The History of Welding Equipment
Since ancient times, people have devised ways to join metal pieces together to create different objects, from tools to jewelry. Long ago, fires and hammers were used. Modern welding equipment was mostly developed during the 19th century. Does this Spark an idea?
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The Electric Arc
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Humphrey Davy first used electrodes to produce an arc in 1801. Edmund Davy discovered acetylene in 1836. Then the electric generator was invented. In 1885, Benardos and Olszewski received a patent for an electric arc welder with a carbon electrode, or the modern welding apparatus.
Arc Welding
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In the latter part of the 19th century, a metal electrode replaced the carbon electrode and an insulated handle was developed, which permitted manual operation. C.L. Coffin received a patent for electrical arc welding with a metal rod in 1890.
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Oxyacetylene Welding
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The acetylene torch, liquefied oxygen and a machine that generated liquefied air were developed before 1900. That was when the oxyacetylene torch, using low-pressure acetylene, was developed.
American Industry
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In the early 20th century, the Lincoln Electric Company introduced the variable voltage, single operator, portable DC welding machine. Kjellberg and ESAB invented the covered electrode, Hobart and Devers' work with argon and helium led to gas metal arc welding, Niels Miller invented an AC arc welder and Al Mulder developed the high-frequency stabilized AC industrial welder. This enabled the practical use of AC welding in factories and construction.
The 1950s
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Welders could then convert AC into DC to produce a smoother arc, and in the mid-20th century, welding became more specialized with flux-cored arc welding (greater automation), plasma arc welding, electron beam welding and laser welding. Inverters, which were smaller power sources, made welding quieter and more responsive.
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