What is the difference between rectifier and inverter type welding machine?

Answer 1

A welding rectifier is a m/c which converts A.C. supply to D.C.supply. Rectifiers are used for heavy welding work. An invertor is a welding m/c which converts A.C. supply to D.C.supply and then again converts D.C. to A.C. The wt. of invertor welding m/c is less than a welding transformer.

Answer 2

Normally welding machine output will be AC or DC power as per the requirement of the welding consumable (Welding Electrodes). For the machines required DC output, the machine design contains step-down transformer with controlled rectifiers or tapping transformer with Diode modules. These type of machines will DC output. But the consumption of the power is more as the losses in the transformer is more. To reduce the losses we need to give more frequency to the main transformer which will be done by a inverter module. This module contains primary rectifier which will convert AC (1Ph/3Ph - 50 Hz) power to DC then this DC will be inverted to AC with High frequency. Will be fed to the Step-down transformer (low voltage & high current) (as the losses are less- the transformer size & weight will be around 15 - 30% of the conventional rectifier machines) then the output AC will be rectified using fast acting rectifier modules to have better DC output for the power source.

Answer 3

A rectifier allows current to flow in only one direction, while an inverter inverts / causes a 180 degree phase shift from the input to the output.