Direct view of the weld pool, frame by frame
PoolVision is a high-speed industrial camera that captures the weld pool and surrounding work zone at up to 480 frames per second, with laser-safe integrated lighting that suppresses arc glare.
Built as a modular component of the HeatCore platform, PoolVision plugs into any HeatCore Basic or Pro server over USB 3.0 — adding visual evidence to thermal monitoring without changing the rest of your stack.
Standard cameras miss what the arc hides
Off-the-shelf industrial cameras at 30 to 60 fps see a blur where the weld pool actually is. Arc glare saturates the sensor; high-frequency events pass between frames; surface defects appear only after the bead has cooled.
Why most setups fall short
- 30/60 fps cameras can’t resolve pulsed-MIG transients
- Arc glare saturates pixels around the pool
- No dedicated illumination for the visible band
- Visual evidence collected only post-weld
What you lose
- Root-cause analysis based on after-the-fact macros
- No frame-accurate evidence for ISO 17637 visual testing
- Process drift noticed only when scrap rate climbs
High-speed visual coverage as a HeatCore module
PoolVision is the visual component of the HeatCore platform. It runs alongside HeatCam thermal cameras on the same server, so you get fused thermal and visual evidence from a single inspection record.
480 fps capture
High-speed acquisition resolves transient events that 30/60 fps cameras miss.
- Pulsed-MIG droplet transfer
- Short-circuit and stub-out events
- Arc start and end-of-bead transients
Laser-safe illumination
Integrated lighting tuned to suppress arc glare and reveal the pool.
- Constant illumination of the work zone
- Compatible with TIG, MIG/MAG, plasma, additive
- No additional eye protection required
USB 3.0 industrial interface
Plug-and-play connection to any HeatCore server.
- Shielded industrial cable
- Low-latency streaming for real-time recording
- Replaceable protective optical window
Compact rugged form factor
Designed for tight installations on torches, robot arms, and fixed cells.
- Compact industrial housing
- Easy mounting bracket included
- Tracking calibration certificate provided
One platform, two complementary streams
PoolVision is sold as part of the modular HeatCore architecture. The same server that hosts HeatCam thermal cameras also handles PoolVision frames, giving you a unified weld record with both thermal and visual evidence indexed by joint ID.
Pair with HeatCam IR-C or IR-S
Combine PoolVision visual streams with the thermal data from HeatCam thermal cameras to triangulate defects.
- Thermal anomaly + visual confirmation in one record
- Surface defects (ISO 17637) and subsurface drift (ISO 17635) covered together
- Single review interface, single export
Run on HeatCore Basic or Pro
No new server required. Existing HeatCore deployments accept PoolVision over USB 3.0.
- Live view in the operator console
- Recording, playback, and CSV export
- AI inference on Pro tier (HeatCore AI software)
Key specifications
Industrial form factor designed for weld cells, robot torches, and additive deposition heads.
Capture & optics
- Frame rate: up to 480 fps
- Spectral band: visible
- Illumination: laser-safe integrated
- Replaceable protective window
Interface & integration
- USB 3.0 industrial
- Shielded cable included
- Compatible with HeatCore Basic and Pro
- Calibration certificate (traceable)
Form factor
- Compact industrial housing
- Standard mounting bracket
- Designed for torch-side and fixed installs
Add visual evidence to your weld monitoring
Talk to a Therness engineer to scope a PoolVision integration for your line — alongside HeatCam thermal cameras or as a stand-alone visual upgrade.
Frequently asked questions
What is PoolVision used for?
PoolVision provides direct visual access to the weld pool and the surrounding work zone for fusion welding processes. It captures up to 480 frames per second with laser-safe integrated lighting, making it suitable for surface defect detection, operator feedback, and visual testing aligned with ISO 17637.
How does PoolVision integrate with HeatCore?
PoolVision is a modular component of the HeatCore platform. It connects via USB 3.0 to any HeatCore Basic or Pro server, where its frames are recorded together with the thermal stream from a HeatCam-IR camera. Combined visual + thermal evidence is stored per weld for traceability.
Why 480 fps?
Standard industrial cameras at 30 to 60 fps miss high-frequency events like arc instability, wire stub-out, and short circuits in pulse-MIG. 480 fps captures these transients at the timescale they actually happen, making visual root-cause analysis possible.
Is PoolVision laser-safe?
Yes. The integrated illumination is designed to be laser-safe under normal operating conditions, so it can be deployed in welding cells without additional eye protection beyond the standard arc shielding already required.
