The Netherlands Institute of Lastechniek and the French welding portal, www.soudeur.com along with www.weldinghistory.org have amassed a small collection of images covering welding machines from the 20th Century.

We do not have much information to provide concerning the technical characteristics of each machine, but we are offering this thought: when you view the images, look at the utilitarian styling that make these machines look different, yet they appear very much the same.

Can we design a machine that does not represent the past?  Or is this the only way a welding machine may appear?