VRTEX™ 360 Virtual Reality Arc Welding Trainer

Date 05-17-2011 21:01

Not sure if this was a topic in the past, but I had a chance to play around with this machine today. It's pretty cool idea. Has anyone else had a chance to mess around with this machine? Any comments?

http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/equipment/training-equipment/Pages/vrtex360-OLD.aspx

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 05-17-2011 23:24

It's awsome!

If you could purchase ten units for the price of one unit, (45K.) It works just as advertized and is a big improvement over the prior generation of virtual welding simulators. It could be a valuable tool for training. Getting stand off distances, gun angles and parameter selection practice without burning metal could be a big material savings... But it will never pay for itself at it's current price.

As it stands, prisons and the military, being the only ones who can afford multiple unts, are the only folks who can get any real value and benefit from those things in my opinion.

At this point, If I had 45K burning a hole in my pocket, it would buy the better part of a dozen inverters with dual feeders.

By jrupert (*)

Date 05-18-2011 12:22

I had the same take away. There is not a lot there for $45k. Once they recover some of the R&D money, the price will come down and I am thinking we will see more of these units. I don't necessarily think we would have any use for it, however, I can see the benefit that schools or training centers might receive.