Fronius, the innovation leader in arc welding, is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its revolutionary Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) welding process. Since its introduction in 2005, CMT has changed the world of welding for good and set new standards in precision, stability, and versatility.
The CMT process is based on a reversing wire movement that enables controlled droplet detachment. This movement ensures a stable arc and minimizes heat input.
This results in almost spatter-free, clean welds that have a high quality and aesthetics. Another advantage of the CMT process is the low thermal load on the workpiece. This reduces distortion and deformation, which is an enormous advantage especially when working with sheets as thin as 0.3 millimeters and temperature-sensitive materials. Precise control of the welding process helps tackle demanding welding tasks with the highest degree of accuracy.
CMT opens up the possibility of joining different materials together. For example, galvanized steel and aluminum can be welded safely and reliably. This creates scope for creative solutions in the production process.
Variety of applications in different industries
“Over the last two decades, CMT has established itself as a versatile welding process that is used in numerous industries. Sometimes even we are impressed by the diversity and creativity with which our customers use CMT to their advantage and to solve their welding challenges,” says Franziska Eichhorn, Strategic Product Manager, Fronius International.
The automotive industry, for example, uses CMT to join thin sheets and lightweight materials such as aluminum, ensuring strong and reliable connections for vehicle frames and components.
CMT has also proven its worth in the aerospace industry, where the process allows the welding of high-strength and lightweight materials that are essential for the construction of aircraft and spacecraft.
In addition, due to the outstanding stability of the welding process, CMT is used in 3D printing or in the electronics industry, where it is used to braze components precisely.
Intelligent air gap detection and edge detection thanks to CMT
CMT’s back-and-forth movement of the wire has also revolutionized robotic welding with the WireSense intelligent assistance system. This significantly improves the seam quality and efficiency by detecting inaccuracies and deviations in industrial production and avoiding them by means of the CMT welding process. The welding wire serves as a precise sensor that precisely determines the position of the weld and dynamically adjusts it. This saves material, time, and costs, as rework and rejects are reduced.
CMT is fit for the future
“The decisive factor is the perfect interaction of the components and the precision with which they are controlled,” emphasizes Eichhorn. “The harmony with which our intelligent welding machines and the Robacta Drive CMT drive unit—in other words the second wirefeeder directly on the torch—work together is still unmatched today and is constantly being further developed to meet the increasing demands of the industry. And the best thing about it: CMT can be easily retrofitted to all intelligent Fronius devices.”
Over the years, the innovation leader has continued to perfect CMT and developed application-specific optimized welding characteristics such as CMT Mix, CMT Cycle Step, CMT Cladding, and CMT Braze.
LaserHybrid CMT, on the other hand, combines the advantages of laser welding with CMT technology. When used on high-strength steels and aluminum components, this combination boasts high speed, quality, and cost-effectiveness. A highly focused laser beam that penetrates the base material with a high energy density is immediately followed by the CMT process, which increases the seam volume and can further reduce the heat input.
The latest achievements are the CMT Additive Pro characteristics optimized for metal 3D printing, which take additive manufacturing to a new level.
The Fronius team are looking forward to demonstrating CMT and their other innovations at the SCHWEISSEN & SCHNEIDEN trade show in Essen, Stand 3B55, and at FABTECH in Chicago, Stand B29001. You can find more details about the presentations, new products, and expert talks at the stand from the welding specialist Fronius
We are Fronius.
Around 6,700 employees worldwide at the end of 2024, a current export share of 90 percent, and 1,752 active patents: that’s us, that’s Fronius. Founded in 1945 as a regional one-man operation, we are now a global industrial company—a fact that is impressively demonstrated by our 37 international subsidiaries and our network of sales partners in more than 60 countries. And yet, at heart, we are still a family-owned company from Austria working in the electrical and electronics industry. Fronius Welding continues to revolutionize welding technology, while Fronius Solar & Energy focuses on making the best possible use of solar energy and optimizing battery charging systems for intralogistics. For 80 years, we have kept our sights set on the same clear goal: Researching electricity and making efficient use of this fuel of the future. We develop products and solutions for a future worth living in, offering our customers an all-in-one package extending from advance planning and consulting to ongoing monitoring and a repair service tailored to their specific needs. We are innovative. We are curious. We are Fronius.
Fronius Welding.
Maximum arc quality, a deep understanding of our customers, a thirst for technical progress: We are the innovation leader for arc welding and the global market leader for robot-assisted welding. Our customized, automated complete systems and digital welding solutions for Industry 5.0 are the product of our expertise. Intuitive welding systems for manual welding applications, high-quality welding accessories, and effective protective products to keep users safe round off our portfolio. As a global company, we offer regional service through local teams who are on hand for our customers around the world. Our technologies break new ground and form connections – between metals, industries, and people.