A
metal inert gas
arc welding process in which a multi-wire
welding torch (40) is mechanized along a path to execute a predetermined
weld seam on a workpiece (32, 100a, 100b, 101a, 101b), and in which a first arc (51) is generated between a first consumable wire
electrode (50) and the workpiece, and a second arc (61) is generated between a second consumable wire
electrode (60) and the workpiece to transfer wire
electrode material into a
weld pool, wherein the first wire electrode (50) is supplied by a first power source (4) and the second wire electrode (60) by a second power source (6), and at least a third wire (70) is fed directly into the
weld pool, wherein the first and second wire electrodes (50, 60) and the third wire (70) are guided in the multi-wire
welding torch (40) such that the wires exiting the multi-wire
welding torch (40) (50, 60,70) essentially lie in a common plane (GE) and that in the common plane the first wire electrode (50) and the second wire electrode (60) form an angle of equal magnitude with opposite signs to the third wire (70), characterized in that, during the execution of the
metal inert gas
arc welding process, starting from a predetermined direction of movement of the multi-wire
welding torch (40) to the
path line, the multi-wire
welding torch (40) is moved backwards on the
path line without rotation of the multi-wire
welding torch (40) to perform a reversal of movement, and with the beginning of the backward movement of the multi-wire welding torch (40), the third wire (70) is initially not fed into the
weld pool, and thereafter, in a transition phase, a
current source (5) of the third wire (70) is supplied starting from a predetermined initial operating value of at least one process parameter current,
Voltage and feed rate are controlled to a predetermined steady-state operating value of at least one process parameter.