Patent ID: 7180030

Claim:
A method for rating a welding electrode for use in arc welding operations, said method comprising: providing a workpiece with first and second ends and a substantially flat workpiece surface extending therebetween; performing a standardized welding process using said welding electrode to create a test weld on said workpiece surface, said test weld extending from a weld beginning proximate said first workpiece end to a weld end proximate said second workpiece end, said standardized welding process providing a first contact to work distance value at said weld beginning and a second contact to work distance value at said weld end, wherein said contact to work distance varies substantially linearly from said weld beginning to said weld end with said first contact to work distance value being larger than said second contact to work distance value; measuring a distance from said weld beginning to a point in said test weld at which gas tracking is first observed; and rating said welding electrode according to said distance.