System and method of short circuiting arc welding

Abstract

There is provided an improvement in a short circuiting arc welding system comprising a work station with a consumable electrode and workpiece, a D.C. power supply with a positive and a negative terminal, high frequency current control means for applying a welding circuit with a given time-based profile across the work station while the electrode is short circuited and while the electrode is spaced from the workpiece, a welding current circuit means including a first means for creating a first inductive reactance in series with the current control means and work station whereby the welding current follows the time-based profile in accordance with the first inductive reactance. The improvement comprises a background current circuit means between the power supply and the work station and in parallel with the current control means and first means for applying continuously a background current across the work station. This background current circuit means includes a second means for creating a second inductive reactance substantially greater than the first inductive reactance and a resistor means for controlling the background current flowing continuously from the power supply to the work station through the background current circuit means.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.