Optical coherence tomography has been added to Blackbirds remote laser welding systems
Blackbird Robotics has added optical coherence tomography (OCT) to its remote laser welding systems, enabling automated inspection of weld seams during production
The system detects and classifies seam defects in real time, without slowing cycle times or affecting welding results.
The OCT seam inspection works on a multi-stage evaluation model. Individual OCT measurement lines are recorded continuously along the weld seam, and the surface is automatically detected. From this, seam characteristics are calculated and checked against defined defect parameters. Repeated or adjacent deviations are grouped into collective defects, and the overall seam quality is expressed as a percentage to help identify systematic issues along the weld line. Each defect type can also be assigned its own limits and minimum sizes.
The system currently supports the inspection of fillet and lap welds at lap joints. Its open architecture allows adaptation to new seam geometries or customer-specific requirements. OCT seam inspection can also be combined with other OCT-based monitoring functions, such as edge tracking and keyhole depth measurement, using the same sensor setup.
During operation, the system provides standardised OK/NOK signals and error classifications directly to higher-level control systems. If tolerances are exceeded, programmable responses—such as stopping the weld or ejecting a part—can be triggered automatically. Measurement data and evaluations can also be exported via interfaces like OPC UA for traceability, quality assurance, and statistical analysis.
The OCT seam inspection function is available from version 8.28 of Blackbird’s RSU User Software and can be added through a software update.
