Abstract: In order to provide an improved method for producing metal structures which allows a high level of flexibility in respect of process speed of production, material composition of the metal structure, production accuracy, and the quality of the produced metal structure, according to the invention, a second metal additive is supplied to a welding point on a metal base material, which second metal additive is fused at least by a second electric arc produced between a second electrode and the metal base material in order to produce a second weld seam at the welding point, wherein different materials are used as the first metal additive and as the second metal additive, and wherein the first metal additive and the second metal additive are supplied to the welding point sequentially in time and are fused in the region of the welding point in whichever of the first and second electric arcs is burning, in order to form the three-dimensional metal structure.

Abstract: In order to provide an improved method for producing metal structures which allows a high level of flexibility in respect of process speed of production, material composition of the metal structure, production accuracy, and the quality of the produced metal structure, according to the invention, a second metal additive is supplied to a welding point on a metal base material, which second metal additive is fused at least by a second electric arc produced between a second electrode and the metal base material in order to produce a second weld seam at the welding point, wherein different materials are used as the first metal additive and as the second metal additive, and wherein the first metal additive and the second metal additive are supplied to the welding point sequentially in time and are fused in the region of the welding point in whichever of the first and second electric arcs is burning, in order to form the three-dimensional metal structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a single- or multi-wire welding torch (6), more specifically to a laser-hybrid single- or multi-wire welding head provided with the welding torch (6) which can be connected to a welding device via a hose pack and consists of several parts such as a torch handle, a tubular welding torch housing, a contact housing, a contact tube for each welding wire (21a, 21b), a gas nozzle (2) etc., wherein an internal insert (28) for receiving the contact tube(s) (20a, 20b) and the gas nozzle (2) is mounted in an end area of the welding torch housing. A fixing element (30) made at least partially of a flexible material is placed on the internal insert (28) or on the housing (2) for producing as required an, in particular, gas-tight connection between said internal insert (28) and the gas nozzle (2) pushed thereon. This connection can be established by the spatial extension of the fixing element.

Abstract: A method and a welding device for performing a welding process on a workpiece by a welding torch, uses a melting welding wire, which is arranged on a wire coil and may be supplied to the welding torch via a hose package, wherein different welding wires and different welding parameters are used depending on the geometry of the workpiece. A welding wire formed by the different interconnected welding wires in lengths depending on the geometry of the workpiece is arranged on the wire coil, so the welding process may be performed without interruptions using the different welding wires and the different welding parameters by supplying to the welding torch the welding wire formed by the different interconnected welding wires from the wire coil.

Abstract: A method and a welding device for performing a welding process on a workpiece by a welding torch, uses a melting welding wire, which is arranged on a wire coil and may be supplied to the welding torch via a hose package, wherein different welding wires and different welding parameters are used depending on the geometry of the workpiece. A welding wire formed by the different interconnected welding wires in lengths depending on the geometry of the workpiece is arranged on the wire coil, so the welding process may be performed without interruptions using the different welding wires and the different welding parameters by supplying to the welding torch the welding wire formed by the different interconnected welding wires from the wire coil.

