US Patent 9821402 System and method for submerged arc welding

This disclosure relates generally to welding, and more specifically, to submerged arc welding (SAW). In an embodiment, a welding system includes a gas supply system configured to provide a gas flow. The system also includes a wire supply system configured to provide welding wire, and a flux supply system configured to provide flux near a welding arc during submerged arc welding (SAW). The system further includes a welding torch assembly configured to receive the gas flow and the welding wire and to deliver the gas flow and the welding wire near the welding arc during SAW.