Importing and analyzing external data using a virtual reality welding system

• US 9,196,169 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• 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: Wallace, Matthew Wayne, Peters, Carl, Aditjandra, Antonius
• Primary Examiner(s): Utama, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crenwelge, Randall N
• Application Number:
  US13/792,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20130183645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 434/234
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/042 Optical devices night vision goggles G02B23/12
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/30 Mounting radio sets or communication systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/06 Masks, shields or hoods for welders safety devices for welding in general F16P1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/00 Arc welding or cutting electro-slag welding B23K25/00; welding transformers H01F; welding generators H02K
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/09 Arrangements or circuits for arc welding with pulsed current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/095 Monitoring or automatic control of welding parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0953 using computing means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0956 using sensing means, e.g. optical
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/10 Other electric circuits therefor; Protective circuits; Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/24 Use of tools
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

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.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

importing a first data set of welding quality parameters, being representative of a quality of a weld generated by a student welder during a real-world welding activity corresponding to a defined welding process, into a virtual reality welding system having a mock welding tool and a mock welding coupon;

comparing a second data set of welding quality parameters stored on the virtual reality simulator, being representative of a quality of a virtual weld generated by the student welder during a simulated welding activity corresponding to the defined welding process on the virtual reality welding system, to the first data set using a programmable processor-based subsystem of the virtual reality welding system; and

generating a numerical comparison score in response to the comparing using the programmable processor-based subsystem of the virtual reality welding system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the numerical comparison score is representative of a total deviation in weld quality between the first data set and the second data set.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

importing a third data set of welding quality parameters, being representative of a quality of an ideal weld generated by an expert welder during a real-world welding activity corresponding to the defined welding process, into the virtual reality welding system;

comparing the second data set to the third data set using the programmable processor-based subsystem of the virtual reality welding system; and

generating a numerical student score in response to the comparing using the programmable processor-based subsystem of the virtual reality welding system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the numerical student score is representative of a total deviation in weld quality from the ideal weld.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the expert welder is a robotic welder.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the expert welder is a human welder.

7. A method comprising:

importing a first data set of measured welding parameters, generated during a real-world welding activity corresponding to a defined welding process performed by an expert welder using a real-world welding machine, into a virtual reality welding system having a mock welding tool and a mock welding coupon;

storing a second data set of simulated welding parameters, generated during a simulated welding activity corresponding to the defined welding process as performed by a student welder using the virtual reality welding system, on the virtual reality welding system;

calculating a plurality of expert welding quality parameters based on the first data set using a programmable processor-based subsystem of the virtual reality welding system; and

calculating a plurality of student welding quality parameters based on the second data set using the programmable processor-based subsystem of the virtual reality welding system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the expert welder is a robotic welder.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the expert welder is a human welder.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

comparing the plurality of expert welding quality parameters to the plurality of student welding quality parameters using the programmable processor-based subsystem of the virtual reality welding system; and

generating a numerical student score in response to the comparing using the programmable processor-based subsystem of the virtual reality welding system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the numerical student score is representative of a total deviation in student weld quality from expert weld quality.

12. A method comprising:

storing a first data set of simulated welding parameters, generated during a first simulated welding activity corresponding to a defined welding process performed by an expert welder using a virtual reality welding system, on the virtual reality welding system that includes a mock welding tool and a mock welding coupon;

storing a second data set of simulated welding parameters, generated during a second simulated welding activity corresponding to the defined welding process as performed by a student welder using the virtual reality welding system, on the virtual reality welding system;

calculating a plurality of expert welding quality parameters based on the first data set using a programmable processor-based subsystem of the virtual reality welding system; and

calculating a plurality of student welding quality parameters based on the second data set using the programmable processor-based subsystem of the virtual reality welding system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the expert welder is a robotic welder.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the expert welder is a human welder.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

comparing the plurality of expert welding quality parameters to the plurality of student welding quality parameters using the programmable processor-based subsystem of the virtual reality welding system; and

generating a numerical student score in response to the comparing using the programmable processor-based subsystem of the virtual reality welding system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the numerical student score is representative of a total deviation in student weld quality from expert weld quality.

17. A method comprising:

importing a digital model representative of a welded custom assembly into a virtual reality welding system having a mock welding tool and a mock welding coupon;

analyzing the digital model to segment the digital model into a plurality of sections using a programmable processor-based subsystem of the virtual reality welding system, wherein each section of the plurality of sections corresponds to a single weld joint type of the welded custom assembly; and

matching each section of the plurality of sections to a virtual welding coupon of a plurality of virtual welding coupons modeled in the virtual reality welding system using the programmable processor-based subsystem of the virtual reality welding system.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising generating a virtual welding training program that uses the virtual welding coupons corresponding to the matched sections of the digital model representative of the welded custom assembly using the programmable processor-based subsystem of the virtual reality welding system.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein each of the virtual welding coupons corresponds to a mock welding coupon of the virtual reality welding system.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the single weld joint type includes one of a butt joint, a tee joint, a corner joint, an edge joint, or a lap joint.