The arc welding process is difficult to image because of the large contrast between when the arc and its surroundings. This means that images of the welding arc itself can saturate, whilst surrounding areas are so dark that nothing can be seen.
An Oxford Lasers VisiWeld system uses special filters and a laser illuminator to overcome this problem. With VisiWeld, it is possible to look at the weld area whilst the arc is present, allowing the user to see metal transfer happening and the weld itself cooling and changing. A high-speed camera, capturing images at 1000Hz, lets you view the process in slow-motion. Individual frames can be played back or examined to see exactly what's happening.
The system is ideal for process development and monitoring and the effect of changing welding parameters can immediately be seen. Using this system, Kimab in Sweden have cut development time and saved money in wasted samples.