Position detectors, methods of detecting position, and methods of providing positional detectors

A welding system position detector comprising:

• a base configured to engage and be moved along a generally curved surface of a welding work piece;
• a first inclinometer connected with the base and movable therewith along the curved surface, the first inclinometer being configured to measure a tangent angle of the curved surface relative to a reference vector;
• and
• a second inclinometer connected with the base and movable therewith along the curved surface, the second inclinometer being configured to measure a tangent angle of the curved surface relative to the reference vector.

A method of detecting various positions of an instrument relative to a curved surface of a work piece which is worked upon by the instrument comprising:

• collecting first data describing an angular relationship between a first sensor on the instrument and a reference vector;
• collecting second data describing an angular relationship between a second sensor on the instrument and the reference vector;
• and
• processing the first and second data to provide position data relative to the position of the instrument on the work piece, wherein the collecting of the first and second data comprises moving the first and second sensors over the curved surface.

A method of detecting various positions of an instrument relative to a curved surface of a work piece which is worked upon by the instrument comprising:

• collecting first data describing an angular relationship between a first sensor on the instrument and a reference vector;
• collecting second data describing an angular relationship between a second sensor on the instrument and the reference vector;
• and
• processing the first and second data to provide position data relative to the position of the instrument on the work piece, wherein the first and second sensors comprise inclinometers and the collecting of the first and second data comprises moving the inclinometers over the curved surface.