A contact tip assembly with a preheating tip comprises a welding-type power source configured to provide welding-type current to a welding-type circuit, the welding-type circuit comprising a welding-type electrode and a first contact tip of a welding torch. The assembly also includes an electrode preheating circuit configured to provide preheating current through a portion of the welding-type electrode via a second contact tip of the welding torch, and a voltage sense circuit to monitor a voltage drop across the two contact tips, and the electrode preheating circuit adjusts at least one of the first current or the preheating current based on the voltage drop.

A modular direct current power source is provided. One welding power supply system includes a plurality of hysteretic buck converters coupled in parallel. The hysteretic buck converters are configured to receive a common input and to provide combined output power to a common load based upon the common input.

A welding system comprising a user manipulatable device, a proximity sensor positioned on said user manipulatable device, an engine capable of operation in an energy conservation mode and an operating mode, and a generator operatively coupled to the engine. The generator may provide at least one of (1) a welding current output or (2) an auxiliary power output. The engine may operate (1) in the operating mode when the proximity sensor outputs the first output signal, and (2) in the energy conservation mode when the engine is not operating in the operating mode. The proximity sensor may be configured to output the first output signal when an operator of said welding system is in-range.

The present invention provides an SiC inverted plasma cutting power supply, which is characterized in that: the SiC inverted plasma cutting power supply comprises a main circuit and a closed-loop control circuit; the main circuit comprises a sequentially connected noise suppression module, a power-frequency rectification and filtering module, an SiC inverter module, a power transformer, an SiC rectification and smoothing module and a non-contact arc initiation module, wherein the noise suppression module is connected to an alternating-current input power supply, and the SiC rectification and smoothing module and the non-contact arc initiation module are respectively connected to a load; the closed-loop control circuit comprises a man-machine interaction module, a DSC controller, a failure diagnosis and protection module, an SiC high-frequency drive module and a load electrical signal detection module. The power supply has high inverting frequency, small size, light weight, lower raw material consumption, high energy efficiency, an obvious energy saving effect and excellent dynamic characteristics, and can be applied on both a low-power occasion and medium and high power cutting occasions in a stable and reliable manner.

An example welding accessory includes: a weld input configured to receive first welding-type power; and power conversion circuitry configured to: convert a first portion of the first welding-type power to second welding-type power; output the second welding-type power to a weld circuit; convert a second portion of the first welding-type power to preheating power; and output the preheating power to a preheater.

A system includes an engine configured to drive a generator to produce a first power output, and a first inverter communicatively coupled to the generator. The first inverter is configured to convert the first power output into a second power output. The system includes a second inverter communicatively coupled to the generator. The second inverter is configured to convert the first power output into a third power output. The third power output includes a welding power output.

A modular direct current power source is provided. One welding power supply system includes a plurality of hysteretic buck converters coupled in parallel. The hysteretic buck converters are configured to receive a common input and to provide combined output power to a common load based upon the common input.

A welding system comprising a user manipulatable device, a proximity sensor positioned on said user manipulatable device, an engine capable of operation in an energy conservation mode and an operating mode, and a generator operatively coupled to the engine. The generator may provide at least one of (1) a welding current output or (2) an auxiliary power output. The engine may operate (1) in the operating mode when the proximity sensor outputs the first output signal, and (2) in the energy conservation mode when the engine is not operating in the operating mode. The proximity sensor may be configured to output the first output signal when an operator of said welding system is in-range.

Methods and systems for creating and controlling an AC output for welding, plasma cutting or heating are provided. One embodiment of the present disclosure achieves a desired square wave AC output and reduces the number of circuit components needed by combining components of a buck converter and a full bridge inverter. Current flow paths through a power control circuit that are generated via switching of transistors in the circuit on and off are provided. In one embodiment, a pulse width modulation leg, which controls the level of current flow through an inductor, is provided. Certain embodiments include a bidirectional buck converter that converts an unregulated DC flow to a regulated DC flow through an inductor. In one embodiment, a steering leg is provided, which controls a direction of current flow through the inductor. Additionally, an output clamp circuit, which suppresses the parasitic load inductance during polarity reversal is provided.

A system includes an engine configured to drive a generator to produce a first power output, and a first inverter communicatively coupled to the generator. The first inverter is configured to convert the first power output into a second power output. The system includes a second inverter communicatively coupled to the generator. The second inverter is configured to convert the first power output into a third power output. The third power output includes a welding power output.