Abstract: A method for providing a referenced distance signal which corresponds to the distance between a contact tip of a welding torch and a workpiece to be machined, includes adjusting an operating point on a predetermined welding characteristic, which is defined at least by a wire feed rate, a welding voltage and/or a welding current, and a CTWD distance between the contact tip and the workpiece; determining a target parameter value of at least one parameter dependent on the CTWD distance for the operating point; determining an actual parameter value of the at least one parameter by measuring at least one of the present wire feed rate, welding voltage and/or welding current; modifying the determined actual parameter value as a function of a calculated difference between the target parameter value and a predetermined reference value; and outputting the referenced distance signal corresponding to the modified actual parameter value to a position control system of a robot arm.

Abstract: Method for scanning a workpiece surface (2A) of a metal workpiece (2), in which a blowtorch (3) having a welding wire electrode (4) is moved relative to the workpiece surface (2A) to determine scanning values and a wire end (4A) of the welding wire electrode (4) is repeatedly moved towards the workpiece surface (2A), in each case until contact with the metal workpiece (2) at a scanning position (P) on the workpiece surface (2A) of the metal workpiece (2) is detected, and the wire end (4A) of the welding wire electrode (4) is subsequently moved back, the blowtorch (3) detecting scanning values (d) at scanning positions (P), at least in some cases multiple times, to determine scanning measurement errors.

Abstract: A welding device has a central unit and a welding torch unit, which can be connected to the central unit. The central unit includes at least one welding current source for providing electric current needed to operate the welding torch unit and includes a control unit. The welding torch unit includes at least a first welding torch with a first welding wire and a second welding torch with a second welding wire. The control unit is configured to carry out a starting process in such a way that firstly a first arc ignition takes place at one of the two welding torches and after a waiting time since the first arc ignition has passed, a second arc ignition takes place at the other of the two welding torches, which until then was not ignited.