Virtual reality GTAW and pipe welding simulator and setup

1. A simulator for facilitating virtual welding activity, comprising:

a logic processor based subsystem operable to execute coded instructions for generating an interactive welding environment in virtual reality space that emulates welding activity on a virtual welding coupon, wherein the interactive welding environment simulates a virtual weld puddle on the virtual welding coupon, having dynamic real time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics, responsive to performing the virtual welding activity in real time;

a foot pedal device in operative communication with the logic processor based subsystem and configured to affect at least one characteristic of the virtual weld puddle in real time, responsive to user control of the foot pedal device; and

displaying means operatively connected to the logic processor based subsystem and configured to visually depict the interactive welding environment, including the virtual weld puddle on the virtual welding coupon, in real time.

2. The simulator of claim 1 , wherein the foot pedal device is in operative communication with the logic processor based subsystem by one of a wired means or a wireless means.

3. The simulator of claim 1 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the virtual weld puddle is one or more of a width of the virtual weld puddle and a height of the virtual weld puddle.

4. The simulator of claim 1 , wherein the foot pedal device is a mock foot pedal device simulating a real-world foot pedal device.

5. The simulator of claim 1 , wherein the foot pedal device is a real-world foot pedal device capable of being used with a real-world welding system.

6. The simulator of claim 1 , wherein the logic processor based subsystem is configured to simulate changing of at least one simulated welding parameter in response to the user control of the foot pedal device, thereby affecting the at least one characteristic of the virtual weld puddle.

7. The simulator of claim 6 , wherein the at least one welding parameter is at least one of a simulated welding output current level or a simulated wire feed speed.

8. The simulator of claim 1 , further comprising:

a mock welding coupon representative of the virtual welding coupon in virtual reality space;

a mock welding tool, representative of a virtual welding tool in virtual reality space, for performing virtual welding activity on the virtual welding coupon in real time as a user manipulates the mock welding tool with respect to the mock welding coupon;

a spatial tracking subsystem operatively connected to the logic processor based subsystem; and

one or more sensors configured to facilitate tracking movement of the mock welding tool in real time by communicating data about a temporally changing position of the mock welding tool to the spatial tracking subsystem.

9. The simulator of claim 8 , wherein the mock welding tool and the corresponding virtual welding tool are simulated as including one of a non-consumable tungsten electrode, a consumable stick electrode, or a consumable wire electrode.

10. The simulator of claim 1 , wherein the foot pedal device is configured to provide haptic feedback to the user indicating that a present pedal position of the foot pedal device is outside of a determined range for proper welding.

11. A system for facilitating virtual welding activity, comprising:

a mock welding coupon represented in virtual reality space by a virtual welding coupon;

a mock welding tool represented in virtual reality space by a virtual welding tool;

a logic processor based subsystem operable to execute coded instructions for generating an interactive welding environment in virtual reality space that emulates welding activity on the virtual welding coupon by the virtual welding tool, wherein the interactive welding environment simulates a virtual weld puddle on the virtual welding coupon, having dynamic real time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics, responsive to performing the virtual welding activity in real time;

a spatial tracking subsystem operatively connected to the logic processor based subsystem; and

one or more first sensors configured to facilitate tracking movement of at least a tip of the mock welding tool in real time by communicating data about a temporally changing position of the mock welding tool to the spatial tracking subsystem,

wherein the logic processor based subsystem is configured to accept tracking information from the spatial tracking subsystem and determine when the tip of the virtual welding tool, corresponding to the tip of the mock welding tool, intersects a surface of the virtual weld puddle in virtual reality space during the virtual welding activity, and wherein the logic processor based subsystem is further configured to generate an indication, to be provided to a user, that the virtual welding tool has become contaminated due to the intersecting.

12. The simulator of claim 11 , further comprising;

a mock filler wire represented in virtual reality space by a virtual filler wire; and

one or more second sensors configured to facilitate tracking movement of at least a tip of the mock filler wire in real time by communicating data about a temporally changing position of the mock filler wire to the spatial tracking subsystem,

wherein the logic processor based subsystem is configured to accept tracking information from the spatial tracking subsystem and determine when the tip of the virtual filler wire, corresponding to the tip of the mock filler wire, touches the virtual welding tool in virtual reality space during the virtual welding activity, and wherein the logic processor based subsystem is further configured to generate an indication, to be provided to a user, that the virtual welding tool has become contaminated due to the touching.

13. The simulator of claim 12 , wherein the logic processor based subsystem is further configured to:

determine when the tip of the virtual filler wire penetrates the virtual weld puddle; and

modify at least a height of the virtual weld puddle due to the penetration.

14. The simulator of claim 11 , further comprising a foot pedal device operatively connected to the logic processor based subsystem and configured to change at least one characteristic of the virtual weld puddle in real time, responsive to user control of the foot pedal device.

15. The simulator of claim 14 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the virtual weld puddle is one or more of a width of the virtual weld puddle and a height of the virtual weld puddle.

16. The simulator of claim 11 , further comprising displaying means operatively connected to the logic processor based subsystem for visually depicting the interactive welding environment, wherein said displaying means depicts the virtual weld puddle on the virtual welding coupon in real time.

17. The simulator of claim 16 , wherein the logic processor based subsystem is configured to convert the virtual weld puddle to a virtual weld bead during the virtual welding activity, wherein the indication that the virtual welding tool has become contaminated due to the intersecting corresponds to depicting the virtual weld bead on the displaying means as having one or more defects.

18. The simulator of claim 11 , wherein the mock welding tool and the corresponding virtual welding tool are simulated as including a non-consumable tungsten electrode.

19. The simulator of claim 11 , wherein a stick-out position of the mock welding tool is adjustable.

20. The simulator of claim 11 , further comprising a user selectable gas flow selector mounted on the mock welding tool and configured to communicate to the logic processor based subsystem that a simulated gas flow out of the virtual welding tool is off when in a first position, and that the simulated gas flow is on when in a second position.

21. The simulator of claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of mock gas flow cups each configured to be attached to and detached from the mock welding tool, wherein each mock gas flow cup of the plurality of mock gas flow cups is configured to simulate a unique directing of gas flow out of the mock welding tool.

22. The simulator of claim 11 , wherein the logic processor based subsystem is configured to simulate the establishment of an arc between the tip of the virtual welding tool and the virtual welding coupon when a user touches the tip of the mock welding tool to the mock welding coupon and lifts the tip of the mock welding tool off of the mock welding coupon in a determined manner.

23. The simulator of claim 11 , wherein the logic processor based subsystem is configured to simulate the establishment of an arc between the tip of the virtual welding tool and the virtual welding coupon when a user drags the tip of the mock welding tool across a surface of the mock welding coupon in a determined manner.

24. The simulator of claim 11 , wherein the logic processor based subsystem is configured to simulate the establishment of an arc between the tip of the virtual welding tool and the virtual welding coupon when a user moves the tip of the mock welding tool toward the mock welding coupon in a determined manner, without touching the mock welding coupon with the tip of the mock welding tool.