Creating and sharing knowledge for telecommunications

Multisensor Inspection of Laser-Brazed Joints in the Automotive Industry

Machado, M. ; Rosado, L. S. ; Mendes, N. ; Miranda, R. ; Santos, T. S.

Sensors Vol. 21, Nº 7335, pp. 1 - 14, November, 2021.

ISSN (print):
ISSN (online): 1424-8220

Scimago Journal Ranking: 0,80 (in 2021)

Digital Object Identifier: 10.3390/s21217335

Abstract
Automobile laser brazing remains a complex process whose results are affected by several process variables that may result in nonacceptable welds. A multisensory customized inspection system is proposed, with two distinct non-destructive techniques: the potential drop method and eddy current testing. New probes were designed, simulated, produced, and experimentally validated in automobile’s laser-brazed weld beads with artificially introduced defects. The numerical simulations allowed the development of a new four-point probe configuration in a non-conventional orthogonal shape demonstrating a superior performance in both simulation and experimental validation. The dedicated inspection system allowed the detection of porosities, cracks, and lack of bonding defects, demonstrating the redundancy and complementarity these two techniques provide.