A welding system includes power conversion circuitry configured to convert input power to weld power and a first housing surface. The first housing surface includes a first mating geometry configured to mate with a first complementary geometry of a first modular surface of a first modular component of the welding system.

A welding system includes power conversion circuitry configured to convert input power to weld power and a first housing surface. The first housing surface includes a first mating geometry configured to mate with a first complementary geometry of a first modular surface of a first modular component of the welding system.

Welding is performed by alternately switching a pulse arc welding period (where welding is performed by forward feeding a welding wire by a rotation for the forward feeding of a push side feeding motor and a rotation for the forward feeding of the pull side feeding motor and feeding a peak current and a base current) and a short-circuiting transition arc welding period (welding is performed by forward/backward feeding the welding wire by the rotation for the forward feeding of the push side feeding motor and a rotation for the forward/backward feeding of the pull side feeding motor and feeding a short-circuiting current and an arc current). During the short-circuiting transition arc welding period, a forward feeding peak value Wsp and/or a backward feeding peak value Wrp of a pull feeding speed Fw are compensation-controlled based on a wire storage amount of an intermediate wire storage.

Welding is performed by alternately switching a pulse arc welding period (where welding is performed by forward feeding a welding wire by a rotation for the forward feeding of a push side feeding motor and a rotation for the forward feeding of the pull side feeding motor and feeding a peak current and a base current) and a short-circuiting transition arc welding period (welding is performed by forward/backward feeding the welding wire by the rotation for the forward feeding of the push side feeding motor and a rotation for the forward/backward feeding of the pull side feeding motor and feeding a short-circuiting current and an arc current). During the short-circuiting transition arc welding period, a forward feeding peak value Wsp and/or a backward feeding peak value Wrp of a pull feeding speed Fw are compensation-controlled based on a wire storage amount of an intermediate wire storage.

A wire feeding device configured to feed welding wire from a wire feeding source to a welding torch is provided with: an intermediate wire feeding source that is disposed between the wire feeding source and the welding torch and is configured to temporarily store the welding wire fed from the wire feeding source and to feed the stored welding wire to the welding torch; a first feeding part that feeds the welding wire at the wire feeding source to the intermediate wire feeding source; a second feeding part that feeds the welding wire stored in the intermediate wire feeding source to the welding torch; and a feed control unit that controls speed of feeding the welding wire by each of the first feeding part and the second feeding part.

A wire feeding device configured to feed welding wire from a wire feeding source to a welding torch is provided with: an intermediate wire feeding source that is disposed between the wire feeding source and the welding torch and is configured to temporarily store the welding wire fed from the wire feeding source and to feed the stored welding wire to the welding torch; a first feeding part that feeds the welding wire at the wire feeding source to the intermediate wire feeding source; a second feeding part that feeds the welding wire stored in the intermediate wire feeding source to the welding torch; and a feed control unit that controls speed of feeding the welding wire by each of the first feeding part and the second feeding part.

A welding or additive manufacturing system includes a power supply having a controller which controls operation of the power supply. The power supply provides a current waveform to a contact tip assembly having a first bore terminating at a first exit orifice and a second bore terminating at a second exit orifice. The first exit orifice is configured to deliver a first wire electrode and said second exit orifice is configured to deliver a second wire electrode. The exit orifices are separated from each other by a distance configured to facilitate formation of a bridge droplet between the wire electrodes while preventing solid portions of the first wire electrode delivered through the first bore from contacting solid portions of the second wire electrode delivered through the second bore, during a deposition operation in which the current waveform is conducted to both of the wire electrodes simultaneously through the contact tip assembly.

A welding or additive manufacturing system includes a power supply having a controller which controls operation of the power supply. The power supply provides a current waveform to a contact tip assembly having a first bore terminating at a first exit orifice and a second bore terminating at a second exit orifice. The first exit orifice is configured to deliver a first wire electrode and said second exit orifice is configured to deliver a second wire electrode. The exit orifices are separated from each other by a distance configured to facilitate formation of a bridge droplet between the wire electrodes while preventing solid portions of the first wire electrode delivered through the first bore from contacting solid portions of the second wire electrode delivered through the second bore, during a deposition operation in which the current waveform is conducted to both of the wire electrodes simultaneously through the contact tip assembly.

A welding or additive manufacturing wire drive system includes a welding wire spool and first and second drive rolls. One or both of the drive rolls has a circumferential groove. The system includes a first welding wire, drawn from the welding wire spool, and located between the drive rolls in the circumferential groove, and a second welding wire, drawn from the welding wire spool, and located between the drive rolls in the circumferential groove. The first welding wire contacts the second welding wire between the first drive roll and the second drive roll. The first welding wire further contacts a first sidewall portion of the circumferential groove, and the second welding wire further contacts a second sidewall portion of the circumferential groove. Both of the first welding wire and the second welding wire are radially offset from a central portion of the circumferential groove.

A welding or additive manufacturing system includes a contact tip assembly having first and second exit orifices. A wire feeder is configured to deliver a first and second wire electrodes through the exit orifices. An arc generation power supply is configured to output a current waveform to the wire electrodes simultaneously, through the contact tip assembly. The current waveform includes a bridging current portion, and a background current portion having a lower current level than the bridging current portion. The bridging current portion has a current level sufficient to form a bridge droplet between the wire electrodes before the bridge droplet is transferred to a molten puddle during a deposition operation. Solid portions of the wire electrodes do not contact each other during the deposition operation. The bridge droplet is transferred to the molten puddle during a short circuit event between the molten puddle and the wire electrodes.