Systems and methods providing an enhanced user experience in a real-time simulated virtual reality welding environment
AssigneeLincoln Global, Inc.
InventorsCarl Peters, Deanna Postlethwaite, Matthew Wayne Wallace
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims19
A method comprising:
- generating a virtual weld joint having a virtual weld bead using a simulated welding system including a processor-based subsystem, a spatial tracker, and a mock welding tool, wherein the virtual weld joint is represented within the simulated welding system as a first digital data set and generating the virtual weld joint comprises:
- tracking, via the spatial tracker, manipulations of the mock welding tool by a user;
- and
- simulating, by the processor-based subsystem, creation of the virtual weld bead of the virtual weld joint responsive to the manipulations of the mock welding tool by the user as tracked by the spatial tracker;
- and
- generating a three-dimensional (3D) digital model representative of at least a portion of the virtual weld joint using the first digital data set on the simulated welding system, wherein the 3D digital model is operatively compatible with a 3D printing system;
- and
- communicating the 3D digital model to the 3D printing system for manufacture.
A simulated welding system, comprising:
- a programmable processor-based subsystem configured to generate a virtual reality environment for a simulated welding operation;
- a spatial tracker operatively coupled to the programmable processor-based subsystem and configured to identify a position of an object in space;
- a mock welding tool configured to be tracked by the spatial tracker while being manipulated by a user performing the simulated welding operation within the virtual reality environment;
- a display device configured to be tracked by the spatial tracker and to display at least a portion of the virtual reality environment;
- and
- a communication device enabling communication between the simulated welding system and a three-dimensional (3D) printing system,
- wherein the simulated welding system is configured to generate a 3D model of a virtual weld joint created by the user in the virtual reality environment and communicate the 3D model to the 3D printing system for manufacture.
A system, comprising:
- a 3D printer configured to manufacture a 3D physical model of an object from a digital representation of the object;
- and
- a simulated welding system in communication with the 3D printer, the virtual reality welding system includes:
- a programmable processor-based subsystem configured to generate a virtual reality environment for a simulated welding operation performable by a user to create a virtual weld joint;
- a spatial tracker wirelessly connected to the programmable processor-based subsystem and configured to identify a position of an object in space;
- and
- a mock welding tool wirelessly coupled to the programmable processor-based subsystem and configured to be tracked by the spatial tracker while being manipulated by the user performing the simulated welding operation within the virtual reality environment,
- wherein the simulated welding system is configured to generate a 3D model based on the virtual weld joint and communicate the 3D model to the 3D printer to create a 3D physical model of the weld joint.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.