Detection of contact tip consumption with welding

A welding contact tip for supporting automatic welding performed by a welding system, the welding contact tip comprising:

• a proximal portion configured to be attached to a welding tool;
• and
• a distal portion, being of a different material than the proximal portion,
• wherein the proximal portion and the distal portion are configured to accept a consumable welding wire electrode that is fed there-through during an automatic GMAW welding process to form an arc between a tip of the consumable welding wire electrode and a work piece, and
• wherein, during the automatic GMAW welding process, detection of a flaring event of the arc by the welding system is facilitated by the different material of the distal portion causing a change in at least one detectable characteristic of the arc in response to the flaring event.

A welding contact tip for supporting automatic welding performed by a welding system, the welding contact tip comprising:

• a proximal portion made of a first material and configured to be attached to a welding tool;
• and
• a distal portion made of the first material and having a coating material on at least an outer surface of the distal portion which is different from that of the first material,
• wherein the proximal portion and the distal portion are configured to accept a consumable welding wire electrode that is fed there-through during an automatic GMAW welding process to form an arc between a tip of the consumable welding wire electrode and a work piece, and
• wherein, during the automatic GMAW welding process, detection of a flaring event of the arc by the welding system is facilitated by the coating material on the distal portion causing a change in at least one detectable characteristic of the arc in response to the flaring event.