Multi-Modal Sensing for Heavy-Manufacturing Robotic Welding

Fusion welding of metals is a joining method fundamental to High-Value Manufacturing (HVM). Distinctive challenges such as the global shortage of welders and the increasing requirement for high-integrity components in the energy and defence sectors fuel the need to research and adopt digital welding
technologies such as sensor-enabled robotic welding. Surface and volumetric sensing approaches at the point of manufacture coupled with real-time robotic motion offer the possibility to control, adapt and consistently ensure defect-free fusion. This project seeks to investigate novel event-based neuromorphic vision sensing coupled to high-temperature in-process ultrasonic imaging to deliver high-integrity welds right the first time.

The application was successful and funding (£3,753) was received from the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) under the RAEng Research Internships Scheme (Pilot) 2022 to host a summer Intern (Zoe Tang) for the summer of 2022. The funding was transferred to the RAEng Sensor-Driven Automated High Integrity Welding (Prof. Charles Norman MacLeod) with account number RKES REF 221581- RISAH-124)