Product category:
Welding, cutting and adhesive bonding
News Release from: TPS-Fronius | Subject: CMT
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 01 September 2006
CMT wins the race: faster, higher,
further!
"Cold Metal Transfer" - CMT - means "faster" welding speed, "higher" productivity, and going "further" to bridge gaps, compared to conventional arc-welding processes
TPS Fronius is already reporting successful implementation of CMT (Cold Metal Transfer) in numerous batch production applications The more varied welding and soldering applications are, the more "Olympian" are the special features of CMT: "faster" welding speed, "higher" productivity, going "further" to bridge gaps than conventional arc-welding processes
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 21 Jun 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
The new revolution in digital GMA welding: CMT
CMT: Three letters, but one new technology: innumerable benefits! CMT stands for Cold Metal Transfer: reduced thermal input leads to advantages such as low distortion and higher precision
Highlights at the Schweissen und Schneiden fair
Fronius will be unveiling some important innovations at the 'Schweissen und Schneiden' fair in Essen, like TransPocket and CMT welding systems, that will give visitors plenty to think about
It ensures less distortion and gives uniform seams with no spatter.
CMT is just as suited to the small firm with one automated welding workstation as it is for batch production in large-scale industry.
"We are confident that the innovative CMT process will bring about a dramatic transformation in our products" states Dr Hiroshi Yamagata, R+D Operation Chief Engineer at Yamaha Motors Japan.
Further reading
Spatter-free welding - even manually!
The familiar acronym CMT (Cold Metal Transfer) can now also be used in manual welding, achieving improved manual welding productivity and quality
A review of three years of CMT welding
Since it was launched on the market in 2005, the CMT (cold metal transfer) process has revolutionised thermal joining practice, as an innovative joining process
Compact class makes welders dreams come true
More compact performance, lower noise level, more stable arc and easier operation than conventional welding devices are the features of the new TIG welding systems by TPS-Fronius
His colleagues and production executives in the German automobile industry take a similar view.
Some have already integrated the CMT process into production, as have their suppliers and other manufacturers of light-gauge steel.
Below are three typical application examples.
1): Joining thick/thin light-gauge sheets, such as double-walled bellows made from sheets of 0.4 and 2 mm CrNi.
2): Filigree housing frames made of 2 mm V2A sheeting for switch cabinets.
3): Visible aluminium structural components on convertibles, made from 2 mm extruded piping welded to 4 mm sheet steel crossbeams.
Soldering processes are used to join sheets of galvanized bodywork on particularly conspicuous and therefore highly visible sections of luxury limousines.
All those who use it comment on the high-quality results and economic benefits.
The seams display excellent uniformity.
This even applies to light-gauge sheeting with gaps more than 1 mm wide.
Because heat application is significantly lower - 20 to 30% in bodywork soldering - distortion is dramatically reduced.
For example, this halves sinkage of the base metal, thus drastically minimising the amount of manual rework required.
In addition the seams are totally spatter-free, both when welding and soldering.
The total time saved in rework alone amounts to 90%.
In the body workshop of a global player in the automobile industry this equates to 2 hours on average.
In intensively competitive industries, this can be an important factor in deciding where to locate a plant.
The CMT process.
The name "Cold Metal Transfer" hints at a crucial difference from the conventional GMA (gas metal arc) process: significantly less heat applied to the metals to be joined.
Key features of this "intelligent" process are a process controlled "oscillating" wirefeed synchronised with the digitally-controlled arc.
When the digital control detects the short circuit phase, it reduces the welding current and retracts the wire by a certain amount.
This assists precise droplet transfer.
The system then increases the current once more and feeds the wire forward.
The cycle frequency can be as much as 70 Hz.
The alternating steps generate the "hot" and "cold" phases and apply only as much heat to the workpiece as is required for the desired metallurgical process.
• TPS-Fronius: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Processingtalk email newsletter
• Processingtalk Home Page
