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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/M24134/01
Title: IMI: FUSION WELDING PROCESS MONITORING AND CONTROL (CEMWAM II)
Principal Investigator: Lucas, Professor J
Other Investigators:
Smith, Professor JS
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Airbus Group Limited BAE Systems Bombardier
British Aluminium Ltd Ministry of Defence (MOD) Rolls-Royce Plc
TWI Ltd
Department: Electrical Engineering and Electronics
Organisation: University of Liverpool
Scheme: LINK
Starts: 01 July 1999 Ends: 30 June 2002 Value (£): 187,630
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Materials testing & eng.
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Aerospace, Defence and Marine Energy
Transport Systems and Vehicles
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The project concerns the automated fusion welding of aluminium alloys and titanium using the TIG, MIG and laser processes.A series of individual vision based sensors, researched previously under CEMWAM I, will be incorporated into a single system (LAWS) and will undertake on-line seam following, weld pool monitoring and weld bead profile measurements. This suite of sensors will allow the external positioning and cosmetic appearance of the welds to be monitored and controlled. In addition, data logging of the welding parameters and control of the welding equipment will alsq be undertaken by the LAWS system. The full system will be ruggedised and validated within the industrial workplace environment on a wide variety of workpiece structures required by the aerospace industries. A further suite of sensors will be researched to examine the internal defects within the weld metal. These will be based upon micro-focus X-ray sources and either Vidicon or CCD video cameras. Software will be developed to identify and classify such defects as porosity, worm holes and cracks. An on-line, control strategy based upon the sensed information and neural networks will allow the weld quality and integrity to be maintained at all stages of the joining process.Keywords describing areas of proposal:Aeronautical engineering, energy, manufacturing, transport, processing
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Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.liv.ac.uk