Xiris WI sensor head Recertification Program is designed to recertify WI sensors onsite at your facility by Xiris personnel with minimal interruption. This helps ensure optimal WI system performance by maximizing tube mill productivity and should be a part of your ongoing quality assurance and yearly preventive maintenance program.

Xiris Recertification Program is done by factory trained personnel and has been designed to ensure your investment in the WI2000/3000 pipe and tube inspection equipment is functioning optimally and in accordance with factory performance plans.   

Recertification takes less than 1 day onsite and we use our field certification kit to check all electronic and optical components to verify laser power is at recommended levels, camera optics are aligned and focused and within factory specifications, and that head measurement accuracy meets factory specifications.  We will also update sensor head firmware, if required, and apply a sticker with date of certification. We perform a generalized computer health check, install any software upgrades as applicable and backup system software and settings.

As a final step, Xiris will also provide you with a detailed report outlining the sensor certification and status, condition of the system and any recommendations to address potential system risks. 

NOTE: No internal adjustment can be done in the field due to laser safety requirements. Any internal repairs would have to be done at a Xiris facility under a separate quotation. 

A WI2000 or WI3000 system is a major investment that can continue to provide a significant productivity gain for your tube mill as long as it is properly maintained and recertified on a yearly basis.

Using cameras to monitor welding processes isn’t a new idea. But it’s an idea that’s never been practical—until now.

The development of high dynamic range (HDR) cameras designed for weld monitoring, remote monitoring of welding via cameras, is now feasible. With HDR cameras, the challenge of seeing sufficient detail in a weld arc and its surrounding background can be overcome.

With traditional cameras, the super-brightness of the arc and the dark background couldn’t be viewed at the same time with suitable clarity. HDR cameras can capture all the detail in the arc and background, providing images with more precision than is possible even with an operator observing the weld with their own eyes.

With HDR cameras, operators don’t need to be physically close to a weld to determine what’s happening. This frees operators from dangerous, uncomfortable conditions that expose them to significant health risks.

What would the use of HDR cameras look like? How would they be set up? Can they be used for both trailing and leading views? How many cameras would be most beneficial?

We address these questions in our whitepaper, “Welding Like You’ve Never Seen Before.”

You can learn how HDR cameras can be implemented in varied ways to meet specific needs. And you can see for yourself numerous screen shots that show the clarity of HDR images.  

You can download the whitepaper for free right here.

 

Xiris has recently added a powerful new feature to its WeldStudio™ software utility that controls and displays images from its weld cameras: the Picture in a Picture (“PIP”) feature. The PIP Feature allows for two-tone mapping algorithms to be used on different portions of the screen at the same time, one on the full screen and one on an adjustable inset window.  Each tone mapping algorithm will have its own settings to enhance key areas of interest in an associated view. 

The dual tone mapping is performed right in the camera view by using the camera’s onboard image processing capability and the image is streamed to an external device as one image. 

Screenshot of WeldStudio™ with Picture-in-Picture Mode

 

The image processing tools inside WeldStudio™ allow the operator to manipulate and measure different  features of the weld, to help make meaningful process decisions. The playback mode allows users to view and manage recorded video offline for further analysis, including the ability to slow and freeze frames, view frame by frame, or manage video transfer to an external device.

The PIP feature ensures that enhanced images can be created with better, localized contrast that improves the visibility of key regions of brighter or darker brightness in the image.  Being able to tone map two regions of interest separately allows the user to see higher contrast image details in a foreground and the background. For example, in welding applications where there is an extreme brightness range between the weld area and its background (such as in electron beam welding or high powered laser welding), a smaller inset foreground window can be placed over the welding arc or spot and be optimized for very bright light localized to that region, while the surrounding darker background can be brightened to see the weld seam, allowing heat affected zones and other darker features to be seen more clearly.

By performing the PIP feature inside the camera, fewer external PC processing resources are needed to process the resulting images. In addition, less data needs to be transmitted between the camera and a PC (lowering network traffic that can be beneficial when using multiple cameras), allowing full frame rate to be maintained with the camera at 55 fps.

Our users will have full control of the brightness settings, window size and location for the foreground inset window independently of the the settings for the background image. This feature has been implemented to work on both color and monochrome versions of the Xiris weld cameras. 

The Large Additive Subtractive Integrated Modular Machine (LASIMM) project is now live and ready to build large 3D printed metal structures for construction. The machine is the first of its kind and is predicted to keep Europe's manufacturing industry as a leading competitor in the global market. The project highlights a milling robot – the first for additive manufacturing of aluminum and steel - to integrate seamlessly additive, subtractive, metrology and cold work applications into a single machine. 

LASIMM will enable the creation of mixed-material structures by using similar and incompatible substances along with  software to generate tool paths and machine sequences. The machine will ensure the component's structural integrity by allowing in-process, non-destructive testing and restoration of defects. 

Xiris partnered with Cranfield University, a defining member of the project, and delivered the XVC-1000 HDR Weld Camera as an inspection solution for LASIMM. We are honoured to contribute to this project and are excited to see the results of the project and the impact LASIMM will have on Europe's additive manufacturing industry. 

High Voltage Cable is a multi-layer cable used for running high voltages underground or underwater.  The integrity of the cable is very important – the insulation of the cable must not deteriorate due to the high voltage power being transmitted.

Often a high-voltage cable will have a metallic shield layered over the insulation, connected to the ground and designed to equalize the dielectric stress on the insulation layer.  This metallic shield is effectively a welded tube, wrapped around the conducting cores and insulating layers of the cable and welded together as the cable is made.

 

Various High Voltage Cable Samples (courtesy: KEI Industries)

 

If the fabrication process of forming and welding the metal sheath tube is not done properly, the cable may fail its final quality specification and may require to be destroyed, a very costly prospect for the manufacturer. Using a weld inspection system such as the WI2000 system from Xiris, measurements can be made on the production line of the final welded sheath of various attributes such as Mismatch, weld Bead Height and Freezeline to help determine if the metal sheath tube is being welded correctly.

If any of those measurements begin to drift out of tolerance, an operator can be alerted to make adjustments in the input parameters to bring the process back in control avoiding any scrap production.  The result is a better quality welded sheath tube on the cable that has a better chance of meeting the final end user’s specifications.