Under the newly unveiled motto of “Connected by welding – united by passion”, Fronius presented a wide range of sophisticated welding solutions and comprehensive welding expertise at SCHWEISSEN & SCHNEIDEN in Essen. Among the highlights were the Fronius Fortis—the new manual MIG/MAG welding machine series setting new standards in flexibility and ease of use—and Velo, the Velocity Assistant that ensures perfect, reproducible seams with reduced physical strain thanks to assisted torch guidance and a constant welding speed. The Austrian welding experts also presented efficient robot and cobot applications as well as customized automation systems for every welding requirement. In addition Fronius celebrated 20 years of CMT and the incomparable precision it achieves.
This year, Fronius once again focused on the major drivers in the industry and demonstrated how modern welding technology can be economical, resource-efficient, and user-friendly. This is particularly relevant in view of increasing quality requirements in combination with a shortage of skilled workers. The entire booth was packed full of Fronius’ comprehensive expertise, from the new Fortis and Velo to manual welding systems, customized automation systems, smart cobot systems, and digital assistance tools.
“The trade fair was a complete success for us. As the innovation leader, we made the most of the opportunity to present our new product highlights and benefits to customers on European soil,” summarizes Peter Fronius, Head of System Solutions at Fronius International. The absolute highlight for visitors was the live welding stations directly on the trade fair booth. Over 600 guests took the opportunity to try out Velo and the new Fortis for themselves.
Fronius Fortis—flexible, networked, powerful
With the new Fortis series, Fronius presented an extremely versatile solution for high-quality manual MIG/MAG welding. The series sets new standards in the metalworking industry by combining robust technology, intuitive operation, and maximum connectivity. Visitors from small and medium-sized companies with diverse welding requirements in particular showed great interest in the new Fortis.
“With its many variants and multiprocess capability, Fortis is versatile and fit for the future. It is therefore the ideal and extremely flexible solution for companies with a wide range of applications,” adds Peter Fronius.
Technological innovation: Velocity Assistant
Fronius also presented the Velocity Assistant for manual MIG/MAG welding (or Velo for short) for the first time. The innovative system impressed visitors with its assisted torch guidance and constant welding speed. Welding specialists were able to try out Velo for themselves on site and experience how impressively the high-quality seams can be produced with reduced physical strain. At the heart of Velo is a second wire without an arc and additional gas feed, which makes it possible for the first time to control the welding speed during manual welding.
Depending on the application, speeds of up to 200 cm per minute are possible, to the astonishment of the assembled visitors. “Many interested parties drew comparisons with robots and were amazed that these speeds and this level of precision are now also possible under certain circumstances with manual welding,” says a satisfied Peter Fronius.
20 years of precision with CMT
Another highlight was the 20th anniversary of Cold Metal Transfer. CMT is the most stable MIG/MAG welding process and continues to impress with its unrivaled precision and stability as well as practically spatter-free results. Initially developed for the automotive industry, this technology is now indispensable in many different sectors and offers an enormous variety of possible applications worldwide.
“CMT was a milestone in welding technology and the invention that made many other technologies possible in the first place. The wealth of experience that we have built up over the last 20 years is constantly being used to develop even more specific applications that are optimized to meet customer requirements,” says Peter Fronius, giving an insight into Fronius’ comprehensive CMT expertise.
Full-service provider shows portfolio
The rest of the booth was also filled with a comprehensive portfolio of new products, including optimized welding torches, the large Artis (TIG) and Ignis (MMA) models, the new Ignis Battery, the new Seamwelder, and the latest from Fronius Additive and the Prototyping Center—all underlining Fronius’ expertise as a full-service provider in the manual and automated sectors. On the subject of health and safety, the Exento Low Vac and Exento High Vac welding fume extraction systems in combination with welding fume extraction torches and the Vizor welding helmets with forced-air ventilation impressed all visitors.
In all of this, there was a clear focus on the training and further development of welders. Welding specialists were thus able to get an idea of the possibilities offered by the Welducation Simulator and take a closer look at the features it offers. This was so well received that Fronius was honored with the IF Digital Award in silver.
Fit for the future with Fronius for 80 years
Fronius once again confirmed its position as the international technology leader at the trade fair and demonstrated that it is continuing to drive the industry forward with the world firsts it presented. In future Fronius intends to focus even more on collaboration projects and joint solutions with partners.
This and the success of the trade fair are only possible with a motivated team: “Our employees are experts in what they do. Each and every one of them brings a passion for welding that our customers also feel and appreciate,” says Peter Fronius, thanking the entire trade fair team in front of and behind the scenes.
