Xiris Automation has a long history of providing advanced cameras and inspection systems for welding process and quality control. Many of these systems use advanced electronics to create High Dynamic Range (HDR) images of the welding process. HDR imaging overcomes the traditional limitations of weld monitoring by providing clear detail of even the brightest weld tip and its dark surrounding background. A Weld Camera with High Dynamic Range imaging can image a range of brightness that greatly exceeds 1,000,000:1— sufficient for clear images of the entire weld scene.
Xiris has created a suite of cameras that provide HDR imaging in the visible and SWIR ranges so as to provide a variety of solutions for creating imaging and thermographic solutions for welding. The company continues to innovate with the release of two new High Dynamic Range (HDR) weld cameras: the XVC-310 and the XVC- 750. These two new cutting-edge cameras are the latest advancements in weld imaging and machine vision, offering enhanced monitoring capabilities and precise defect detection for various welding processes.
Introducing the XVC-310: The "Lipstick" Camera
The size of a camera used in welding automation systems such as orbital welding or narrow gap TIG welding automation has always been an issue. Because the equipment operates in a very confined space, the cameras used had to be very small and compact, usually less than 20 mm in diameter. There used to be a couple of suppliers in the market who made a small diameter “lipstick” camera for this market, but they have since stopped producing such cameras, To meet this need, Xiris Automation has recently developed a new camera, the XVC-310 with HDR imaging capability in a compact format. Designed to monitor orbital or narrow-gap TIG welding processes, the XVC-310 provides a clear colour image of the torch tip, weld pool, and weld bead. This compact camera, measuring only 17 mm in diameter and weighing just 80g, meets industry demands for high performance in a small, IP65-rated package.
The camera can be configured with various optics and external lighting options to suit different working conditions. The camera comes with Xiris' WeldStudio software, which provides the user with the ability to perform camera controls, video display, recording and playback, graphical overlays, basic machine vision tasks, and various data export options. The camera can be used as a monitoring device to allow operators to see their welding process from a distance, but also be used to acquire images that can be processed with the WeldStudio machine vision tools to perform some process or quality control of the welding cell.
The XVC-750: Elevating Welding Automation
In addition to the XVC-310, Xiris Automation recently unveiled another camera called the XVC-750, a weld camera with remarkable 140+ dB HDR capability in the Near Infrared spectrum (NIR). Tailored for both Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) processes, the XVC-750 generates superior images of most welding processes by NIR imaging.
With outstanding image contrast achieved in the NIR spectrum, advanced Machine Vision analysis capabilities are possible, enabling the XVC-750 to accurately perform defect detection and geometric measurements in real-time on a welding process. Its compact design, robust connectivity, and compatibility with automated and robotic welding systems make it an ideal choice for various welding applications.
AI Integration: Enhancing Welding Automation
All Xiris cameras work with the WeldStudio software tool. Recent advances to the package include the addition of cutting-edge AI tools that are capable of providing enhancing melt pool analysis and defect detection capabilities. By leveraging AI-powered detection algorithms, the WeldStudio software enables fabricators to achieve greater efficiency and accuracy in their welding processes. As manufacturers embrace AI integration in welding automation, Xiris will continue to deliver intelligent imaging solutions to meet
evolving industry demands.
Thermal Imaging: Enhancing Welding Process Control
In addition to supplying a broad portfolio of cameras that provide HDR imaging in the visible spectrum, , Xiris Automation offers advanced HDR thermal imaging cameras for welding applications. Xiris’ Thermal cameras operating in the SWIR spectrum excel at monitoring molten and cooling metal in welding processes. Combined with precise thermal imaging tools in the WeldStudio software, the Thermal cameras can acquire 2D images of the temperature of a welding process as a “Heat Map”. Such images can be used to make precise temperature measurements and analysis of the melt pool, welding arc and the cooling weld bead. Thermal imaging can be used to enhance process control, ensuring optimal weld quality in advanced welding applications.
The introduction of the XVC-310 and XVC-750 HDR weld cameras, alongside advanced thermal cameras and Machine Vision tools with AI capability, combine to make a significant leap forward in welding automation technology with enhanced monitoring capabilities, precise defect detection, and improved process control for a wide range of welding applications.
As manufacturers strive for greater productivity and quality assurance, Xiris Automation remains at the forefront of innovation in imaging solutions, providing advanced solutions to meet the demands of today's competitive market.
For more information about Xiris Automation and its cutting-edge products, please visit our website at www.xiris.com
