The article is originally published in the August 2022 edition of the Welding Journal.
Real-time data tracking during welding operations
What if someone told you it is possible to capture welding data for each weld joint on a particular structure? You can see everything from amperage and voltage information to data that show specifications have been met. Sounds too good to be true, right? It’s happening and helping manufacturers in the military, offshore and onshore wind, shipbuilding, nuclear, and more industries prove they’ve welded structures to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specifications and streamline approval processes.
Adopting an automated approach to one’s welding operation is the first step in the process. Without automated welding processes, especially software into which all preliminary data is entered, real-time weldment data capture is impossible.
Pemamek’s software for data capturing, the WeldControl 300, is available in three modules: OLP for offline programming, CREATE for entering measurements and features parametrically, and SCAN for creating 3D models using data captured via laser scan. Data capture is possible for nearly all heavy-duty welding operations. However, it’s especially useful for welders in the wind energy industry working with critical weldments for demanding offshore wind structures.
Conclusion
The advantages of capturing data at each stage of a weld, especially multipass weldments, include:
- ability to pinpoint anomalies easier,
- possibility to note successful operations,
- and the possibility to create a big book of crucial information that can provide strong approaches to welding and show that all standards have been met and/or exceeded.
