Welding Guns/Torches

A welding gun directs the wire to the joint, transfers the welding current to the wire and provides the gas for shielding the arc and weldpool. For light duty work, air-cooled guns rely on the shielding gas passing through the body to cool the nozzle and have a limited current-carrying capacity. Water-cooled guns are preferred for high current levels, especially at high duty cycles. In electric welding, the torch conducts electric current to the electrode and carries the shielding gas to the arc zone of the welding arc. In gas welding, the torch adjusts the mixture of gases and guides the welding flame. Torches may be moved along the edges being welded by hand or automatically.