Intelligent Control Mechanism for Underwater Wet Welding

It is important to achieve high quality weld in underwater welding as it is vital to the integrity of the structures used in the offshore environment. Due to the difficulty in ensuring sound welds as it relates to the weld bead geometry, it is important to have a robust control mechanism that can meet this need. This work is aimed at designing a control mechanism for underwater wet welding which can control the welding process to ensure the desired weld bead geometry is achieved. Obtaining optimal bead width, penetration and reinforcement are essential parameters for the desired bead geometry. The method used in this study is the use of a control system that utilizes a combination of fuzzy and PID controller in controlling flux cored arc welding process. The outcome will ensure that optimal weld bead geometry is achieved as welding is being carried out at different water depth in the offshore environment. The result for the hybrid fuzzy-PID gives a satisfactory outcome of overshoot, rise time and steady error. This will lead to a robust welding system for oil and gas companies and other companies that carry out repair welding or construction welding in the offshore.