Method and apparatus for electric arc welding

A method for depositing molten metal from an advancing welding wire into a weld puddle in a joint between two juxtapositioned plates, said joint extending in a welding path and being formed by converging walls, a contact holder with a wire outlet, said method comprising:

• (a) directing welding current to said wire as said wire advances from said outlet toward said joint;
• (b) sensing the length of the stick out of said wire;
• (c) moving said wire in a given direction transverse to said joint;
• (d) reversing the direction of said wire when said sensed stick out length is reduced to a given value at the edge of said joint;
• and,
• (e) repeating said moving act alternately in opposite directions whereby said wire follows said welding path in a serpentine pattern.

A method for depositing molten metal from an advancing wire into a weld puddle in a joint between two juxtapositioned plates, said joint formed by converging side walls, said method comprising:

• (a) moving said advancing wire transversely across said joint in a generally serpentine pattern with direction reversing at each of said side walls;
• (b) creating a stick out signal proportional to stick out of the wire;
• and,
• (c) reversing the direction of said wire when said sensed stick out reaches a given low value.