> Well wire-bond (within IC packages) is a form of welding, so it's not so uncommon.. Also the electrodes within a vacuum tube were all welded.

Sure, but that is inside the components. This is on the outside, after the components themselves have been manufactured.

> Also wire welding is very common (it's the main technique) in automobile wiring harnesses.

That may be so today but it certainly wasn't in the 1960's.

And even today your typical automotive boars is just soldered. Makes me wonder whether satellites and current space and possibly aircraft circuitry is still manufactured like this.