Systems and methods to provide weld training

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10672294-B2
Application number	US-201715400548-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2017
Priority date	Jan 8, 2016
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for weld training are provided. An example weld training system includes a computing device comprising a display device on a first side and a camera on a second side, the computing device configured to: capture images with the camera; process the captured images to identify a first simulation device as a simulation weld torch and a second simulation device as a simulation workpiece; and display images of a simulated welding operation on the display device of the computing device based on analyzing the captured images to detect indicia of weld performance, the images of the simulated welding operation reflecting the indicia of weld performance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A weld training system, comprising:
a computing device comprising a display device on a first side and a camera on a second side, the computing device configured to:
capture images with the camera;
process the captured images to identify a first simulation device as a simulation weld torch and a second simulation device as a simulation workpiece; and
display images of a simulated welding operation on the display device of the computing device based on analyzing the captured images to detect indicia of weld performance, the images of the simulated welding operation reflecting the indicia of weld performance; and

a mounting device configured to hold the computing device to orient the camera of the computing device toward a simulation area, wherein the computing device is configured to recognize when the computing device is connected to the mounting device.

2. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the mounting device is configured to orient the display device of the computing device away from the simulation area.

3. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the mounting device is configured to orient the display device such that a user of the first simulation device is facing the simulation area.

4. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the display device is configured to present stereoscopic images.

5. The weld training system as defined in claim 4 , wherein the mounting device comprises one or more lenses to provide a stereoscopic view of the stereoscopic images.

6. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the mounting device comprises a protective housing to prevent damage to the computing device from an actual weld.

7. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the computing device is configured to enable selection of one or more weld variables.

8. The weld training system as defined in claim 7 , wherein the computing device is configured to depict welding events including at least one of spatter, burn back, burn-through, or wire stubbing, based on at least one of the indicia of weld performance or the one or more weld variables.

9. The weld training system as defined in claim 7 , wherein the computing device is configured to enable the selection of the one or more weld variables with at least one of a weld calculator view or a weld equipment view.

10. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the computing device is configured to process the captured images based on input from a sensor of the computing device.

11. The weld training system as defined in claim 10 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a microphone, or an ambient light sensor.

12. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the computing device is a smartphone or a tablet computer.

13. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the computing device is configured to process the captured images without using additional sensors.

14. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the camera is configured to generate stereoscopic images and the display device is configured to display the stereoscopic images.

15. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the indicia of weld performance comprise at least one of aim, travel speed, work angle, travel angle, or contact tip to work distance.

16. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of cameras configured to capture images substantially simultaneously.

17. The weld training system as defined in claim 16 , wherein the processing of the captured images comprises calculating a distance between the first simulation device and the second simulation device.

18. The weld training system as defined in claim 17 , wherein the displaying of the images of the simulated welding operation is based on the calculated distance as the indicia of weld performance.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Albrecht Bruce Patrick
• Schneider Joseph C

Classifications

• G09B19/24 Primary

  Use of tools · CPC title

• G09B5/02

  with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip · CPC title

• G09B9/00

  Simulators for teaching or training purposes (for the use of weapons F41; computing aspects G06; {protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality H04L67/131}) · CPC title

• H04N13/302

  for viewing without the aid of special glasses, i.e. using autostereoscopic displays · CPC title

• G06F3/0488

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title