An example wire feeder includes: a wire supply support configured to supply welding wire; a wire drive assembly configured to feed wire to a welding gun from the wire supply support; a support base defining a lower surface, the wire supply support and the wire drive assembly supported by the support base, the support base being pivotable from an operational position to a travel position; a handle at a first end of the support base; and at least one reduced friction element extending from a second end of the support base so that the support base is in contact with a support surface when the support base is in the operational position, and the reduced friction element is in engagement with the support surface and the support base is out of contact with the support surface when the support base is pivoted to the travel position.

An example welding wire feeder includes: a push motor configured to feed welding wire from a wire source; a first sensor configured to provide push motor velocity feedback; and control circuitry configured to control the push motor and a pull motor of a welding torch coupled to the welding wire feeder by: controlling a push motor velocity of the push motor and a pull motor velocity of the pull motor based on a target wire feed speed; and compensating each of the push motor velocity of the push motor and the pull motor velocity of the pull motor based on the push motor velocity feedback and based on pull motor velocity feedback, wherein the push motor velocity and the pull motor velocity are based on a target wire tension.

A pulsed welding regime includes a peak phase in which energy is added to an electrode and a weld puddle, and a molten ball begins to detach from the electrode, followed by a dabbing phase in which current is significantly reduced to place the ball in the weld puddle with addition of little or no energy. The resulting short circuit clears and the system proceeds to a background phase. The current in the dabbing phase is lower than the current during the background phase. The process may be specifically adapted for particular welding wires, and may be particularly well suited for use with cored wires. The dabbing phase allows for lower energy to be transferred to the sheath of such wires, and resets the arc length after each pulse cycle.

An example welding apparatus includes a welding power source configured to output current between a consumable electrode and a workpiece; a feeding apparatus configured to move the consumable electrode toward the workpiece; and circuitry. The circuitry is configured to: control the welding power source to repeat a sequence including: outputting a positive peak current from the workpiece to the consumable electrode during a positive peak period; outputting a first base current between the consumable electrode and the workpiece during a first base period following the positive peak period, an absolute value of the first base current being less than the positive peak current; and outputting a negative peak current from the consumable electrode to the workpiece during a negative peak period following the first base period, an absolute value of the negative peak current being greater than the absolute value of the first base current. The circuitry is further configured to control the feeding apparatus to move the consumable electrode close to the workpiece so as to temporarily short circuit the consumable electrode and the workpiece during the first base period.

A MIG/MAG welding torch body includes a second channel, which is arranged coaxially to the central channel, and a further third channel, which is arranged coaxially to the second channel, wherein a connection is provided between the second channel and the third channel. The first channel has an orifice in the center of the receiving part, the second channel has an orifice on the lateral side of the receiving part, and the third channel has an orifice on the lateral side of the receiving part.

A weld system includes: a robot control module configured to actuate a robot and move a welder along a joint of metal workpieces during welding, the welder being attached to the robot; a weld control module configured to, during the welding, apply power to the welder, supply a shield gas, and supply electrode material; a vision sensor configured to, during the welding, optically measure distances between the vision sensor and locations, respectively, on an outer surface of a weld bead created along the joint by the welder; and a weld module configured to: determine a strength of the weld bead at a location based on: the distances at the location along the joint; and at least one parameter from at least one of the robot control module during the welding, the weld control module during the welding, and a sensor configured to capture data of the welding during the welding.

A spool gun having a very unique look, due to its arrangement of external features. The spool gun has its wire spool compartment located below the handle and the user's hand, when the user is gripping the spool gun in an operational position. A gas/power cable is connected to the body of the spool gun forward of the handle.

A welding system includes one or more sensing devices used to detect and/or determine a position and/or orientation of a welding tool (e.g., a welding torch). The welding tool may be tracked to determine (and/or calibrate) a shape of a welding joint and/or a path of the welding joint. The welding system may determine a virtual line representative of the welding joint. The welding tool may be tracked (and/or the virtual line used) to determine (and/or provide feedback relating to) various welding parameters, including at least a work angle of the welding tool, and/or a travel angle of the welding tool.

Provided is a robot control device that can suppress the stoppage of operations due to the detection of a contact error. The robot control device controls a robot that implements welding in association with contact with a to-be-welded object, said device comprising: an action stoppage unit that stops the action of the robot if detected that the robot has been subjected to an external force equal to or greater than a threshold; an instructing unit that instructs a welding power supply device to start welding; and a detection sensitivity adjustment unit that lowers the sensitivity at which as external force is detected at the action stoppage unit during a period of time from the point in time at which the instructing unit instructs the welding power supply device to start welding until a prescribed wait time has elapsed.

An example liquid diversion system for a welding device incorporating one or more geometric features in a receptacle cover, employing a hinge cover (e.g., a surface mounted bezel), and/or a liquid diverter behind the hinge cover is provided. For example, the disclosed liquid diversion system employs receptacle covers having one or more sloped surfaces, a hinge cover with an indentation, and a liquid diverter with a sloped extension, each configured to divert flowing liquid away from the welding device