Dual wire welding or additive manufacturing contact tip and diffuser

A welding or additive manufacturing contact tip, comprising:

• an electrically-conductive body extending from a proximal end of the electrically-conductive body to a distal end of the electrically-conductive body, wherein the electrically-conductive body comprises, at the proximal end, means for attaching the contact tip to a diffuser, and one or more entrance orifices are located at the proximal end, wherein the electrically-conductive body forms:
• a first bore terminating at the distal end;
• and
• a second bore terminating at the distal end;
• wherein, at the distal end, the first bore and the second bore are separated from each other by a distance configured to facilitate formation of a bridge droplet between a first wire electrode delivered through the first bore and a second wire electrode delivered through the second bore, while preventing solid portions of the first wire electrode delivered through the first bore from contacting solid portions of the second wire electrode delivered through the second bore, during a deposition operation in which electrical current is conducted to both of the first wire electrode and the second wire electrode simultaneously through the contact tip.

A portion of a welding or additive manufacturing torch, comprising:

• a contact tip assembly configured to be mounted within the torch, wherein the contact tip assembly has one or more entrance orifices located at a proximal end of the contact tip assembly, and wherein the contact tip assembly forms:
• a first bore terminating at a distal end of the contact tip assembly;
• and
• a second bore terminating at the distal end;
• wherein, at the distal end, the first bore and the second bore are separated from each other by a distance configured to facilitate formation of a bridge droplet between a first wire electrode delivered through the first bore and a second wire electrode delivered through the second bore, while preventing solid portions of the first wire electrode delivered through the first bore from contacting solid portions of the second wire electrode delivered through the second bore, during a deposition operation in which electrical current is conducted to both of the first wire electrode and the second wire electrode simultaneously through the contact tip assembly.