Submerged arc welding torches and systems to resistively preheat electrode wire are disclosed. A disclosed example submerged arc welding torch includes: a first contact tip configured to transfer weld current and preheating current to the wire; a second contact tip configured to conduct the preheating current to the wire; an air-cooled first conductive body portion configured to receive the weld current and to conduct the weld current and the preheating current to the first contact tip; an air-cooled second conductive body portion configured to receive the preheating current and to conduct the preheating current to the second contact tip; and an insulator coupled between the first and second conductive body portions.

A welding or additive manufacturing contact tip includes an electrically-conductive body extending from a proximal end of the body to a distal end of the body. The body forms a first bore terminating at a first exit orifice at a distal end face of the body, and a second bore terminating at a second exit orifice at the distal end face of the body. The first and second exit orifices are separated from each other by a distance configured to facilitate formation of a bridge droplet between a first wire electrode delivered through the first bore and a second wire electrode delivered through the second bore during a deposition operation.

A welding or additive manufacturing contact tip includes an electrically-conductive body extending from a proximal end of the body to a distal end of the body. The body forms a first bore terminating at a first exit orifice at a distal end face of the body, and a second bore terminating at a second exit orifice at the distal end face of the body. The first and second exit orifices are separated from each other by a distance configured to facilitate formation of a bridge droplet between a first wire electrode delivered through the first bore and a second wire electrode delivered through the second bore during a deposition operation.

The invention relates to a contact tip (1) for arc welding with at least one channel (2) passing through the contact tip (1) for receiving a welding wire (3), the channel (2) having a non-round stellate, multi-lobular cross-section with convexly rounded sides.

Embodiments of systems and methods in pulsed arc welding. A robotic welding system, having a welding torch with a contact tip, is configured to perform the following method: (a) generate and output a series of a determined number of welding output pulses as a welding wire electrode is fed toward a workpiece; (b) stop generating welding output pulses while allowing the welding wire electrode to continue to be fed toward the workpiece in an attempt to electrically short to the workpiece; (c) attempt to confirm that the welding wire electrode has electrically shorted to the workpiece within a determined error time period; and (d) repeat steps (a) through (c) if electrical shorting of the welding wire electrode has been confirmed within the determined error time period, else, shut down the robotic welding system to avoid damaging the welding torch.

A gas metal arc welding system for a robotic arm includes a j-arm, a power block, and a bolt. The j-arm has a first end and a second end each having a through hole. The power block has a first opening defining a first passageway along a longitudinal axis and a second opening defining a second passageway substantially along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The bolt has a threaded portion configured to extend through the first opening of the j-arm and into the second passageway of the power block, wherein the bolt retains the j-arm to the power block. The threaded portion of the bolt comprises an internal passageway that extends through a longitudinal axis of the bolt, wherein the internal passageway of the bolt and the first and second passageways of the power block are in fluid communication with each other.

The present application relates to an electric arc welding method to be used with an arc welding arrangement (1) comprising a first power source, a first electrode (2) connected to said first power source, and a second electrode (7), said first electrode (2) being adapted to generate a weld pool (28) via a first electric arc present within a first arc region (31) and said second electrode (7) being adapted to generate said weld pool via a second electric arc present within a second arc region. The first electrode (2) is operated at welding parameters adapted to maintain said first arc ignited. The second electrode (7) is operated at welding parameters adapted to ensure that excess energy from at least said first electrode (2) is required to maintain said second arc ignited. The method comprises the step of feeding said second electrode (7) so that it is allowed to consume excess energy from said first electrode (2) to maintain said second arc ignited. The invention also relates to an arc welding arrangement (1) for carrying out the method.

A system and method of welding or additive manufacturing is provided where at least two welding electrodes are provided to and passed through a two separate orifices on a single contact tip and a welding waveform is provided to the electrodes through the contact tip to weld simultaneously with both electrodes, where a bridge droplet is formed between the electrodes and then transferred to the puddle.

Systems and methods for localized work return path of additive manufacturing systems are described. Localized grounding connects the printed surface directly to the work return, and shortens the length of grounding and/or the return cables compared to substrate-based grounding.

A method for ascertaining the wear of a contact tube during a robot-assisted welding method on a workpiece using a welding torch with a consumable welding wire includes the steps of measuring a welding current, measuring a welding voltage, dividing the welding current so measured by the welding voltage so measured to calculate a conductance value and comparing the conductance value with at least one defined conductance threshold value or dividing the welding voltage so measured by the welding current so measured to calculate a resistance value and comparing the resistance value with at least one defined resistance threshold value, and issuing a warning when at least one of the conductance value equals the at least one defined conductance threshold value and the resistance value equals the at least one defined resistance threshold value.