Patent ID: 7282667
Filing Date: 2007-10-16
Classification: B23K

Abstract:
1. A method of determining a position of a welding wire after the welding wire has passed through a contact tip of a welding gun comprising: a) feeding said welding wire through said contact tip; b) providing first and second non-consumable electrodes that are spaced from one another, said first and second non-consumable electrodes spaced from said contact tip; c) forming a first electric arc between said welding wire and said first non-consumable electrode at least partially while no electric arc is formed between said welding wire and said second non-consumable electrode; d) forming a second electric arc between said welding wire and said second non-consumable electrode at least partially while no electric arc is formed between said welding wire and first second non-consumable electrode; e) measuring the arc voltage, arc current or combinations thereof of said first and second electric arc that was formed between said welding wire and said first and second non-consumable electrodes; and, f) calculating a relative position of said welding wire based on said measured arc voltages, measured arc currents or combinations thereof.