AR Welding Helmet Feedback for Real-Time Weld Monitoring

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current welding helmet systems lack advanced monitoring capabilities to ensure quality welds, particularly in manual welding operations, where real-time feedback and data analysis are limited.

Innovation Solution

A welding helmet system with removable and upgradeable augmented and mediated reality eyeglasses that receive data from sensors, providing visual and audio feedback on welding metrics, user biometrics, and environmental metrics, and allowing communication with external systems for improved monitoring and training.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional welding helmet systems are used, then basic eye protection is provided, but real-time monitoring capabilities and data analysis are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewelding monitoring capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates sensors, processors, and display systems within the structure of the welding helmet itself, nesting multiple functional components within the existing helmet framework. This allows advanced monitoring capabilities to be embedded without requiring a completely separate system, thereby improving measurement precision while controlling device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The welding helmet system is designed to perform multiple functions: eye protection during welding, real-time monitoring of welding parameters, data collection from sensors, and display of welding metrics. This multi-functionality allows a single device to provide both basic protection and advanced monitoring, resolving the contradiction between improved measurement capability and increased system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Manufacturing precision

If advanced monitoring capabilities are added to welding helmets, then weld quality can be improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweld qualityVSAvoidhelmet system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the monitoring system, display system, and protection system into a single integrated welding helmet unit. By merging these previously separate functions into one cohesive device, the system achieves improved weld quality through real-time monitoring while avoiding the complexity of multiple separate systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The welding helmet system automatically monitors welding parameters, collects data from sensors, processes the information, and provides real-time feedback without requiring external monitoring equipment or manual intervention. This self-service capability improves manufacturing precision while minimizing the complexity of external system requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If real-time feedback systems are implemented, then welding operations can be monitored more closely, but the loss of time for data processing increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewelding operation monitoringVSAvoiddata processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously collects and pre-processes welding data in real-time during the welding operation, rather than analyzing data after the weld is complete. This preliminary action ensures reliable monitoring of welding operations while minimizing time loss, as the processing occurs concurrently with the welding process itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a real-time feedback loop where sensor data is immediately processed and displayed to the welder during the welding operation. This continuous feedback mechanism ensures reliable monitoring without significant time delays, as the system provides instantaneous information about welding parameters and quality metrics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3226821B1Augmented and mediated reality welding helmet systems
Publication Date: 2024.10.09 ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC
  • EP3226821B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3226821B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3226821B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A welding helmet system (20) is provided. The welding helmet system includes a protective shell (38) and a welding display system (30). The welding display system is configured to be removably coupled to the protective shell. The welding display system is configured to receive data from a sensor (39), and to display a welding metric derived from the sensor via the image generation system (41).