Enhancing Weld Process Visibility to Support Advanced R&D with Welding Alloys

3rd June 2026

Enhancing Weld Process Visibility to Support Advanced R&D with Welding Alloys

Project Scope

For nearly six decades, Welding Alloys has supported industries worldwide in improving productivity and reducing operational costs through advanced welding consumables, automated equipment, and engineered wear solutions. Operating across demanding sectors where wear resistance is critical, the company delivers technologies that enhance performance, extend component life, and reduce total cost of ownership.

As part of its ongoing commitment to innovation, Welding Alloys continues to invest in research and development to advance welding processes and material performance. To further strengthen its data-driven approach, the Group Innovation (GI) team sought to enhance its ability to monitor and analyse key variables within arc welding operations.

Working in collaboration with TPS WeldTech, and leveraging its partnership with Xiris Automation, Welding Alloys implemented an advanced weld camera system to provide greater visibility and control over critical welding parameters.

Figure 1: Precision-engineered metal cored wires tailored for any given process (SAW, MIG/MAG, PTA, Laser) and high-performance surface deposits.
© Welding Alloys Group. All rights reserved

The Challenge

Accurate monitoring of welding variables is essential for developing and refining advanced welding processes. For the Welding Alloys GI team, understanding the interaction between the welding wire, arc behaviour, and component geometry is critical to ensuring process stability and achieving consistent weld quality.

Even small variations in wire position, arc length, or alignment can significantly affect the outcome of a weld. However, traditional inspection methods, often reliant on visual observation or limited sensor data, do not provide sufficient insight into the complexities of wire melting and melt pool formation. This lack of detailed, real-time data can restrict process optimisation and limit the ability to validate results with confidence.

In addition, the extreme brightness of the welding arc presents a major challenge for standard imaging systems. A welding arc can be up to one million times brighter than the surrounding base metal, far exceeding the dynamic range of a standard camera. The Xiris HDR sensor bridges this gap to deliver simultaneous clarity of both the bright arc and the darker surrounding areas in a single image. Conventional cameras are unable to capture high-quality images in such conditions and are typically not suited for integration into industrial workshop environments.

To support its research activities, Welding Alloys required a robust and reliable solution capable of delivering clear visual data under high-intensity welding conditions, while remaining compact and easy to integrate into its existing setup

Our Solution

To address these challenges, TPS WeldTech supplied and integrated a high-performance weld camera system from Xiris Automation, designed specifically for harsh welding environments.

The system provides clear, real-time visualisation of the welding process, enabling the GI team to closely observe critical parameters such as wire position, arc stability, and melt pool behaviour. This enhanced visibility allows engineers to detect even minor deviations from optimal conditions and make informed adjustments to improve process performance.

The decision to implement the Xiris system was supported by prior observations of the technology in use at Cranfield University, where TPS WeldTech has supplied multiple systems to support advanced welding and additive manufacturing research.

In addition to supplying the equipment, TPS WeldTech provided comprehensive on-site training, ensuring that Welding Alloys engineers could fully utilise the system’s capabilities. This combination of advanced imaging technology and technical support has enabled the GI team to capture, analyse, and document welding processes with a significantly higher level of accuracy and consistency

The Outcome

The introduction of the Xiris weld camera system has significantly enhanced the Welding Alloys GI team’s ability to monitor and optimise welding processes. Improved visibility of key variables has strengthened data collection, enabling more precise evaluation of materials, parameters, and energy inputs.

This enhanced understanding has already delivered measurable results. In one project, insights gained through improved process monitoring enabled the development of
a solution that achieved the required cladding properties in a single layer – where previously multiple layers were necessary. This not only improves efficiency but also reduces material consumption and energy usage.

More broadly, the ability to capture high-quality, repeatable data supports faster development cycles and more reliable process validation, reinforcing Welding Alloys’ commitment to delivering continuous improvement in both products and applications.

Figure 2: High-resolution arc monitoring and material transfer. Analysis performed using a TPS Xiris HDR weld camera to monitor an advanced arc process using tailored metal cored wire for the steel industry application. © Welding Alloys Group. All rights reserved.

Why Choose TPS Weldtech?

TPS WeldTech works closely with customers to deliver practical welding and automation solutions that improve performance and efficiency. With decades of experience and a strong focus on technical support, the company provides high-quality equipment backed by expert guidance.

Operating across the UK, TPS WeldTech supports a wide range of industries with welding, robotic, and cutting solutions, helping customers implement reliable and effective automation in demanding environments.

“The GI team at Welding Alloys has been working with TPS since introducing advanced welding processes which require reliable visual monitoring. Their support in supplying and implementing the Xiris HDR weld monitoring camera has been excellent throughout.
The team has always been responsive, knowledgeable and supportive, and the training provided has been invaluable in helping us maximise the system’s potential. The weld camera has played an important role in improving our control of process parameters and the quality of the data we capture.”

Jihane Guenoun, Group Innovation Engineer, Welding Alloys

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