CAVILUX Laser Illumination has been an important tool for welding researchers across the globe for many years. This video of Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) process demonstrates the effect of no active illumination versus applying CAVILUX laser illumination in different imaging techniques. As you can see, the difference from one to the next is quite remarkable.
On top left is the typical view of welding recorded using a high-speed camera with band-pass filters. While there are some visible points when the arc strikes, the rest is mostly darkness. That makes it quite hard to identify any fine details in the meltpool. On top right is our typical setup of CAVILUX laser illumination with a high-speed camera. A single CAVILUX laser is focused on the torch and a band-pass filter is used to filter off the process light.
Bottom left shows the addition of another CAVILUX laser while using the Shadowgraphy technique, and on bottom right is the Schlieren setup with two of our lasers.
The Schlieren setup is by far the most detail-oriented of these setups. It provides you with immense details such as protection gas flow as well as making almost every single spatter and their motion visible.
You can find more information on how to utilize laser illumination in imaging of bright processes such as welding – “Common Welding Methods and the Use of Laser Illumination in Welding Imaging”.
