Virtual Manual Arc Welding by Real-Time Process Simulation for an Effective Training

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Mechanical Engineering Department, Amirkabir University of Technology

2 New Technologies Research Center, Amirkabir University of Technology, Iran

3 Mechanical Engineering Department, Khajenasir Toosi University of Technology

Abstract

Training is usually carried out throughout traditional methods which impose enormous costs. Virtual reality is one of the most suitable methods that has been presented in this application and improves many of the weak points of traditional training such as high cost of welding. Previous studies were conducted on virtual welding with the use of virtual reality techniques in welding training. The novelty of this article is that uses Kinect for tracking and Adaptive meshing for thermal analysis. The dimension of workpiece is 70x50x10 and the material is low carbon steel. The user performs real-time welding in the virtual environment by moving the electrode clamp. Since process parameters like current, hand motion speed, arc length, and welding voltage make changes in generated heat, and color of molten-solid zone, a graphic interface updates the color in each part of the model. The process is modeled in two different ways of fixed and adaptive mesh finite element approaches which manifests good precision and calculation of speed, respectively. All calculations in the simulation environment and the thermal analysis engine performed in the C# program. One of the positive features of the simulator is self-learning. A novice welder could take enough time to learn the manual arc welding simulator without any extra cost or danger. This simulator provides a good training ability to control the welding parameters.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

[1] C. Oz, K. Ayar, S. Serttas, O. Iyibilgin, U. Soy, G. Cit, A Performance Evaluation Application for Welder Candidate in Virtual Welding Simulator, Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 55 (2012) 492-501.
[2] K. Kobayashi, S. Ishigame, H. Kato, Skill Training System of Manual Arc Welding, In Entertainment Computing, Springer,  (2003) 389-396.
[3] S. Asai, T. Ogawa, H. Takebayashi, Visualization And Digitization Of Welder Skill For Education And Training, Welding in the World, 56(9) (2012) 26-34.
[4] Y. Fangming, Real-time Construction of 3D Welding Torch in Virtual Space for Welding Training Simulator, International Journal of Engineering and Manufacturing(IJEM), 9 (2019) 34-45.
[5] H.J. Yap, Z. Taha, H.K. Choo, C.K. Kok, Virtual Reality-based Training System for Metal Active Gas Welding, in:  The Thousand Faces of Virtual Reality, (2014), pp. 88-104.
[6] P. Tschirner, A. Gräser, Virtual And Augmented Reality For Quality Improvement Of Manual Welds, IFAC Proceedings Volumes, 35(1) (2002) 1-5.
[7] F.A.N. Yunus, J.A. Baser, S.H. Masran, N. Razali, B. Rahim, Virtual reality simulator developed welding technology skills, Journal of Modern Education Review, 1(1) (2011) 57-62.
[8] B. Xie, Q. Zhou, L. Yu, A real-time welding training system base on virtual reality, in:  In 2015 IEEE Virtual Reality (VR), IEEE, (2015), pp. 309-310.
[9] K. Fast, T. Gifford, R. Yancey, Virtual training for welding, in:  Third IEEE and ACM International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality, IEEE, (2004), pp. 298-299.
[10] V.L.K. R.A. Benson, T.A. Reddy, and G.R.K. Prasad, Virtual Reality-Based Welding Training Simulator, International Journal of Computer Technology and Applications (IJCTA), 9 (2016).
[11] M. Moradi, M. Ghoreishi, A. Rahmani, Numerical and experimental study of geometrical dimensions on laser-TIG hybrid welding of stainless steel 1.4418, Journal of Modern Processes in Manufacturing and Production, 5(2) (2016) 21-31.
[12] S.J. Whitney, A.K. Stephens, Use of Simulation to Improve the Effectiveness of Army Welding Training, DEFENCE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ORGANISATION FISHERMANS BEND (AUSTRALIA) LAND DIV, (2014).
[13] K.S. Hale, K.M. Stanney, Handbook of virtual environments: Design, implementation, and applications, (2014).
[14] X. Chapter, Industrial Augmented. Reality Applications, Emerging Technologies of Augmented Reality: Interfaces and Design: Interfaces and Design,  (2006) 283.
[15] F.L. Stasa, Applied finite element analysis for engineers, Oxford University Press, USA, (1985).
[16] J. Goldak, A. Chakravarti, M. Bibby, A new finite element model for welding heat sources, Metallurgical transactions B, 15(2) (1984) 299-305.
[17] A.S. Franca, K. Haghighi, Adaptive finite element analysis of transient thermal problems, Numerical Heat Transfer, 26(3) (1994) 273-292.
[18] M.E.P. D.S. Malkus, and‎ R.J. Witt, Concepts and applications of finite element analysis, John Wiley & Sons, (2001).
[19] S.A. Gharehbaghi, A.R. Khoei, Adaptive Mesh Refinement in Modeling of Localization Problems, in:  6th International Conference on Civil Engineering, Esfahan University, (2017).
[20] B.E. F. Bornemann, and R. Kornhuber, Adaptive Multilevel Methods In Three Space Dimensions, International Journal For Numerical Methods In Engineering, 36 (1993).
[21] Welding Fabrication and Repair, in, http://welding-information.tokentools.com.au/Ch10.htm.
 
AUT Journal of Mechanical Engineering
Volume 5, Issue 1
March 2021
Pages 121-140

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics