Shifting the limitS
Transcription
Shifting the limitS
/ Battery Charging Systems / Welding Technology / Solar Electronics / Battery Charging Systems / Welding Technology / Solar Electronics WE HAVE THREE DIVISIONS AND ONE PASSION: SHIFTING THE LIMITS. / What Günter Fronius started in 1945 in Pettenbach, Austria, has now become a modern day success story. Today, the company has more than 3,000 employees worldwide and owns 737 active patents. Since the very beginning, our goal has not changed: to be the technology and quality leader. We shift the limits of what‘s possible. While others progress step by step, we innovate in leaps and bounds. SOLAR ELECTRONICS / The greatest challenge of our time is to make the leap to a regenerative energy supply. Our vision is to use renewable energy to achieve energy independence. With our mainsconnected inverters and products for monitoring photovoltaics systems, we are now one of the leading suppliers in solar electronics. v03 2011 EN WELDING TECHNOLOGY / We develop welding technologies, such as entire systems for arc and resistance spot welding, and have set ourselves the task of making impossible weld joints possible. Our aim is to decode the »arc welding‘s DNA«. We are the technology leader worldwide and the market leader in Europe. Shifting the limits: With a free weld+vision subscription. Text and images correspond to the current state of technology at the time of printing. Subject to modifications. All information is without guarantee in spite of careful editing - liability excluded. Copyright © 2011 Fronius™. All rights reserved. BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEMS / We started a technological revolution with Active Inverter Technology and are now one of the leading suppliers in Europe. We are driven by the aim of providing intelligent energy management systems that ensure mobility stays as economically viable as possible in the twenty-first century. Welding Technology magazine / N° 27 / April 2012 Further information about all Fronius products and our global sales partners and representatives can be found at www.fronius.com The ‘issues’ that count! Every issue, the Fronius weld+vision magazine brings you information and behind-the-scenes reporting from the world of welding. Why not let your colleagues and friends benefit as well? Simply sign them up for a gift subscription to weld+vision. Shifting the limits weld+vision is opinion-forming. M,06,0045,EN, 7.250 copies The editorial team of the Fronius magazine would dearly love to know: What do you really think of weld+vision? Send us your reactions, suggestions, praise, criticism ... we await them with great interest! Fronius International GmbH, Froniusplatz 1, 4600 Wels, Österreich, Telefon +43 7242 241-0, Telefax +43 7242 241-953940, sales@fronius.com, www.fronius.com Change / What does it take to make the impossible possible? Speed squad / Students build their own racing-car with MagicWave. Looking east / Poland’s architectural gem, Gliwice, is definitely worth a visit. Contents Cover story............................ 3–6 / The Fronius Executive Management lives out the team spirit for the whole company (from l. to r.): / Otto Schuster / Thomas Herndler / Volker Lenzeder / Elisabeth Engelbrechtsmüller-Strauss / Herbert Mühlböck / Heinz Hackl / What distinguishes limit-shifting ideas Totally R&D............................ 7–11 / Milestones in developmental history / Product innovation: CMT Twin Brief and to the point... 12–13 Innovation........................... 14–15 Dear Readers; / How does innovation come about? What makes change happen? Who are the people who come up with new ideas? Do the individuals who change their world have any traits in common? For our cover story, we wanted to find out what makes innovators the people they are. So we looked at the biographies and mindsets of Steve Jobs, Werner Heisenberg and Nelson Mandela, as well as those of Antoine de Saint Exupéry and extreme climber Michael Kemeter, and found some surprising similarities. These also extend to the Fronius developer team, which has a decades-long track record of researching into how seemingly nature-given limits can be shifted. In the process, it has come up with / New country headquarters innovations like a cold arc, a symbiosis of a laser and an arc, and an unvaryingly constant contact tip, and developed these to the point of readiness for serial production. When it comes to ‘shifting limits’ in the service field, Welding Technology Divisional Manager Wolfgang Lattner illustrates what this means with several amusing anecdotes from his 35 years on the job. So we hope that there will be ‘no limits’ to the enjoyment you get from reading this new issue of weld+vision either! A few words on our cover picture: Shifting the limits. Making the impossible possible. It’s not just people who have this ability, but the power of nature, too, can bring forth things that reason might tell us were impossible. Like a tender little shoot pushing up through a tiny crack in the asphalt, stretching its freshly unfurled leaves towards the sun. / System solutions in shipbuilding Case studies........................ 16–19 / Technical University of Prague makes racing car with help from Fronius / DeltaSpot for the Porsche Panamera The company....................... 20–21 / We are where our customers are Travel Tip............................. 22–23 / Gliwice: architectural jewel and economic hub Publisher’s imprint: ‘weld+vision’ is the customer magazine of Fronius International GmbH, Welding Technology Division Design: reklamebüro GmbH Responsible for contents: Fronius International GmbH, Froniusplatz 1, A 4600 Wels, Austria, weld.vision@fronius.com, www.fronius.com Registered trademarks and tradenames have not generally been identified as such. The absence of any such identification does not mean that the name in question is an unregistered name for the purposes of product and trademark law. Cover story / 3 Breaking the bounds of the impossible / Michael Kemeter. A man who goes where no one has been before. From Antoine de Saint-Exupéry to Werner Heisenberg: New ideas need boldness and strong values / People change the world. Obvious – nothing new about that. But what makes the people tick who really change our world? What do they do differently from everyone else? How do they manage to shift limits in such a way that something genuinely new comes into being? weld+vision has looked into this and come up with some answers. © Alexandre Buisse 4 / Cover story / “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” Steve Jobs / “To make the possible happen, the impossible has to be attempted over and over again.” This observation of Hermann Hesse’s neatly sums up what ‘limit shifting’ is all about. Trailblazers and pathbreakers have a series of character traits that make them immune to critics, doubters and waverers. Attributes like boldness, determination, passion, curiosity, staying-power. Wi l l i n g n e s s t o t h i n k differently, to look critically at rules and not to give up in disappointment at the first obstacle – these are the things that set those people apart who then go on to change the world we live in. This has been known for millennia. As no lesser sage than Marcus Tullius Cicero long ago recognised: “By doubting we come at truth.” This does not mean that all the accumulated experience and thought of the past should now be thrown overboard. What it does mean is that the individuals who bring about lasting change have such broad and profound skill and knowledge that they are able to see beyond dogmas and seek out new ways of doing things. Nobel Prize winners James Watson and Francis Crick, the discoverers of the structure of DNA, put it like this: “If you really want to change anything, you have to show respect – but still be disrespecful.” The genius of an inquiring individual, coupled with a canon of values that provides certainty: this is a potent combination that can nullify boundaries, deliver aston ishing insights, lay down new ground-rules and then change the world as a result. Which is precisely what the great change-drivers have done that we want to introduce you to here, in each case with reference to one outstanding character trait. Heart and soul: Steve Jobs In a moving speech at Stanford University, Steve Jobs, the recently deceased founder of Apple, called upon his listeners not to accept limitations: “Don’t be trapped by dogma ... Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.” But Steve Jobs also knew that his success was not down to his genius alone: “The people who are doing the work are the moving force... My job is to create a space for Cover story / 5 / Antoine de Saint Exupéry: his love of flying inspired him to create some of the most beautiful works of world literature. them, to clear out the rest of the organisation and keep it at bay.” With this concept, he unleashed a slew of revolutionary developments. When he unveiled the iPod music player in 2001, Jobs was laughed at by many. Yet despite being more expensive than other players, it quickly became the market leader. Two years later came the online shop iTunes which soon turned Apple into the world’s largest music retailer. The launch of the iPhone changed the world for good, yet again. This novel smartphone is not so much a telephone as an everyday technical companion. It looks for the best restaurants in the vicinity, checks urgent e-mails, reminds you about important business appointments, plays with you or acts as your virtual photo album. Then the iPad shifted another limit: tablet PCs had long been considered a dead-end, but Apple’s offering went massmarket straight away. Thousands of apps, many of them already well established on the iPhone, let users do even more with their iPads. Nevertheless, Steve Jobs knew that the success of a new idea is far from inevitable: “And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition... Everything else is secondary.” daredeviL: miChaeL kemeter Somebody who literally takes his courage in both hands (and both feet!) is Michael Kemeter, several-times winner of the Slackline World Championship. Slacklining is the modern day form of tightrope walking. Yo u ’ l l n o r m a l l y f i n d slackliners practising on ropes slung between trees in the park. For Michael Kemeter, that was not enough: He goes where no-one has dared go before, to tackle the most dangerous slackline-walks the world has to offer. Like Taft Point in Yosemite Valley, California. On a 30 m long slackline suspended 1000 m above the valley floor! Is it just an appetite for risk that drives him on? No, says this young Austrian: “Balance, coordination and concentration are the principal factors for me. It’s only when I’m absolutely sure that all these factors are optimally intercommunicating that I can grow beyond myself in important situations and start to cross the boundaries of the seemingly impossible.” enthuSiaSm: antoine de Saint-exupéry “Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away”. This surprisingly modern statement is from Antoine de SaintExupéry, author of the masterpiece ‘The Little Prince’. For him, flying was an essential passion for which his enthusiasm found its way into all his books. He summed up his experience of life in pithy sayings that have enriched contemporary literature with some of its most ‘quotable’ quotations. One such, which fits our topic perfectly, is this: “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.” 