ABIBLOG United States

Automated Weld Inspection with BINZEL and SmartRay

Written by Jeff Henderson | Mar 29, 2022 12:01:39 AM

Weld inspection is a topic discussed time and time again, as many debate what the best process is and why it will provide the best overall result. This is where the collaboration between SmartRay and ABICOR BINZEL comes into play.

Products

SmartRay is an automated weld surface inspection system that uses laser triangulation to inspect welds. It automatically evaluates welds to the customer’s specifications and takes the guess work out of manual inspection, therefore streamlining the repair process.

BINZEL provides sales and service to SmartRay to expand the benefits of this automated weld inspection solution into North America. We use our network of sales and automation specialists to provide a turn-key inspection system that brings speed and accuracy to our customer’s inspection process, something that improves their entire operation.

SmartRay is an automated weld inspection leader in sensor size, inspection speed, and unmatched customer support. Where other competitors offer automated weld inspection solutions, SmartRay leads in being able to provide a turn-key inspection solution with a network of experts around the world to support our customers. They do all of this while offering them the ability to detect smaller defects as a faster speed.

Evolving in a space like this is necessary, and something that SmartRay does so well. They are continuously evolving their software and hardware solutions to meet customer needs, by monitoring and changing sensor size and resolution, custom software setups to interact with different customer systems, and adding more trained personnel to keep providing service to a growing market.

This technology can be used alongside our other automation sensors and torch packages to provide a high-quality, defect-free assembly for our customers. Our automation sensors, including the TH6 Seam Tracking Sensor and EWR2 Gas Management Sensor, and robotic torch packages paired with SmartRay’s weld inspection technology bring a high-quality welding and inspection solution to our customer’s automated welding lines to create a full solution that is increasing your productivity.

Having the ability to add this weld inspection technology to the process at many existing customer facilities and/or working with new customers to explain the benefits has been crucial for both SmartRay and BINZEL. The sensor is valuable and carries a lot of weight on its own, but even more when added with the other sensor technology that BINZEL offers. When automated welding inspection is added to our other sensors, systems, and torches, it brings great value to our customers process by allowing them to output quality welded assemblies without the concern of sending out defective parts.

Service

Where BINZEL really brings the most value to this partnership with SmartRay, is our ability to provide world class customer service support. Whether it be in-person or remote support, for this technology we make sure our customers have welding and inspection solutions in place that bring value to their automated production. Our goal is to always save our customers money and time, while getting them a system they are proud of.

There is an on-going need in the industry for a more automated way of inspecting welded assemblies, because of the struggles of finding quality personnel for inspection and the inconsistencies that are seen with manual visual inspection. For this reason, there has been a very positive reaction from our customers on the addition of this technology with our current automated welding equipment catalog. The ability to make quality welds with our BINZEL sensors, peripheral systems, and robotic torches and then being able to consistently inspect these welds for defects, meets and exceeds our customers’ needs for continuous improvement of their production lines.

It has been amazing to see the trust that our customers have in the products we recommend to them. SmartRay is an incredible system, and really the data proves the success of it on its own, but being able to talk with customers and show them the results they could be getting from incorporating this new technology is really great.

SmartRay and BINZEL have a strong partnership and there is constant communication and support going on between both teams. We work together from technical problem solving to project management and in-person support. This partnership will continue to grow in the coming years as the SmartRay inspection system expands in the North American market and both teams continue to provide exceptional support to each other.

There has been a very enthusiastic and positive response from the SmartRay team regarding the addition of BINZEL to their global partnership network. They feel we offer high-quality service, support, and welding equipment from our team of technical experts that are selling and servicing the SmartRay Weld Inspection System. We will continue to grow with SmartRay and the automated weld inspection business in North America, with our customers and their need for quality welding solutions and technology at the forefront of that expansion.