Online control of penetration depth in laser beam welding

In laser beam welding the penetration depth is one of the most important quality aspects. Many industrial applications demand for accurate welding depths without fluctuations. As a consequence the utilization of appropriate methods for online supervision and control of the welding depth is required. The development of an multivariable online control system for control of the penetration depth in laser beam welding is described. The technical realization and the achieved results are figured out in detail. Comparison between controlled and uncontrolled laser welding shows the improvement. The control system is part of a higher ranked setup for controlling the whole manufacturing process within an autonomous production cell.