An automated radiographic NDT system for weld inspection: Part I — Weld extraction

An automated radiographic NDT system for weld inspection is developed. The entire system consists of two major components: weld extraction and flaw detection. Welds are first extracted from digitized radiographic images. The extracted welds are then processed by flaw detection algorithms to determine their qualities. This paper describes the weld extraction methodology, which forms the first part of the system. An example is used to illustrate the working of the methodology. The methodology is concluded to be effective for weld extraction after being successfully tested with 25 images.     

Automated detection of welding defects in pipelines from radiographic images DWDI

This paper presents a method for the automatic detection and classification of defects in radiographic images of welded joints obtained by exposure technique of double wall double image (DWDI). The proposed method locates the weld bead on the DWDI radiographic images, segments discontinuities (potential defects) in the detected weld bead and extracts features of these discontinuities. These features are used in a feed-forward multilayer perceptron (MLP) with backpropagation learning algorithm to classify descontinuities in “defect and no-defect”. The classifier reached an accuracy of 88.6% and a F-score of 87.5% for the test data. A comparison of the results with the earlier studies using SWSI and DWSI radiographic images indicates that the proposed method is promising. This work contributes towards the improvement of the automatic detection of welding defects in DWDI radiographic image which results can be used by weld inspectors as a support in the preparation of technical reports.     

Flaw detection in radiographic weldment images using morphological watershed segmentation technique

In this paper, the concept of application of morphological multistage watershed segmentation for detection of flaws in radiographic weld images is discussed. It is simple and intuitive and always produces a complete division of the image. The multistage watershed segmentation used here reduces the problem of over segmentation besides generating boundaries with very less deviation from their original position. Two-stage water segmentation is implemented here. At the first stage, watershed transform is applied to an X-ray image and the resultant mosaic image pattern is further thresholded by Otsu's thresholding method and converted into the binary image. Then, morphology and top-hat transformation is applied on binary image to separate partially overlapping objects. Euclidean distance map is calculated for each basin to label resultant segments uniquely and to separate ridges. This follows the second stage of watershed segmentation to obtain better-defined boundaries while removing over-segmented regions. Watershed segmentation algorithm has been able to detect flaws like slag inclusions and wormholes-type weld flaws. It shows all defects with reasonable accuracy having close contours. Similarly, small cavities are also highlighted successfully.     

图像增强技术在X射线探伤中的应用

数字图像处理技术可提高缺陷的检测与分类能力,在无损检测中的作用越来越重要。介绍利用Photoshop软件进行射线检测图像增强的技术。图像处理结果表明,该技术可使图像清晰度和分辨率大大提高,资料便于保存,并且可大大降低工作强度。     

An automated radiographic NDT system for weld inspection: Part II-Flaw detection

An automated radiographic NDT system for weld inspection has been developed. The entire system consists of two major components: weld extraction and flaw detection. Part I of the system implemented a weld extraction methodology, which has been presented in a previous paper. This paper presents Part II of the system dealing with the detection of welding flaws. The flaw detection methodology is developed based on the fitted line profiles of a weld image and consists of four modules: preprocessing, curve fitting, profile-anomaly detection, and postprocessing. The successful detection rate and false alarm rate of the methodology are reported based on the test results of 24 representative welds.     

Automatic weld defect identification from radiographic images

This paper presents a new approach for weld defect identification from radiographic images. This approach is based on the generation of a database of defect features using Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs) and polynomial coefficients extracted from the Power Density Spectra (PDSs) of the weld segmented areas after performing pre-processing and segmentation stages. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) are used for the feature matching process in order to automatically identify defects in radiographic images. The performance of the proposed approach is evaluated using 150 radiographic images in the presence of various types of noise and blurring. The experimental results show that the proposed approach can be used in a reliable way for automatic weld defect identification from radiographic images in noisy environments, and can achieve high recognition rates.     

Discontinuities detection in welded joints based on inverse surface thresholding

Automated detection of welding defects in radiographic images becomes nontrivial when uneven illumination, contrast and noise are present. In this paper, a new approach using surface thresholding method is proposed to detect defects in radiographic images of welding joints. In the first stage, several image processing techniques namely fuzzy c means clustering, region filling, mean filtering, edge detection, Otsu thresholding, and morphological operations method are utilized to locate the area where defects might exist. This is followed by the construction of the inverse thresholding surface and its implementation to locate defects in the identified area. The proposed method was tested on 60 radiographic images and it obtained 94.6% sensitivity. Its performance is compared to that of the watershed segmentation, which obtained 69.6%.     

