Importance

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Abstract

The invention is a method and apparatus that comprises supplying a mixture of gases to a constricted plasma arc. The mixture comprises a gas that will sustain the plasma arc at the lower voltages typical of electric-arc welding and in the absence of a plasma and a gas which provides good heat transfer characteristics. The relative proportion of the gas that will sustain the plasma arc at the lower voltages present in the mixture is large enough to support the plasma arc, and the relative proportion of gas having good heat transfer charactristics present in the mixture is small enough to prevent failure of the arc at the lower voltage. A voltage drop is maintained which is high enough to maintaing the plasma arc using the gas mixture while low enough to operate at a substantially constant current using a low voltage constant current power supply.

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First Claim