Video analysis-based algorithm for triggering power cutback in vacuum arc remelting

A method for controlling a vacuum arc remelting (VAR) process, the method comprising:

• obtaining one or more images of an electrode within a vacuum chamber;
• analyzing the one or more images to detect a pin, a slot, or a combination thereof of a melt marker of the one or more images based on a remelt image process model;
• determining a power adjustment phase of a VAR process based on the one or more images;
• and
• initiating, by a VAR controller, the power adjustment phase in response to the pin, the slot, or the combination thereof of the melt marker satisfying a predetermined melt marker condition.

A system for controlling a vacuum arc remelting (VAR) process, the system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a nontransitory computer-readable medium including instructions that are executable by the processor, wherein the instructions include:
• obtaining one or more images of an electrode within a vacuum chamber;
• analyzing the one or more images to detect a melt marker of the one or more images based on a remelt image process model that includes a deep convolutional neural network;
• determining a power adjustment phase of the VAR process based on the one or more images and a process parameter;
• predicting an operational characteristic of the VAR process based on the process parameter and a remelt prediction model;
• and
• initiating, by a VAR controller, the power adjustment phase in response to the melt marker satisfying a predetermined melt marker condition, the operational characteristic of the VAR process satisfying a predetermined operational condition, or a combination thereof.