Abstract: A system and method for controlling a piston-cylinder assembly of a welding apparatus, said piston-cylinder assembly including a plurality of pressure chambers, wherein said piston-cylinder assembly is operatively coupled to at least one welding electrode of said welding apparatus so as to effect movement of said electrode in a pre-stroke and weld motion, comprises: connecting to a first port of the piston-cylinder assembly a first fluid pressure, said first port in communication with a first pressure chamber so as to effect the pre-stroke motion of the electrode; and connecting to a second port of the piston-cylinder assembly a second fluid pressure, said second port in communication with a second pressure chamber so as to effect the weld stroke motion of the electrode, wherein the second fluid pressure is different from the first fluid pressure.