Method and apparatus for the production of a welding seam or a three-dimensional structure on a surface of a metallic work piece

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus (1) for the production of a welding seam or a three-dimensional structure (26) on a surface of a metallic work piece (14) with the help of a welding torch (7) for carrying out a welding process with a welding wire (9) guided in a welding torch (7), whereby an electric arc (13) is ignited between the welding wire (9) and the work piece (14), and for stabilizing the electric arc (13) a laser (27′) for emitting a laser beam (27) with a maximum power of 2000 W is arranged, with a point of impact being on that position of the work piece (14) where the welding seam or structure (26) is produced. An improvement of the stabilization of the electric arc (13) is obtained if the laser (27′) is connected to a means (28) for the control of the laser (27′), which control means (28) is designed to activate the laser beam (27) prior to the ignition of the electric arc (13).