What is "rectification"?

[hooda]

Howdy folks, I just started another thread in the MIG section looking for the term inductance to be explained. I have several more terms that aren't in the "glossary" but I feel are necessary to know (for me, and I hope others find the info useful too). On my first TIG welding machine, which was 35 years old, there were 2 knobs to adjust the AC arc, one was Hi frequency intensity, the other was called arc stability. In the factory manual, All I got for an explanation for either was to "adjust for best results". However, an old sales brochure stated something to the effect that the arc stabilization would result in a "controlled lack of rectification" (even had a patent) Huh?????? So, In the short time I've been a part of the welding community, I have yet to hear or read a comment anything like "Yup, if it weren't for all that rectification goin' on, them would be some darn nice welds". Nor has anyone posted anything like "Help! rectification is RUINING me!: So, I'm going out on a limb here by guessing that rectification, as far as welding goes, is bad. But I recall the possibility that there is a component in some welders called a "rectifier". Can you see where one might get just a wee bit confused? If anybody out there knows the meaning of this word, and/or it's relationship to the welding world, please post it. Thanks!!!

[welderdude]

In simple terms, rectification simply means turning AC current into DC current with a rectifier; which is a diode. A diode is simply a 1-way check valve for electricity. I have no idea how "rectification" or "controlled lack of rectification" relates to high frequency stability.
What I do know is that without rectification, we would be using AC only transformer welders.

like usual, Wikipedia has some nice info in rectifiers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rectifier

[DaveO]

Miller's website has a presentation called "Electricity in Welding" that shows the electrical concepts specifically as applied in the welding process. It's heavily infused with "...and this is how it works in the Miller xxx machine" type of examples, as you might expect, but good info.
http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/basicelec/

I go back and review it every now and again. In that URL if you go up one level to http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/ there are separate sections with basic principles and techniques for stick, MIG, TIG, and plasma cutting.

Re: your post about inductance: there's an explanation of inductance in the basic electricity course under "Additional features".