Arc welding method

Abstract

An arc welding method in which with a welding electrode being oscillated within the groove in the width direction thereof, the movement of the electrode in the upright or vertical direction is controlled to always maintain the arc length constant. The groove of a predetermined shape is subjected to arc welding with predetermined welding speed and wire feed speed so that when a half cycle of the electrode oscillation is completed, the height direction displacement of the electrode is integrated over the time to obtain a cross-sectional area S.sub.o described by the electrode and also an oscillation stroke X.sub.o made by the electrode is obtained, thus storing the cross-sectional area S.sub.o and the oscillation stroke X.sub.o. When the next half cycle is completed, a cross-sectional area S and an oscillation stroke X are similarly obtained so that the welding speed or the wire feed speed is controlled to vary and thereby to vary the cross-sectional area of metal deposition by an amount .DELTA.S which is determined by the following equation ##EQU1## The deposition rate is controlled in accordance with the actual cross-sectional area of the groove and thus a weld bead of a uniform height or level is produced.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.