Importing and analyzing external data using a virtual reality welding system

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.

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.

A method for simulating welding activity, comprising:

• tracking a movement and orientation of a stick welding device in a simulated welding operation, said stick welding device having a simulated stick electrode and a stick welding tool having an actuator which moves said simulated stick electrode;
• receiving information related to said movement and orientation of said stick welding device;
• modeling, during said simulated welding operation, a simulated welding surface on a welding coupon;
• displaying said simulated welding surface on a display device;
• modeling a simulated weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and real-time heat dissipation during said simulated welding operation where said real-time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation are changed dynamically based on said movement and orientation of said stick welding device;
• modeling the deposition of simulated weld material into said simulated weld puddle where said simulated weld material is modeled to originated from an end of said stick welding device;
• 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;
• displaying, on said display device, said simulated weld puddle, said simulated weld material and said simulated weld bead during said simulated welding operation;
• and
• retracting said simulated stick electrode during said simulated welding operation, where said retracting simulates consumption of said simulated stick electrode during said simulated welding operation and said consumption is simulated by reduction in observable length of said simulated stick electrode.