Abstract: The copper cladding normally applied to the surfaces of a submerged arc welding wire for preventing weld gun contact tip abrasive wear is replaced with a solid lubricant. This eliminates copper contamination of the weld from the copper cladding while preserving the useful life of the contact tip.

Abstract: The copper cladding normally applied to the surfaces of a submerged arc welding wire for preventing weld gun contact tip abrasive wear is replaced with a solid lubricant. This eliminates copper contamination of the weld from the copper cladding while preserving the useful life of the contact tip.

Abstract: A method and system of determining the feedability of a continuous welding wire having a known diameter, said method and system comprising the steps of providing a supply of welding wire; pushing the wire by a wire feeder through a welding cable having a given long length and terminating in a welding gun with a tubular contact tip with a wire receiving passage generally matching the selected diameter of said welding wire, sensing the reactive force of the wire feeder as it pushes the wire through the cable and the tip; and causing a generally fixed current to flow between the contact tip and a workpiece whereby the advancing welding wire is melted and transferred to the workpiece in accordance with a given welding process.

Abstract: A system for locating a voltage sensitive parameter of an electric arc welding wire, which parameter is indicative of the welder perceived welding characteristics of said wire, said system comprises: means for feeding said wire toward a workpiece; means for applying a voltage between said wire and said workpiece whereby a welding arc is created between said wire and said workpiece to melt and deposit said wire onto said workpiece by a voltage sensitive arc welding procedure; means for gradually changing said applied voltage whereby said welding procedure shifts through a transfer region and between spray and globular welding; means detecting the actual voltage between the wire and workpiece as said applied voltage is changed; means for sensing each time when said actual voltage decreases below a selected threshold voltage; means for averaging the sensed number of times; means for detecting the applied voltage value when the averaged sensed number of times equals a selected number; and, means for selecting sai