Importing and analyzing external data using a virtual reality welding system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9754509-B2
Application number	US-201715453825-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2017
Priority date	Aug 21, 2008
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A real-time virtual reality welding system including a programmable processor-based subsystem, a spatial tracker operatively connected to the programmable processor-based subsystem, at least one mock welding tool capable of being spatially tracked by the spatial tracker, and at least one display device operatively connected to the programmable processor-based subsystem. The system is capable of simulating, in virtual reality space, a weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics. The system is further capable of importing data into the virtual reality welding system and analyzing the data to characterize a student welder's progress and to provide training.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for simulating welding activity, comprising:
tracking a movement and orientation of a stick welding device relative to a welding coupon for a simulated welding operation, where said stick welding device has a stick welding tool and a simulated stick electrode;
moving said simulated stick electrode with an actuator within said stick welding tool during said simulated welding operation;
receiving information related to said movement and orientation of said stick welding device;
modeling, during said simulated welding operation, a simulated welding surface for said welding coupon;
modeling a simulated weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and real-time heat dissipation characteristics during said simulated welding operation;
modeling a simulated weld bead based on said movement and orientation of said welding tool, and based on a simulation of solidification of said weld puddle from a molten state to a solid state; and
displaying, on a first display device, said simulated welding operation, including displaying said simulated welding surface, said simulated weld puddle and said simulated weld bead;
wherein said movement of said simulated stick electrode is such that a distance between said stick welding tool and a simulated welding tip of said simulated stick electrode is reduced during said simulated welding operation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said tracking further comprises using an optical sensor which is mounted on a helmet to optically track said welding tool.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
simulating welding sounds in real-time with the simulated welding operation using an audio speaker disposed in a helmet.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a plurality of simulated welding parameters based on said movement and orientation of said stick welding device;
displaying, on a second display device, said plurality of determined welding parameters, in real-time, during said simulated welding operation.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein at least one of said plurality of determined welding parameters is displayed in graphical form in real time during said simulated welding operation.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein said plurality of determined welding parameters include weld angle, travel angle, and travel speed.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining at least one simulated welding parameter during said simulated welding operation;
comparing said at least one determined welding parameter to a stored value for said at least one determined welding parameter; and
displaying said comparison on a second display device.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said comparison is displayed in graphical form.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying, on said first display device, a plurality of visual cues during said simulated welding operation, where each of said plurality of visual cues is for a distinct welding parameter, and where said plurality of visual cues are displayed based on a deviation of said welding parameters during said simulated welding operation from a desired value for each of said welding parameters, respectively.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating and displaying on said first display device at least one welding effect, which is one of simulated welding sparks, simulated welding spatter, simulated arc glow and simulated porosity during said simulated welding operation, and where said at least one welding effect is displayed, in real time, based on said movement and orientation of said stick welding device.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said simulation of said solidification from a molten state to a solid state of a surface region of said weld puddle is based on a distance between said tip of said simulated stick electrode and said surface region.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said simulation of said solidification from a molten state to a solid state of said weld puddle is based on a cooling threshold value for said simulated weld puddle.

13. A method for simulating welding activity, comprising:
tracking a movement and orientation of a stick welding device relative to a welding coupon for a simulated welding operation, where said stick welding device has a stick welding tool and a simulated stick electrode;
retracting said simulated stick electrode using an actuator in said stick welding tool during said simulated welding operation;
receiving information related to said movement and orientation of said stick welding device;
modeling, during said simulated welding operation, a simulated welding surface for said welding coupon;
displaying said simulated welding surface on each of a first display device and a second display device during said simulated welding operation;
modeling, during said simulated welding operation, a simulated welding arc between an emitting end of said stick welding device and said simulated welding surface;
modeling a simulated weld puddle generated from a simulated deposition of weld material, wherein said simulated weld puddle is changed dynamically during said simulated welding operation based on said movement and orientation of said stick welding device, said modeling of said simulated weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and real-time heat dissipation characteristics;
modeling a simulated weld bead based on said movement and orientation of said stick welding device, and based on a simulation of solidification of said weld puddle from a molten state to a solid state; and
displaying, on said each of said first and second display devices, said simulated welding surface, said simulated weld puddle and said simulated weld bead during said simulated welding operation.

14. A method for simulating welding activity, comprising:
optically tracking a movement and orientation of a stick welding device relative to a welding coupon for a simulated welding operation, where said stick welding device has a stick welding tool and a simulated stick electrode;
retracting said simulated stick electrode using an actuator in said stick welding tool during said simulated welding operation;
receiving information related to said movement and orientation of said stick welding device;
modeling, during said simulated welding operation, a simulated welding surface for said welding coupon;
displaying said simulated welding surface on a display device disposed in a helmet;
modeling a simulated weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and real-time heat dissipation characteristics during said simulated welding operation, using a plurality of welding elements where said welding elements are changed dynamically during said simulated welding operation based on said movement and said orientation of said stick welding device;
modeling a simulated weld bead based on a simulation of solidification of said weld puddle from a molten state to a solid state, where said simulation of solidification is based on a cooling threshold value for said welding elements;
displaying, on said display device, each of said simulated weld puddle and said simulated weld bead during said simulated welding operation; and
emitting simulated welding sounds in said helmet during said simulated welding operation.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein simulated welding sounds are emitted in real-time and based on said movement and orientation of said stick welding device.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
determining a plurality of simulated welding parameters based on said movement a

Assignees

• Lincoln Global Inc

Inventors

• Zboray David Anthony
• Bennett Matthew Alan
• Wallace Matthew Wayne
• Hennessey Jeremiah
• Dudac Yvette Christine
• Lenker Zachary Steven
• Lundell Andrew Paul
• Dana Paul
• Preisz Eric A

Classifications

• A61F9/06

  Masks, shields or hoods for welders · CPC title

• A42B3/042

  Optical devices (night vision goggles G02B23/12) · CPC title

• G09B5/00

  Electrically-operated educational appliances (working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F) · CPC title

• G09B5/04

  with audible presentation of the material to be studied (sound recording or reproducing G11B) · CPC title

• G09B19/24 Primary

  Use of tools · CPC title