Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) and Quality Monitoring of Resistant Spot Welding Based on Quantitative Ultrasonic Technique 2001-01-3174

The new materials structures, joints, parts, components made from various materials demand the innovative applications of modern NDE techniques to monitor and control as many stages of the production process as possible. Simply put, intelligent advance manufacturing is impossible without integrating modern nondestructive evaluation into the production system.

For the most of above reasons the role of NDE is changing and will continue to change dramatically. It has become increasingly evident that it is both practical and cost effective to expand the role of NDE and quality control to include all aspects of production process and to introduce it as much as earlier in the manufacturing cycle. Today, and even increasingly in the future, using advanced optical, thermal, ultrasonic, laser-ultrasound, acoustic emission sensors, vibrational, electro-magnetic, X-ray technique, etc., as well as modern measurement technique, along with signal/data processing, on-line information on the processing conditions can be continuously generated. Real-time process monitoring for more effective and efficient real-time control of various processes and as a result improved vehicle manufacturing quality control inspection and reliability will now become a practical reality.