Pulse arc welding method

Claim 1

In a pulse arc welding method of the type wherein a welding current is applied between a base material and a wire electrode which may be moved relative to said base material, said welding current comprising a base current level upon which is periodically superimposed a current pulse, said current pulse having a waveform defined by its pulse width, and its amplitude in excess of said base current level, the improvement comprising the steps of: setting said current pulse amplitude and said pulse width and said base current level to particular values defining an optimum current pulse waveform; said base current level being set to a value which allows an arc to be maintained regardless of a frequency of said pulse; and, varying the average value of said welding current while maintaining a constant current pulse waveform by varying the frequency of the current pulses superimposed on said base current level, said frequency varying step comprising increasing the current pulse frequency when said electrode is stationary with respect to said base material and decreasing said frequency when said electrode moves with respect to said base material.