Meta Vision Systems has launched its DLS200 scanning-spot laser sensor, designed to automate and speed the manufacture of wind towers and other structures containing metal of different thickness.
Steel plates that form the base of a wind tower can be 50mm or more in thickness, while the middle section is fabricated from lighter gauge metal and the steel at the top is thinner still. Welding of these various gauges requires different procedures. Each thickness of steel requires a different type of weld. The DLS200 sensor has a fully programmable scan configuration, which means that a wide scan can be used for wider joints, and a narrow scan with a higher resolution can be used for the smaller joints.
DLS200 sensors are already assisting automated welding of wind towers at test sites and have been well received. Wind tower manufacturers say that the main benefit of using the sensor to provide automatic control of the welding process is improved quality. Defects are reduced, which translates into large savings, especially considering the time and cost of repairing root weld defects in thicker material.
