Abstract: The invention relates to a wire-feed device for conveying a wire and to a method for feeding wire using a wire-feed device, in particular for a thermal joining apparatus, having at least one a drive element which can be operated by a feed drive and can be placed against a wire guided through the wire-feed device, exerting a contact pressure, in order to transfer drive movement by friction. According to the invention, an actuator which is coupled to the at least one drive element and can be controlled by a controller using the values measured for the contact pressure, is provided for variably setting the contact pressure acting on the wire.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for universally controlling the advancement of the wear-away wire electrode (3) of welding and/or soldering systems, wherein the wire electrode (3) is taken from a wire supply (2) and fed to a welding head (8) from the wire supply (2) through a protective tube (1), wherein the wire electrode (3) is both advanced by means of a push drive (4) and pulled by means of a pull drive (5), which are preferably arranged in the region of the respective ends of the protective tube (1) that are actuated in keeping with a required advancement speed of the wire electrode (3). The pull drive is controlled in accordance with the actuating signals for the push drive.