Ultrasonic spot weld testing with automatic classification

Spot welds can be tested non-destructively using ultrasound. By interpreting the signals received when testing, the quality of the weld may be determined. The method has not been widely accepted in the past, possibly owing to difficulties in manually quantifying the information contained in the signals. An automatic system to interpret the signals and classify welds has been developed in an attempt to aid human operation and as a step towards automatic, non-destructive spot weld testing. Details of a trial used to assess the performance of the system are given. By comparing the results with manual testing using ultrasound, the potential of automating signal interpretation is assessed. The results also indicate that the success of the ultrasonic technique, manual or automatic, is limited.