Frontus welder

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We are currently looking at a Frontus welder to do some special applications where I work. Does anyone have any feedback on these machines as I am not very familer with the company. They also claim to be able to weld mild steel to aluminum using the mig process, they call it a dapper method. I was always told and from experence dont see how this can work, has anyone been able to actually do this?Miller XMT 304Lincoln Buzz BoxVictor Cutting Torch OutfitHobart Generator/Welder
Reply:I don't know anything about them, but are you sure you don't mean Fronius?MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Here's the USA website for Fronius' arc welding equipmenthttp://www.fronius.com/cps/rde/xchg/.../3022_3889.htmThey're a European company with an extremely good reputation.  I have not welded with their equipment personally.  But I wouldn't hesitate to compare them with Miller or Lincoln Electric.  I know that CRC-Evans has incorporated Fronius power supplies into some of their mechanized pipe welding equipment, but otherwise I don't think they do much business in the USA.And as far as welding steel to aluminum is concerned...I don't know of any arc welding process that can do this.  Aluminum and steel can be joined by explosive welding, and I think by friction stir welding, but that's about all I've heard.  I would be skeptical of anybody telling you that an arc welding process can join these two materials.Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:Fronius manufactures Magnatech's power supplies for their orbital GMAW/FCAW equipment.  It's good equipment, though there are some characteristics we wish had been improved more from a circuit protection standpoint (lightning strikes were a big problem for us on this job.)  We have had some faults and things of that nature with the electronics that required reprogramming/calibration, but nothing frequent/major.  Whoever said that you could use the GMAW process to actually weld aluminum and steel together were "misinformed."
Reply:Hello A_Dab, Fronius does have a GMAW process that joins aluminum to steel, it is "NOT" welded, it is joined(basically a type of brazing process in a sense) and is generally done robotically. Fronius is also one of the only aluminum GMAW welding systems that is approved by Ferrari for welding their aluminum framed vehicles. Just a bit of information for your consideration. Check out their website for a more concise explanation of this GMAW process. Best regards, Allanaevald
Reply:Saw the Fronius welders at the Fabtech show. Very nice machines! (I'm not just saying that because I won a helmet at thier booth.) Technically the aluminum is being brazed to the steel, and it can be done manually. Watched the kid running the machine do it. If I remember correctly, it has to be galvanized steel. They don't have a large market in the US yet, but they are trying to get into the market over here.
Reply:From my point of view I will never buy or recommend any Fronius product to anyone again. I purchased a Transpocket 1500 tig welder in 2006 hoping it would be the last welder I had to buy. Since then until December 2009 it has welded only approx 0.5 kg. of electrodes and about an hour of stainless tig welding.When i went to use it in December 2009 the unit would not power up so it was returned to Fronius Australia for checking, and two months later I was advised the main board had a problem and had to be replaced.So my ``QUALITY`` investment was going to cost $Aust. $700 to fix so $2800.00 for three hours welding is not what I quite expected when i purchased the Machine. So now I have one of the most expensive paper weights in Australia I suppose. Thank You for standing behind the ``QUALITY`` of your products, Fronius. Fronius Australia was of no help at all!I even e-mailed their headquarters in Austria and got no reply from them.
Reply:The welding process is call CMT (Cold Metal Transfer) We can weld aluminum to galvenized steel. It has to be galvenized not just cold roll. It brazes the galvenized and welds the aluminum. You can find Fronius videos on youtube.com