Abstract: The invention relates to a single- or multi-wire welding torch (6), more specifically to a laser-hybrid single- or multi-wire welding head provided with the welding torch (6) which can be connected to a welding device via a hose pack and consists of several parts such as a torch handle, a tubular welding torch housing, a contact housing, a contact tube for each welding wire (21a, 21b), a gas nozzle (2) etc., wherein an internal insert (28) for receiving the contact tube(s) (20a, 20b) and the gas nozzle (2) is mounted in an end area of the welding torch housing. A fixing element (30) made at least partially of a flexible material is placed on the internal insert (28) or on the housing (2) for producing as required an, in particular, gas-tight connection between said internal insert (28) and the gas nozzle (2) pushed thereon. This connection can be established by the spatial extension of the fixing element.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for cleaning a contact tube (20) of a welding torch (10), via which contact tube a welding wire (13) is supplied with electrical energy, said welding wire being moved towards the welding torch (10) by a wire reel (14) or a welding drum via a wire feeder (11), as well as to a welding plant (1) and a contact tube (20) for the welding torch (10) of such a welding plant (1). In order to prolong the service life of a contact tube (20) of a welding torch (10), the invention provides that the welding wire (13) is at least once moved backwards in the direction of the wire reel (4) or wire drum until the end (27) of the welding wire (13) lies at least within the length (36) of the contact tube (20), and that the welding wire (13) will subsequently again be moved forwards, in particular moved backwards into its starting position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a contact tube (29) for a welding torch (10), having a longitudinal axis (31) along which a through-opening (30) for guiding a welding wire (13) from an inlet region (37) to an outlet region (35) and from an outlet opening (39) towards a workpiece (16) is provided, wherein at least one slot (34) is provided in the outlet region (35) for making contact with the welding wire (13). A contact tube (29) with improved contacting of the welding wire (13) is obtained by providing at least one further slot (36) in the inlet region (37) of the contact tube (29), wherein the slot (36) in the inlet region (37) is arranged in line with the slot (34) in the outlet region (35), and a web (38), which serves as a pivot point, is formed between the slot (34) in the outlet region (35) and the at least one slot (36) in the inlet region (37).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for welding coated sheet metal (3), which comprises at least one laser (13) and at least one shielded arc unit (5) and a rod feeding device (11) for a welding rod (12). The aim of the invention is to provide a method or a device of the aforementioned kind which allows fo˜ reducing or completely avoiding inclusions such as are e.g. caused by the evaporation of the coating of the metal sheet (3). For this purpose, a clamping device (6) is used for positioning the coated metal sheet (3) without substantial gaps between the individual sheets. A material having a zinc and/or carbon and/or aluminum content is used as the weld metal or welding rod (12).

Abstract: The invention relates to a contact tube (29) for a welding torch (10), having a longitudinal axis (31) along which a through-opening (30) for guiding a welding wire (13) from an inlet region (37) to an outlet region (35) and from an outlet opening (39) towards a workpiece (16) is provided, wherein at least one slot (34) is provided in the outlet region (35) for making contact with the welding wire (13). A contact tube (29) with improved contacting of the welding wire (13) is obtained by providing at least one further slot (36) in the inlet region (37) of the contact tube (29), wherein the slot (36) in the inlet region (37) is arranged in line with the slot (34) in the outlet region (35), and a web (38), which serves as a pivot point, is formed between the slot (34) in the outlet region (35) and the at least one slot (36) in the inlet region (37).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for cleaning a contact tube (20) of a welding torch (10), via which contact tube a welding wire (13) is supplied with electrical energy, said welding wire being moved towards the welding torch (10) by a wire reel (14) or a welding drum via a wire feeder (11), as well as to a welding plant (1) and a contact tube (20) for the welding torch (10) of such a welding plant (1). In order to prolong the service life of a contact tube (20) of a welding torch (10), the invention provides that the welding wire (13) is at least once moved backwards in the direction of the wire reel (4) or wire drum until the end (27) of the welding wire (13) lies at least within the length (36) of the contact tube (20), and that the welding wire (13) will subsequently again be moved forwards, in particular moved backwards into its starting position.

Abstract: The invention describes an apparatus, in particular a laser hybrid welding head (1) for a laser hybrid welding process, in which a laser (4) or laser optics or an optical focussing unit and elements of a welding torch (5) for an arc welding process and/or a feed device for a welding wire as well as a device for generating a cross jet (8) connected by at least an incoming line (9) and an outgoing line (10) to a compressed air supply system, are mounted on at least one mounting element (2). The incoming line (9) and the outgoing line (10) carrying compressed air for the cross jet (8) are disposed between the two components, in particular the laser (4) and laser optics or the optical focussing unit and the elements of the welding torch (5) or feed device for the welding wire (21).

Abstract: The invention describes a method of controlling a welding unit (1) and a current source (2), in which various welding parameters, such as a welding current, a welding wire diameter, a welding method etc., for example, can be set by a user from an input and/or output device (22). The set welding parameters are applied to a control device (4). The welding unit (1) and the current source (2) are then activated by the control device (4) in accordance with the predetermined welding parameters. Prior to, during and/or after start-up of the welding process, the user can set a surface area or a cross section of a weld seam, in particular a fillet weld, from the input and/or output device (22), after which the control device (4) scans and/or retrieves and displays desired values for additional parameters needed to form the weld seam and/or for the welding procedure, stored in a memory device in particular.