SYSTEM AND METHOD PROVIDING ARC WELDING TRAINING IN A REAL-TIME SIMULATED VIRTUAL REALITY ENVIRONMENT USING REAL-TIME WELD PUDDLE FEEDBACK

• US 20100062405A1
• Filed: 07/10/2009
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lincoln Global Incorporated (Lincoln Electric Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lincoln Global Incorporated (Lincoln Electric Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: ZBORAY, David Anthony, WALLACE, Matthew Wayne, LUNDELL, Andrew Paul, DUDAC, Yvette Christine, DANA, Paul, LENKER, Zachary Steven, BENNETT, Matthew Alan, PREISZ, Eric A., HENNESSEY, Jeremiah
• Granted Patent: US 8,747,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/234
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/24 Use of tools

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 displaying the simulated weld puddle on the display device in real-time.

Claims

1. A virtual reality welding system comprising:

a programmable processor-based subsystem;

a spatial tracker operatively connected to said programmable processor-based subsystem;

at least one mock welding tool capable of being spatially tracked by said spatial tracker; and

at least one display device operatively connected to said programmable processor-based subsystem,

wherein said system is capable of simulating, in a virtual reality space, a weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics, and displaying said simulated weld puddle on said at least one display device in real-time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said real-time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics of said simulated weld puddle provide real-time visual feedback to a user of said mock welding tool when displayed on said at least one display device, allowing said user to adjust or maintain a welding technique in real-time in response to said real-time visual feedback.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one display device includes at least one face-mounted display device capable of being spatially tracked by said spatial tracker.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said programmable processor-based subsystem includes at least one graphic processing unit (GPU).

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said simulated weld puddle comprises, in said virtual reality space, a plurality of temporary virtual dynamic fluid particles overlaying a portion of a virtual surface displacement map.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said programmable processor-based subsystem supports implementation of data parallel algorithms.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a welding user interface simulating a real-world welding power source user interface.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein said real-time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics of said simulated weld puddle are generated by a physics model operating on said at least one GPU.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said system is capable of simulating, in said virtual reality space, a weld bead having a real-time weld bead wake characteristic resulting from a real-time fluidity-to-solidification transition of said simulated weld puddle as said simulated weld puddle is moved, and displaying said simulated weld bead on said at least one display device.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising a welding coupon having at least one surface and simulating a real-world part to be welded, wherein said at least one surface of said welding coupon is simulated in said virtual reality space as a double displacement layer including a solid displacement layer and a puddle displacement layer, wherein said puddle displacement layer is capable of modifying said solid displacement layer.

11. A method of training using a virtual reality welding system, said method comprising:

moving a first mock welding tool with respect to a welding coupon in accordance with a first welding technique;

tracking said first mock welding tool in three-dimensional space using said virtual reality welding system;

viewing a display of said virtual reality welding system showing a real-time virtual reality simulation of said first mock welding tool and said welding coupon in a virtual reality space as said simulated first mock welding tool deposits a first simulated weld bead material onto at least one simulated surface of said simulated welding coupon by forming a simulated weld puddle in the vicinity of a simulated arc emitting from said simulated first mock welding tool;

viewing, on said display, first real-time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics of said first simulated weld puddle; and

modifying, in real-time, at least one aspect of said first welding technique in response to viewing said first real-time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics of said first simulated weld puddle.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

moving a second mock welding tool with respect to said welding coupon in accordance with a second welding technique;

tracking said second mock welding tool in three-dimensional space using said virtual reality welding system;

viewing said display of said virtual reality training system showing said real-time virtual reality simulation of said second mock welding tool, said welding coupon, and said first simulated weld bead material in said virtual reality space as said simulated second mock welding tool deposits a second simulated weld bead material merging with said first simulated weld bead material by forming a second simulated weld puddle in the vicinity of a simulated arc emitting from said simulated second mock welding tool;

viewing, on said display, second real-time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics of said second simulated weld puddle; and

modifying, in real-time, at least one aspect of said second welding technique in response to viewing said second real-time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics of said second simulated weld puddle.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

moving said first mock welding tool with respect to said mock welding coupon in accordance with a second welding technique;

continuing to track said first mock welding tool in three-dimensional space using said virtual reality welding system;

viewing said display of said virtual reality training system showing said real-time virtual reality simulation of said first mock welding tool, said welding coupon, and said first simulated weld bead material in said virtual reality space as said simulated first mock welding tool deposits a second simulated weld bead material merging with said first simulated weld bead material by forming a second simulated weld puddle in the vicinity of said simulated arc emitting from said simulated first mock welding tool;

viewing, on said display, second real-time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics of said second simulated weld puddle; and

modifying, in real-time, at least one aspect of said second welding technique in response to viewing said second real-time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics of said second simulated weld puddle.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said display is presented on a face mounted display device.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said display is presented on an observer display device.

16. A welding simulation comprising:

means for simulating a real-time molten metal fluidity characteristic of a simulated weld puddle; and

means for simulating a real-time heat dissipation characteristic of said simulated weld puddle.

17. The welding simulation of claim 16 further comprising means for simulating a real-time weld bead wake characteristic of a simulated weld in response to a welding technique of a user.

18. The welding simulation of claim 16 further comprising means for simulating an undercut state of a simulated weld caused by a welding technique of a user.

19. The welding simulation of claim 16 further comprising means for simulating a porosity state of a simulated weld caused by a welding technique of a user.

20. The welding simulation of claim 16 further comprising means for simulating a burnthrough state of a simulated weld caused by a welding technique of a user.