Intelligent Laser Process Monitoring: 100% Inline Quality Control for Automated Production
In modern manufacturing, maintaining flawless quality requires a comprehensive and reliable overview of your welding data. As a pioneering technology partner, we engineer high-speed laser process monitoring systems that evaluate your melt zone, keyhole depth, and seam topography in real time. Our specialized sensor solutions ensure automated error detection during series production, helping global industries secure 100% component traceability and minimized waste production cycles.
Eliminating the Risks of Unmonitored Laser Welding
Operating at ultra-high speeds calls for in situ process monitoring rather than relying on late random sampling, which means that internal voids, beam drifts, or geometric errors go unnoticed until entire production batches are ruined, leading to line stoppages, massive scrap costs, and recalls.
Our Solution: Lessmüller’s intelligent laser process monitoring modules make the fusion zone completely transparent by tracking the process light or even the physical keyhole dimensions in real time. Our sensors turn raw data into quality metrics, catching and isolating defects at the exact millisecond they occur.
Comprehensive Data Intelligence Across 3 Production Phases
True quality control requires a multi-dimensional look at the tool-to-workpiece interaction zone. Our monitoring solutions continuously monitor your production cycle across three distinct operational milestones:
Pre-Process Inspection
The sensor scans the part geometry directly ahead of the beam path, proactively detecting the joint position to adapt the weld parameters accordingly and prevent bonding defects.
In-Process Deep Keyhole Analysis
The module measures the actual penetration depth deep inside the keyhole to protect against structural weaknesses or burn-through.
Post-Process Topography Audit
Immediately after solidification, the system captures the topography and analyzes the completed bead profile to detect surface pores, measure bead width, and verify uniform contour geometry.
Our sensors constantly track internal light reflection to warn you about protective cover glass contamination before it harms your expensive optics or causes process drift.
Our Modular Hardware Solutions for Laser Process Monitoring
WELDCHECK
This cost-effective, diode-based inline monitor uses algorithms to detect and decode spectral light emissions from the welding process, enabling the immediate detection of performance fluctuations and damage to the slide guides. This reliable system is also available for hire for testing purposes.
OCT 250
This world-leading sensor system for optical coherence tomography measures surface topography and capillary depth in industrial welding processes at a rate of 250,000 data points per second, without any distortion caused by emissions from the surrounding process.
LSO (Lens Shifting Optics)
Working in conjunction with the sensor technology of the integrated OCT 250 system, this adaptive processing head adjusts the arrangement of the internal lens groups every 10 ms to ensure that the focal point is always aligned with the target positions in the x, y and z directions.
OCTSCAN 2.5
This turnkey solution, developed specifically for remote-controlled laser scanning systems, enables rapid 3D weld monitoring and penetration depth analysis on highly complex workpieces. Thanks to adapter solutions, our high-tech OCT sensor technology is compatible with virtually all standard laser welding optics.
WELDEYE
Combining intense external lighting with narrow-band filtering, this specialized camera unit blocks process glare to deliver a crystal-clear, real-time visual view of the melt pool.
Laser welding (here: OCTSCAN 2.5) with the OCT 250 monitoring system
Why Manufacturers Choose Lessmüller for Process Monitoring
- Capillary Deep-Sight: Our advanced 3D-OCT algorithms capture structural anomalies directly from the bottom of the vapor keyhole, where standard vision systems fail.
- Tailored Production Adaptation: We customize tracking algorithms, communication interfaces, and electronic hardware to adapt precisely to your plant components and mechanical structures.
- Pre-Validating Feasibility: To eliminate engineering risks before installation, we run comprehensive application tests using your raw sample materials in our specialized laser laboratory.
- Factory Control Synchronization: All process metrics are securely logged and transmitted via EtherCAT or PROFINET directly into your main programmable logic controller (PLC).
OCT Presentation at the Leading International Trade Show „Laser World of Photonics“
Optimize Your Process Stability
Ready to upgrade your laser manufacturing with reliable real-time quality intelligence? Fill out the brief query form, and our engineering team will help design the ideal process monitoring setup for your assembly line.
Richard Steinbrecht, CEO
Phone: +49 (0)89 – 360 90 48 – 102
sales[Ω]lessmueller.de