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Position gauging of welding joints with an FMCW-based mm-wave radar system

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 December 2015

Jochen O. Schrattenecker ,
Stefan Schuster ,
Christian M. Schmid ,
Werner Scheiblhofer ,
Helmut Ennsbrunner  and
Andreas Stelzer
Jochen O. Schrattenecker*
Affiliation:
Institute for Communication Engineering and RF-Systems, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Upper Austria A-4040, Austria. Phone: +43 732 2468 6390
Stefan Schuster
Affiliation:
Voestalpine Stahl GmbH, Upper Austria, A-4020 Linz, Austria
Christian M. Schmid
Affiliation:
DICE, Upper Austria A-4040, Austria
Werner Scheiblhofer
Affiliation:
Institute for Communication Engineering and RF-Systems, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Upper Austria A-4040, Austria. Phone: +43 732 2468 6390
Helmut Ennsbrunner
Affiliation:
Fronius International GmbH, Upper Austria, A-4600 Wels-Thalheim, Austria
Andreas Stelzer
Affiliation:
Institute for Communication Engineering and RF-Systems, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Upper Austria A-4040, Austria. Phone: +43 732 2468 6390
*
Corresponding author: J.O. Schrattenecker Email: j.schrattenecker@nthfs.jku.at
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Abstract

This paper presents a position gauging system of welding joints. While the principle measurement concept was already introduced by Schrattenecker et al. in 2014, here it is focused on different types of practically used welding materials. The sensor used is based on the frequency-modulated continuous-wave principle operating in the W-band. Position estimation (PoE) of different welding geometries is carried out with polarimetric scattering effects introduced by geometrical discontinuities. For the real-time calculation of the signal models a field simulation tool we developed is used. Aside from a variety of geometries, we introduce a geometrical optimization approach that increases the achievable accuracy of the measurement concept. The optimization and PoE of the different welding materials were examined in various simulations and the results were verified by measurements in the laboratory and in an industrial environment. Simulation and measurement were in good agreement.

Keywords

Radar applicationsMicrowave measurements
Type
Industrial and Engineering Paper
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , March 2017 , pp. 307 - 316
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2015 

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References

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