US 12,345,696 B2
Methods for inspection of press-hardening steel surfaces prior to spot-welding for improved welding quality
Hassan Ghassemi-Armaki, Northville, MI (US); Blair E. Carlson, Ann Arbor, MI (US); Zhenke Teng, Troy, MI (US); and Jason M. Brown, Goodrich, MI (US)
Assigned to GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed by GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed on Jul. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/872,222.
Prior Publication US 2024/0027421 A1, Jan. 25, 2024
Int. Cl. G01N 33/207 (2019.01); G01N 23/223 (2006.01); G01N 27/90 (2021.01); G01N 33/208 (2019.01); G06T 7/00 (2017.01); G06V 10/74 (2022.01)
CPC G01N 33/207 (2019.01) [G01N 23/223 (2013.01); G01N 27/90 (2013.01); G01N 33/208 (2019.01); G06T 7/001 (2013.01); G06V 10/74 (2022.01); G06T 2207/10064 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10116 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30136 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for inspecting a component made of press-hardening steel prior to resistance spot welding of the component, comprising:
performing non-destructive testing of the component made of press-hardening steel after hot stamping to determine a plurality of characteristics for the component,
wherein the non-destructive testing comprises at least one of image processing, electromagnetic analysis, and elemental analysis of the component;
using a model correlating values of the characteristics to acceptable weld quality or rejected weld quality and predicting acceptable weld quality or rejected weld quality of the component prior to resistance spot welding of the component;
resistance spot welding the component if the model predicts acceptable weld quality; and
not resistance spot welding the component if the model predicts rejected weld quality.