*** 9660138 Ivkovich This Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase I project will investigate and experimentally demonstrate the feasibility of a novel approach to real-time process monitoring and MMI (man-machine interface) feedback for manual welding. Direct and indirect (hidden) process information will be used to improve stability and repeatability of the manual welding process. Phase I will address operator-dependent variations in process control and repeatability. These variations will be minimized by identifying welding defects and implementing 'in-process' repair. Phase I will provide experimental results which quantify performance feasibility for representative welding candidate operations. This approach is expected to reduce welding re-work, improve quality, and reduce weld inspection and testing requirements. Commercial applications are expected in manual welding applications within the automotive, aerospace, heavy manufacturing, ship-building, oil, petrochemical, process, power generation, and machinery industry sectors. ***
