A system comprising: a welding power supply configured to produce welding output power suitable for a welding operation, the welding power supply comprising first digital communications circuitry configured to send and to receive welding parameters during a welding operation; at least one other welding component coupled to the welding power supply and configured to perform a part of the welding operation, the at least one other welding component comprising second digital communications circuitry in communication with the first digital communications circuitry and configured to send and to receive the welding parameters during the welding operation; wherein the first and second digital communications circuitry are synchronized, characterized in that the welding power supply and/or the other welding component is configured to perform at least one task in an open-loop manner, and that the welding power supply is configured to perform at least one other first task in accordance with a schedule at a first time in a closed loop manner based upon feedback of a welding parameter, and wherein the at least one other welding component is configured to perform a further second task during the welding operation in a closed-loop manner in accordance with said schedule based upon feedback of the same or a different welding parameter, the welding power supply being configured to coordinate its first task with the second task performed by the at least one other welding component by synchronization via the digital communications circuitry , wherein said at least one other welding component is configured to receive a state of the first task and to begin the second task at a different time than the first task based on the state of the first task and the schedule, wherein each of the welding power supply and the at least one other welding component comprises respective processing circuitry configured to control the tasks synchronized via the digital communications circuitry . a welding power supply configured to produce welding output power suitable for a welding operation, the welding power supply comprising first digital communications circuitry configured to send and to receive welding parameters during a welding operation; at least one other welding component coupled to the welding power supply and configured to perform a part of the welding operation, the at least one other welding component comprising second digital communications circuitry in communication with the first digital communications circuitry and configured to send and to receive the welding parameters during the welding operation; wherein the first and second digital communications circuitry are synchronized, characterized in that the welding power supply and/or the other welding component is configured to perform at least one task in an open-loop manner, and that the welding power supply is configured to perform at least one other first task in accordance with a schedule at a first time in a closed loop manner based upon feedback of a welding parameter, and wherein the at least one other welding component is configured to perform a further second task during the welding operation in a closed-loop manner in accordance with said schedule based upon feedback of the same or a different welding parameter, the welding power supply being configured to coordinate its first task with the second task performed by the at least one other welding component by synchronization via the digital communications circuitry , wherein said at least one other welding component is configured to receive a state of the first task and to begin the second task at a different time than the first task based on the state of the first task and the schedule, wherein each of the welding power supply and the at least one other welding component comprises respective processing circuitry configured to control the tasks synchronized via the digital communications circuitry . <EOS>