Reciprocating preheating system, method, and apparatus

A welding system to eliminate effects of arc blow, the welding system comprising:

• welding circuitry configured to provide welding-type power to an electrode of a welding torch during a welding operation;
• preheat circuitry configured to provide preheat power to heat a filler material;
• a wire-feeding mechanism configured to advance and retract the filler material relative to a welding work piece during a welding operation;
• and
• control circuitry operably coupled to the welding circuitry, the preheat circuitry, and the wire-feeding mechanism,
• wherein the control circuitry is configured to perform a reciprocation cycle that comprises the steps of:
• providing the welding-type power at a first welding power level to generate a welding arc between a welding work piece and the electrode to form a weld pool, wherein the welding circuitry is configured to alternate the welding-type power between the first welding power level and a second welding power level that is lower in power than the first welding power level;
• advancing, via the wire-feeding mechanism, the filler material toward the welding work piece until the filler material is electrically connected to the weld pool, wherein the welding circuitry is configured to switch the welding-type power to the second welding power level before the filler material is electrically connected to the weld pool;
• supplying the preheat power, via the preheat circuitry, to heat the filler material while the filler material is electrically connected to the weld pool;
• retracting, via the wire-feeding mechanism, the filler material away from the welding work piece until the filler material is not electrically connected to the weld pool, wherein the welding circuitry is configured to switch the welding-type power to the first welding power level when the filler material is no longer electrically connected to the weld pool;
• and
• terminating supply of the preheat power, via the preheat circuitry, to the filler material while the filler material is not electrically connected to the weld pool.