Patent ID: 7282668

Claim:
An electric arc welding system for creating a first AC welding arc with a first current waveform between a first electrode and a workpiece and a second AC welding arc with a second current waveform between a second electrode and a workpiece as said first and second electrodes, being adjacent to one another, are moved in unison along a welding path, comprising: the first current waveform having a positive portion and a negative portion; the second current waveform having a positive portion and a negative portion; a detector arrangement configured to detect the polarity of the first current waveform of the first AC welding arc and the polarity of the second current waveform of the second AC welding arc; a comparator arrangement configured to receive and compare the detected polarities of the first current waveform and the second current waveform and to determine when the polarities are the same, which identifies a pull state, and when the polarities are opposite, which identifies a push state; and a first timing circuit for determining the push time and the pull time of a sustained maintenance of opposite and like polarity between the current waveforms; and a waveform adjusting circuit to minimize the push time and the pull time, wherein the minimized push time and pull time maintains a weld puddle created by the welding system in a quiescent state.