GMAW platform captures increased arc information

Fronius offers the TPS/i modular GMAW appliance platform. According to the manufacturer, the platform provides a stable arc, low spatter, and high efficiency and penetration.

The process control system is about 2,000 times faster than in the previous-generation platform, the company says, capturing more information about the arc and enabling it to be regulated with high precision. The high-speed bus (SpeedNet) that links system components such as the torch and the wire feeder to the power source transmits data many times faster than its predecessors, helping to ensure short reaction times and better control, the company states.

This system is the first to compute the instantaneous temperature at the end of the wire electrode, calculate the necessary (lowered) ignition energy, and then control the power source accordingly. This helps stabilize the arc quickly. During the actual welding process, integrated intelligence adapts the wire feed speed to the actual contact tip-to-workpiece distance (CTWD) rapidly and precisely.

The arc length is readjusted in a shorter time so that the penetration is subject to fewer fluctuations. The wire electrode is retracted at the same time as the welding current is limited, preventing droplet formation and the spattering that would come with it, as well as wire burnback.