Systems and methods for cleaning a wire electrode after a welding process has ended are described. During a welding process, a wire electrode may be fed forward from a wire feeder through a welding torch to create a molten weld pool. While, conventionally, feeding of the wire electrode stops when the welding process ends, the present disclosure contemplates instead continuing to feed the wire electrode forward after the welding process ends. More particularly, the present disclosure contemplates feeding the wire electrode into the weld pool so that the wire electrode can be cleaned in the molten weld pool created by the welding process. The cleaned wire electrode end can be more easily used to establish an electrical arc at the beginning of the next welding process.

A system for cleaning a weld gun nozzle includes a guide module and a reaming module. The guide module includes a holder assembly that includes a plurality of elongate skid bars. The reaming module includes a rotatable reamer. The skid bars are generally non-rotatable and define an opening into which the weld gun nozzle can be inserted to align the nozzle with the rotatable reamer. The nozzle is guided by the skid bars and inserted over the reamer, which rotates within the nozzle to clean debris from the nozzle. The skid bars are non-rotatable, and can be installed within the holder assembly to be resiliently move radially inward and outward to accommodate the nozzle during insertion.

A spatter production information storage unit stores spots where spatter has been produced. For the spots where spatter has been produced, a comparison information generation unit acquires weld design information stored in a design information storage unit and weld instruction information stored in an instruction information storage unit, compares both pieces of information, and generates comparison information. An image information output unit outputs the generated comparison information to a display device. The display device displays the comparison information on a screen so as to allow checking by an operator. Hence, it is possible to check, on the screen, comparison information for weld instruction information and weld design information highly likely as a cause for spatter being produced, and to efficiently perform the task of analyzing the causes for spatter being produced.

A cleaning device for a mechanical cleaning of a gas nozzle of a protective gas welding burner, provided with a controlled, rotatably driven cleaning head having at least one co-rotating cleaning element, and with a supplying and centering apparatus for a coaxial positioning of the gas nozzle with respect to the axis of rotation of the cleaning head in the region of at least one cleaning element. The cleaning head has two cleaning arms creating a scissors-form with the cleaning arms, which are suspended in a freely swinging manner on a pivot bearing arranged transversely to the axis of rotation in the cleaning head. Respective centrifugal weights are arranged on the cleaning arms on the lower regions facing away from the gas nozzle, so that the cleaning scissors are spread apart with a rotation of the of the cleaning head.

Systems and methods for cleaning a wire electrode after a welding process has ended are described. During a welding process, a wire electrode may be fed forward from a wire feeder through a welding torch to create a molten weld pool. While, conventionally, feeding of the wire electrode stops when the welding process ends, the present disclosure contemplates instead continuing to feed the wire electrode forward after the welding process ends. More particularly, the present disclosure contemplates feeding the wire electrode into the weld pool so that the wire electrode can be cleaned in the molten weld pool created by the welding process. The cleaned wire electrode end can be more easily used to establish an electrical arc at the beginning of the next welding process.

Systems for servicing welding torches are provided, which include a feeder assembly and a nozzle cleaning assembly. The feeder assembly may be configured to feed removable components (e.g., contact tips). For example, the feeder assembly comprises a hopper magazine configured to store contact tips for a welding torch so that one contact tip is on top of another contact tip in their horizontal directions and to release each of the contact tips in the horizontal direction. The nozzle cleaning assembly may comprise a brush for cleaning the inner wall of the contact tip and a universal joint for off-centered rotation of the brush head.

An anti-spatter spray containment system includes: an enclosure having a nozzle insertion orifice on a first side and a drain orifice on a second side of the enclosure; a spray nozzle configured to spray fluid toward a nozzle inserted into the nozzle insertion orifice, wherein the enclosure is configured to funnel the fluid in a direction toward the second side; and a baffle configured to block at least a first portion of sprayed fluid from the spray nozzle from exiting the enclosure via the nozzle insertion orifice, the first side configured to block at least a second portion of the sprayed fluid from the spray nozzle that is not blocked by the baffle.

A hand tool for welding-torch maintenance, which can remove sputter adhering to a nozzle with sufficient working efficiency. The hand tool has a pair of metal stays turnably supported by a pivoting axis. The metal stays comprises grips handled by a user, 1st pinchings used for pulling a welding-wire, and 2nd pinchings used for removing sputter adhering to the nozzle. The 1st pinchings are configured so as to be inserted into the nozzle when the metal stays are closed. The 2nd pinchings have projections which are extended outside from the backs of the 1st pinchings and thrown out towards heads of the 1st pinchings. The sputter adhering to the inner-and-outer circumferential surfaces and end face of the nozzle are removed by inserting the 1st pinchings into the nozzle, inserting the end of the nozzle between the 2nd pinchings and the 1st pinchings, and moving the tool to scratch the sputter off the inner-and-outer circumferential surfaces and the end face of the nozzle.

An arrangement for measuring the quantity of protective gas for robot-controlled importable welding torches with a protective gas nozzle in the measuring arrangement, characterized in that the measuring arrangement includes a spring-mounted receiving cup in the direction of the insertion of a welding torch in and/or with the measuring arrangement, with a sealing ring surrounding the welding torch on its outer circumference.

A welding torch maintenance apparatus and a welding tip changer are described. The welding torch maintenance apparatus and the welding tip changing apparatus each comprise a first gripping means for fastening the welding torch/diffuser so that the nozzle/welding tip is aligned with the rotational axis, a second gripping means for holding the nozzle/welding tip, the second gripping means rotates about the rotational axis to remove the nozzle/welding tip, and moves along the rotational axis. A drive means is provided for rotating the second gripping means, and a lift system is provided for moving the second gripping along the rotational axis. The welding torch maintenance apparatus further includes a cleaning means which enters the nozzle at the distal end and cleans an interior of the nozzle.