Measurements of fillet weld by 3D laser scanning system

The external geometry of a fillet weld affects not only the quality but also the safety of a structure. Two parameters that influence the geometric quality of a fillet weld are the weld size and the weld surface profile. A 3D laser scanning measurement system integrating the techniques of reverse engineering is adopted in this study to provide a more accurate measurement of the weld profile. The section profiles of the external weld geometry along the longitudinal axis of the weld are generated by the measured data set through CAD software. A computer programme based on the AWS Structural Welding Code is used to judge the acceptability of a fillet weld based on the CAD section profile of the weld. The proposed 3D laser scanning system with integrated CAD software can provide a more accurate and efficient method to estimate the geometric quality of a fillet weld .