1. A system for characterizing a manual welding operation; said system comprising: a stand structure comprising a horizontal welding platform; where said horizontal welding platform comprises a plurality of point markers having a predetermined relationship, and where said horizontal welding platform is configured to hold a workpiece to be welded in a manual welding operation; a calibration device, said calibration device used to calibrate a position and orientation of an operational path for a weld joint on said workpiece; a welding tool which is operative to perform said manual welding operation, and where said welding tool includes a plurality of point markers mounted thereon in a predetermined pattern; an optical camera system comprising a plurality of optical cameras, where said optical camera system is coupled to said stand structure such that said plurality of optical cameras can image said plurality of point markers on said horizontal welding platform and said calibration device during said calibration, and said plurality of point markers on said welding tool during said manual welding operation; and a data processing component coupled to said optical camera system to receive images from said plurality of optical cameras, where said data processing component determines each of: the position and orientation of said operational path for said weld joint on said workpiece, where said position and orientation of said operational path is determined using images from said optical camera system regarding the positioning of said plurality of point markers on said horizontal welding platform and said calibration device, and the 3-D position and orientation of said welding tool relative to said operational path during said manual welding operation, where said position and orientation of said welding tool is determined using images from said optical camera system regarding the position of said plurality of said point markers on said welding tool, wherein said data processing component determines each of a work angle, a travel angle, a travel speed, a bead placement and a tool standoff distance, where said determinations are based on said determined position and orientation of said welding tool for said manual welding operation.