A wire feeder for feeding an electrode wire (42, 220, 320) from a wire source in a welding system, the wire feeder comprising: one or more drive rolls (54, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B, 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B) to advance an electrode wire (42, 220, 320) by contact force, wherein a contact force on the wire (42, 220, 320) from the drive rolls (54, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B, 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B) is adjustable; an actuator (242A, 242B, 246A, 246B) configured to adjust a contact force on the wire (42, 220, 320) from the one or more drive rolls (54, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B, 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B); and a controller to: receive a feedback signal corresponding to the contact force; command the actuator (242A, 242B, 246A, 246B) to adjust a contact force on the wire (42, 220, 320) from the one or more drive rolls (54, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B, 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B) in response to the contact force falling outside a range of threshold contact force values; characterised in that the one or more drive rolls (54, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B, 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B) include a first contact area and a second contact area, the first contact area to make contact with the wire (42, 220, 320) when the one or more drive rolls (54, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B, 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B) are in a first position within the wire feeder, and the second contact area to make contact with the wire (42, 220, 320) when the one or more drive rolls (54, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B, 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B) are in a second position within the wire feeder; and in that the actuator (242A, 242B, 246A, 246B) is configured to adjust the contact force on the wire by adjusting a position of one or more of the drive rolls (54, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B, 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B) to change contact with the wire (42, 220, 320) from the first contact area to the second contact area. one or more drive rolls (54, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B, 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B) to advance an electrode wire (42, 220, 320) by contact force, wherein a contact force on the wire (42, 220, 320) from the drive rolls (54, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B, 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B) is adjustable; an actuator (242A, 242B, 246A, 246B) configured to adjust a contact force on the wire (42, 220, 320) from the one or more drive rolls (54, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B, 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B); and a controller to: receive a feedback signal corresponding to the contact force; command the actuator (242A, 242B, 246A, 246B) to adjust a contact force on the wire (42, 220, 320) from the one or more drive rolls (54, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B, 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B) in response to the contact force falling outside a range of threshold contact force values; receive a feedback signal corresponding to the contact force; command the actuator (242A, 242B, 246A, 246B) to adjust a contact force on the wire (42, 220, 320) from the one or more drive rolls (54, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B, 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B) in response to the contact force falling outside a range of threshold contact force values; characterised in that the one or more drive rolls (54, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B, 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B) include a first contact area and a second contact area, the first contact area to make contact with the wire (42, 220, 320) when the one or more drive rolls (54, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B, 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B) are in a first position within the wire feeder, and the second contact area to make contact with the wire (42, 220, 320) when the one or more drive rolls (54, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B, 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B) are in a second position within the wire feeder; and in that the actuator (242A, 242B, 246A, 246B) is configured to adjust the contact force on the wire by adjusting a position of one or more of the drive rolls (54, 206A, 206B, 208A, 208B, 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B) to change contact with the wire (42, 220, 320) from the first contact area to the second contact area.