基于超声信号和图像融合的焊缝缺陷识别

超声无损检测已被广泛用来检测材料内部的缺陷,然而对缺陷性质的识别始终是检测的难点,为此研究了一种基于超声信号和图像融合的焊缝缺陷识别新方法.该方法充分利用检测数据,通过对缺陷回波信号特征与缺陷形态特征的数据融合,实现了焊缝缺陷的有效识别.利用自主研制的超声成像手动检测系统对含有气孔、夹渣、裂纹、未焊透和未熔合五类典型焊接缺陷的焊件进行了检测,分别提取缺陷的超声回波信号特征和缺陷图像的形态特征,构建神经网络实现超声信号和图像特征的数据融合.结果表明,该方法实现了多类缺陷的识别,提高了缺陷识别率,有助于焊缝质量评定.     

微间隙焊缝磁光成像小波多尺度融合检测

针对微间隙(小于0.1 mm)对接焊缝,通过对焊件施加感应磁场,并利用法拉第旋光原理构成的磁光传感器,获取焊缝磁光图像.为了获取焊缝的准确位置,研究一种焊缝磁光图像的小波多尺度信息融合边缘检测方法.对焊缝磁光图像进行3层小波分解,获得包含焊缝边缘信息的小波高频图像.根据各尺度高频信息包含的细节丰富度,融合各尺度高频图像,然后用小波模局部极大值对融合图像进行边缘检测,得到抗噪性和连续性好、定位精度高的焊缝边缘,最后进行焊缝跟踪试验.结果表明,磁光图像小波多尺度信息融合是一种有效的焊缝边缘提取方法,适用于磁光成像传感的微间隙焊缝跟踪图像处理过程.     

Weld seam recognition algorithm based on HSI space or pipeline ultrasonic flaw inspection

In order to realize automatic weld seam tracking for pipeline ultrasonic flaw inspection, an image processing algorithm based on HSI color space was presented. Since the color tones of weld seam were different from the parent metal, weld seam images were transformed to HSI color space. In the HSl colar space, the weld seam and base metal area can be apparently distinguished. By using this image processing algorithm, the edges and centerline of pipeline weld seam can be correctly extracted. An industrial application system was developed based on the image processing algorithm, and the image processing time is less than 70 ms and the accuracy of weld seam recognition is better than 2mm.     

Improving the accuracy of computer-aided radiographic weld inspection by feature selection

This paper presents new results of our continuous effort to develop a computer-aided radiographic weld inspection system. The focus of this study is on improving accuracy by feature selection. To this end, we propose two versions of ant colony optimization (ACO)-based algorithms for feature selection and show their effectiveness to improve the accuracy in detecting weld flaws and the accuracy in classifying weld flaw types. The performances of ACO-based methods are compared with that of no feature selection and that of sequential forward floating selection, which is a known good feature selection method. Four different classifiers, including nearest mean, k-nearest neighbor, fuzzy k-nearest neighbor, and center-based nearest neighbor, are employed to carry out the tasks of weld flaw identification and weld flaw type classification.     

基于束波变换的焊缝图像处理技术

叙述了束举步维艰变换的原理,提出一种基于束以变换的焊接缝边缘检测算法,并增加了方向阈值.为了可靠地检测低信噪比的加噪焊缝图像中的焊缝边缘特征,提出了一种二次扫描方法.利用海底干式高压焊接舱中获取的原始焊缝图像和加噪图像进行了焊缝边缘提取试验.结果表明,算法能从富含噪声的焊缝图像中直接检测出焊缝边缘,而无须进行任何预处理或后处理,极大地提高了焊缝图像处理的效率.试验还表明,算法具有很强的抗噪性能,其与二次扫描方法相结合,特别适合于提取低信噪比的焊缝图像中的直线特征.     

Enhancement of ultrasonic images for sizing of defects by time-of-flight diffraction

A signal processing technique is presented for significantly sharpening the resolution of ultrasonic images, similar to those acquired in the nondestructive evaluation of girth welds in oil/gas pipelines. This enhancement allows a much improved estimate of the exact size of any detected anomaly in the weld, such that fracture mechanics can be used to gauge the probability of weld failure. The algorithm is based on the synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT), combined with a variation of Wiener filtering and autoregressive spectral extrapolation. An analytical model of the transducer is used to construct an appropriate reference spectrum for the deconvolution operation, and accounts for the dependence of a beam's frequency spectrum on the position of a flaw relative to the transmitter. Experimental results are used to provide an estimate of the improvement in flaw sizing accuracy.     

