In fields such as new energy batteries, automotive lightweighting, and aerospace, the quality of copper-aluminum welding directly affects product performance. Traditional inspection relies on destructive sampling, which is inefficient and costly. Originally used in non-invasive ophthalmic diagnostics, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) has recently demonstrated unique advantages in industrial non-destructive testing due to its high resolution (micron-level), non-contact operation, and real-time imaging capabilities.

Advantages of OCT Technology in Industrial Welding

Technical Principle
This technology captures interference signals between the reference and measurement beams using a spectrometer, enabling precise calculation of keyhole depth during welding and real-time measurement of weld penetration.

Weld penetration is a critical parameter for welding quality:
    ✘ Insufficient penetration: weakens joint strength, increasing fracture risk
    ✘ Excessive penetration: leads to material waste and workpiece deformation
    ✘ Accurate control: real-time monitoring is essential to ensure weld quality

Technical Advantages
OCT technology uses a low-coherence superluminescent diode (SLD) light source and offers the following advantages:

• Strong resistance to interference from laser welding
  
• High measurement stability
  
• Enables precise mathematical modeling between welding parameters and penetration depth
  
• Provides reliable data foundation for welding big data analysis systems
  

Industry Challenges and Solution of Copper and Aluminum Welding

Industry Challenges

In sectors such as new energy batteries, automotive lightweighting, and aerospace, the shift toward lighter industrial products has led to widespread use of copper and aluminum due to their material advantages. However, welding these lightweight metals presents critical challenges:

• Narrow Penetration Window: In partial penetration states, insufficient depth leads to joint failure, while excessive depth may damage internal structures.
  
• Material Characteristics: Copper and aluminum tend to form brittle intermetallic compounds (IMCs), weakening joint performance.
  
• Limitations of Traditional Inspection:
  
• Requires destructive sampling
  
• Low inspection efficiency (over 30 minutes per piece)
  
• Inadequate for modern production demands
  
• 
  
  

Solution

OCT-Based Online Monitoring
✔ Real-time, non-contact detection
✔ Significantly improved production efficiency
✔ Ensures consistent weld quality
✔ Especially suitable for quality control of copper-aluminum and other lightweight material welding

Since 2011, Optizone Technology has been committed to OCT R&D, initially focusing on ophthalmic diagnostics. In 2024, the company achieved a major technological breakthrough and launched the Odinopti® system—an industrial-grade OCT non-destructive inspection device, fully developed in-house.

Featuring a proprietary OCT spectrometer, the system delivers micron-level accuracy (axial: 12 μm, lateral: 50 μm) and high-speed data acquisition (250 kHz). It marks a successful transition of medical-grade optical diagnostics to industrial welding quality control, now widely adopted in high-end manufacturing such as batteries, automotive, and aerospace.

Breakthroughs of the Odinopti® System
✔ Real-time Online Monitoring – Enables dynamic parameter adjustment during welding to prevent defects
✔ Non-Destructive Testing – Zero damage to parts, enhanced production efficiency

Advantage of Odinopti® Nondestructive Testing Equipment

Composition of Odinopti® System

Metal Material Testing Cases

Case 1: 304 Stainless Steel Welding
→ Weld penetration consistency improved by 90%

Case 2: 304 Stainless Steel Butt Weld Inspection
→ High-resolution monitoring of seam quality

Case 3: Pre-Weld Surface Inspection (Module Frame)
→ Early detection of surface defects to prevent weld failure

(Image | Sample Inspection)

(Image | Pre-Weld Surface Inspection of Module Frame)

Case 4: Weld Surface Formation Inspection (Laser Fillet Weld)
→ Automated pass/fail classification; real-time alerts for insufficient penetration

• Pass
  
  
• 
  

• Fail – Insufficient Penetration, Weak Joint
  
  
• 
  

• Fail – Weld Only on Upper Plate
  
  

Typical Application Scenarios
Laser Welding | New Energy Batteries | Automotive Manufacturing

Semiconductor Fabrication | Aerospace | Electronic Circuits 

Display Manufacturing | Lens Inspection | 3D Printing

Customer Value
Cost Reduction & Efficiency: Less rework and material waste
Smart Manufacturing: Data-driven process optimization and welding knowledge base creation

The ultimate challenge in welding has never been just 'welding', it's what can't be seen.
Optizone Technology's Odinopti® system, powered by OCT technology, brings visibility to precision welding, empowering lightweight manufacturing and enabling zero-defect production.