Method and Device for Detecting a Welding Wire Diameter or Welding Wire Composition in a Welding Device

Detection device (1) for detecting a diameter and/or composition of a welding wire and/or welding electrode for a welding device, the detection device having:

• an oscillating circuit, which has a coil through which at least one of the welding wire and welding electrode is passed;
• an evaluation unit (3) connected to the oscillating circuit for determining at least one first oscillating circuit parameter which is characteristic of an attenuation of an oscillation signal occurring in the oscillating circuit and at least one second oscillating circuit parameter which is characteristic of a signal frequency of the oscillation signal occurring in the oscillating circuit, the evaluation unit (3) detecting at least one of the diameter and the composition of the welding wire passed through at least one of the coil of the oscillating circuit and the welding electrode by means of the determined oscillating circuit parameter;
• wherein the detection device (1) has a demagnetisation unit (11) for demagnetising at least one of the welding wire and the welding electrode.