The RF Welder - A Dilemma in EMC

This paper discusses the rules recently proposed by the FCC for RF Welding Equipment, also known in industry as High Frequency Stabilized Arc Welders or as RF Excited Arc Welders. These welders incorporate an RF generator with the RF energy coupled into the welding leads as shown diagrammatically in Figure 1. RF excitation is used for arc starting and stabilizing for metal arc welding at low curent with small consumable electrodes, and welding with non-consumable electrodes, usually tungsten shielded by an inert gas.