VIRTUAL REALITY PIPE WELDING SIMULATOR AND SETUP

A simulator facilitates virtual welding activity of orbital weld joints. The simulator may include a logic processor based system operable to execute coded instructions for generating an interactive welding environment that emulates welding activity on a section of virtual pipe having at least one virtual weld joint. It also includes a display connected to the logic processor based system for visually depicting the interactive welding environment, wherein the display depicts the section of virtual pipe. A pendant is provided for performing welding equipment setup and virtual welding activity on the at least one weld joint in real time where one or more sensors are adapted to track movement of the input device in real time for communicating data about the movement of the input device to the logic processor based system.