管道焊缝未熔合的底片评定

对管道焊缝射线照相底片进行评定时,由于焊缝存在的单边未焊透、条形缺陷、根部内凹和咬边及成型不良等影像类似未熔合,而引发各方对缺陷定性的争议。就管道焊缝和射线照相工艺特点,研究未熔合和相类似缺陷的影像特征及评定方法,以帮助正确判定未熔合。     

基于双目立体视觉埋弧焊焊缝成形的表征

提出了一种基于双目立体视觉实现焊缝成形评判的新方法.首先,采用搭建的双目立体视觉系统获取了焊缝表面成形的图像信息,并对获得的图像进行了灰度均衡、高斯滤波等预处理.其次,采用动态阈值分割算法,以及膨胀、腐蚀等形态学处理方法精确提取了焊缝成形边缘轮廓,探索了焊缝的长度、宽度、高度等立体成形参数的图像信息表征方法.结果表明,获取的焊缝宽度标准方差sW、余高标准方差sH、过渡角αL及αR等参数可作为焊缝成形评判的量化指标.     

基于结构光视觉传感的焊缝视觉信息检测和识别研究

对基于结构光视觉传感的焊缝视觉信息检测和识别进行了研究.所获取的焊缝图像中存在着大量的飞溅、烟尘和电弧光等噪声干扰.CCD摄像机获取焊缝图像,经图像采集卡A/D转换后送入计算机内存,然后采用各种图像处理方法对图像数据进行处理,焊缝原始图像经过二值化、中值滤波、拉普拉斯锐化、细化一系列图像预处理,准确提取激光条纹信息,提出了几种常见的焊缝形式的检测和识别算法,算法所需时间均不到1 ms,提取焊缝特征,实现对焊缝的自动跟踪.     

大功率光纤激光焊熔透状态模糊聚类识别方法

熔透是评价激光焊接质量的重要因素,但在焊接过程中难以直接检测熔透状态.以大功率光纤激光焊接304不锈钢紧密对接焊缝为试验对象,研究一种基于熔池红外热像的熔透状态识别方法.采用红外摄像机摄取焊接区域熔池动态图像,提取熔池特征量,应用模糊聚类算法分析熔池特征量与熔透状态之间的关系,使用模糊C-均值（FCM）和Gustafson-Kessel（GK）两种模糊聚类法建立熔透状态识别模型.激光焊接试验结果表明,熔池表征与熔透状态之间存在密切关联,通过GK模糊聚类算法建立的模型对熔透状态能达到78%以上的识别率,为大功率光纤激光焊接过程熔透状态的识别和控制提供试验依据.     

基于OpenCV的焊缝图像边缘检测方法

焊缝边缘是焊缝图像的最主要特征,选用适当的边缘检测算子得到准确的焊缝信息是焊缝图像的关键步骤.选用Canny算子,提出了一种基于OpenCV的焊缝图像边缘检测方法.将开放源代码的OpenCV作为开发焊缝图像边缘检测程序的基础函数库,开发焊缝图像边缘检测程序,从而解决了焊缝图像边缘检测程序开发周期长、效率低的缺点.     

带管端探伤的全管体自动超声波探伤系统

设计了一种带管端探伤的全管体自动超声波探伤系统。系统由超声波探头、超声波探伤仪器、图像跟踪系统、PLC电气控制系统和全管体探伤机械装置组成,把焊缝探伤和母材探伤合为一体,实现螺旋管全管体的自动化超声波探伤。在全管体探伤机械装置中的焊缝管端检测装置后增加焊缝跟踪装置,在母材管端检测装置后依次增加管尾检测装置、母材管端探头体和管头检测装置,实现了管端自动探伤,解决了管端盲区问题,提高了探伤速度,保证了螺旋管探伤的可靠性和准确性,降低了人力资源成本。     

基于激光视觉的钢结构焊缝图像处理系统

针对钢结构件品种多、批量小,焊缝形状位置一致性差,机器人重复定位过程复杂等缺点,设计了一种基于激光视觉的钢结构焊缝图像处理系统. 运用CCD工业相机和激光器,采集带有激光条带的焊缝图像,分别利用中值滤波柔化噪音,Otsu算法自适应阈值分割,开操作和形态学处理相结合去除图像中除目标像素外的小连通区域,提取激光条带的中心线,最终利用Hough变换对中心线直线拟合,得到特征点位置,并通过骨支架试验验证该技术的可行性. 结果表明,该方法可快速准确地检测到焊缝特征点,满足实际要求.