Various welding systems that provide communication over auxiliary or weld power lines are provided. The disclosed embodiments may include a multi-process welding power supply that is communicatively coupled to a pendant via an auxiliary conduit that facilitates the exchange of data and power between components of the welding system. In some embodiments, the pendant may also include auxiliary outlets that allow an operator to power auxiliary devices at the weld location. The disclosed embodiments further include a pendant with a wire spool and wire feeder drive circuitry that is configured to activate spooling during MIG welding. Embodiments are provided that also allow for bidirectional data communication over a power line in networked welding systems.

An arc welding system providing improved molten metal droplet transfer. The system includes a welding power source having a welding power supply, a welding waveform generator, and a controller. Two fluxed cored welding wire electrodes are connected to the power source and are powered by the same welding output voltage and current produced by the power source. A feedback circuit is connected to the power source to provide an adaptive response to maintain an average welding output voltage. The controller controls the waveform generator and the power supply to superimpose welding current pulses onto a welding waveform of a CV flux cored arc welding process, that uses CO.sub.2 as a shielding gas, to generate a modified waveform of a modified CV flux cored arc welding process. The current pulses are superimposed in time to form molten metal droplets between ends of the two electrodes during the modified welding process.

Systems and methods for controlling an engine driven power system and/or a welding system from two or more control sources are disclosed. In some examples, multiple control devices or sources are in communication with a central control circuitry of the engine driven power system, and/or a welding system which is capable of managing commands from multiple control sources by prioritizing commands and/or limited the scope of control. In some examples, the central control circuitry controls the multiple control sources to update systems and displays to harmonize commands and/or data that originated at another source.

The present invention includes a welding system that has at least two metal inert gas (MIG) welders configured to perform a cooperative pulsed MIG welding process. The welding system also includes at least one communications link connecting the at least two MIG welders to deliver at least one of subordination commands and superiority commands to either of the at least two MIG welders to synchronize the cooperative pulsed MIG welding process.

Welding systems are presented, in which a single power source provides a first DC output to a plurality of digital waveform controlled chopper modules. Welding modules are also disclosed for converting an input DC signal to a welding signal, which are comprised of a down-chopper for providing a welding signal waveform according to a pulse width modulated switching signal, along with a digital waveform controller providing the switching signal according to a desired waveform.

A welding system for building a workpiece includes a first wire feeder, a second wire feeder, a torch, and a controller. The torch is configured to receive a first wire electrode from the first wire feeder and a second wire electrode from the second wire feeder. The controller is configured to control the first wire feeder to drive the first wire electrode into the torch at a first feed rate, and simultaneously control the second wire feeder to drive the second wire electrode into the torch at a second feed rate.

An electric arc welder for depositing weld metal along a groove between two edges of a metal workpiece. The welder comprises: a leading electrode driven toward a point in the groove by a first wire feeder operated at a first speed by a first motor with a speed control input and a tachometer derived first feedback signal, a trailing electrode driven toward the same point by a second wire feeder operated at a second speed by a second motor with a speed control input and a tachometer derived second feedback signal, a first power source directing a first current to flow through the leading electrode and a second power source causing a second current to flow through the trailing electrode with the current flow being in a series arc circuit. The second power source being grounded to the workpiece to modify the series arc current so ground current flows to the workpiece whereby the second current is generally equal to the first current minus the ground current.

An engine driven welder comprises an engine coupled to a generator, wherein the engine drives the generator. The engine driven welder employs a first power module coupled to the generator that provides a first weld output and a second power module coupled to the generator, which provides a second weld output. A controller employing a single processor is operatively coupled to each of the first power module and the second power module.

Disclosed example hybrid welding-type systems include: a welding-type power supply configured to convert input power to welding-type power, the welding-type power supply comprising an input connector configured to receive the input power; and a hybrid charger configured to connect to the input connector of the welding-type power supply to supply the input power to the welding-type power supply using at least one of AC input power to the hybrid charger or DC input power from an energy storage device connected to the hybrid charger, wherein the energy storage device and the hybrid charger are each connectable to the same input connector.