6 / Cover story “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” / Nelson Mandela / Postage stamp issued by Deutsche Post AG in 2001 to mark the 100th birthday of Werner Heisenberg SurpriSing: Werner heiSenberg At the beginning of the 20th century, physicists believed that given enough computational capacity, it would be possible to calculate the whole world. Everything seemed to be predictable. Until Werner Heisenberg turned this thinking upside down and discovered that randomness was not an insignificant factor in the construction plan of the universe. His ‘uncertainty principle’ states that a property to be measured will only take on a certain value at the very instant of measurement, and that physical values such as position and momentum or time and energy cannot be determined simultaneously with any accuracy. Thus was born the theoretical under- pinning of quantum mechanics, which in turn constitutes the basis of all modern physics. It was only through quantum mechanics that a deeper understanding of matter became possible, explaining why atoms are stable, why metals conduct electricity, or how a laser works. At the time, the finding that there is no reality detached from the observer provoked fierce resistance from the classic scientific community, of course. Even Albert Einstein was taken aback by the randomness component of this theory, and went so far as to say that “God doesn’t play dice.” Today, quantum mechanics is the most thoroughly verified and confirmed theory there is, influencing not only modern physics but also electronics, optics and anything from nanotechnology to chemistry and molecular biology. enduranCe: neLSon mandeLa Think about ‘endurance’, and it won’t be long until the name ‘Nelson Mandela’ springs to mind. As a campaigner against the apartheid system in his home country of South Africa, and a political opponent of the then regime, he was kept in prison for nearly 10,000 days, at times under inhumane conditions. However, even in his prison cell, his resistance was unbroken: In the feared Robben Island prison, he organised discussion circles and lectures and taught imprisoned illiterates to read and write. Before long, the gaol was known as ‘Robben Island University’, in which even the white guards attended the courses. Under pressure from international sanctions and following tough negotiations, the regime freed Nelson Mandela in 1990. To this day, he is revered as the Father of the Rainbow Nation: “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” Totally R&D / 7 miLeStoneS in our deveLopmentaL hiStory / “We make impossible weld-joints possible, because we keep going where others quit”, runs the claim of the Fronius Welding Technology Division. A look back over the past decades will make quite clear what is meant by this. Ever since 1950, Fronius engineers have been developing innovative welding technologies and bringing these developmental advances to successful operational fruition. Decoding the ‘DNA of the arc’ has always been the vision inspiring these new developments, and the foundation on which they are built. 8 / Totally R&D Innovative for decades “We take a broad-minded and open approach to many things. Deliberately. Because every limitation diminishes our scope for looking into the future”, says Klaus Fronius, the company’s Managing Director of many years, outlining how he has always allowed plenty of room for new ideas. Radically new ideas. This is how visions turn into economically advantageous innovations and solutions that are always a step ahead. As happened in 1981 with the world’s first primary transistor-switched MIG/MAG inverter power sources. Or in 1997, when the firstever fully digitised welding systems were unveiled. CMT: 99 % less spatter Cold arc: Can’t be done? Oh yes it can! Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) is one of the most radical innovations Fronius has ever developed. Making it feasible to weld steel to aluminium verges on the discovery of welding’s ‘Holy Grail’. Something that many metallurgists considered impossible. A cyclical forward-and-back motion of the welding wire markedly reduces the thermal input, resulting in very many applicational advantages: e.g. minimal distortion, up to 99 % less spatter, higher welding speeds, ultra-light-gauge joints from 0.3 mm, and joining steel to aluminium. CMT today is a welding process that is combined with pulsed arc and pole reversal of the wire electrode and that is also possible as a tandem process (CMT Twin). So the metallurgical limits have had to be completely redrawn. A unique world ‘first’. CMT: ultra-lightgauge joint 1 mm / 0.04 in. / Dip-transfer arc / CMT CMT: superior gap-bridging ability / Aluminium 0.3 mm, Vweld = 6.4 m/min CMT joins steel to aluminium 2 mm 2.5 mm 2 mm / CMT Advanced Pulse I: 97 A, U: 11.9 V, Vwire: 6 m, Vweld: 60 cm/min / Steel/aluminium hybrid join Totally R&D / 9 LaSerhybrid: at the Speed of Light Sometimes, combining existing solutions is all it takes to ‘shift limits’. This is what Fronius did with LaserHybrid. A decisive increase in the depth and speed of welding is the result. With convincing synergies: shorter fabrication times, welding speeds of up to 9 m/min, deeper penetration and narrow seams, yet less thermal input. ConteC: ContaCting that StayS on the move Abrasion used to be a non-influenceable disturbance-variable affecting the contact tip: By progressively wearing down the inside of a conventional contact tip, the wire gradually altered the size and position of the contact surface. This is why Fronius looked for a new solution, and devised the Contec contacting system. The old-style tube has now been split into two flexible half-shells. These keep the contact surfaces, and the contact forces between the tube and the wire, exactly in Contec and contacting zone Initially the defined target range. The wire stays held firmly, positively and non-positively, in the middle of the outlet. Among the advantages are process stability, up to seven times longer endurance times, and materials usage that is reduced by a fifth. deLtaSpot: the eLeCtrode that’S neW every time Electrodes wear out – that used to be a ‘fact of life’ in day-to-day welding operations. And a limitation that Fronius shifted with Delta Spot. Because the unique thing about this novel resistance spot-welding process is its constantly unreeling ‘process tape’. After every spot that is welded, this process tape spools on, to present an unused electrode-spot. Spot for spot, a ‘new’ electrode, then, meaning that the contact surface always stays clean, with identically high-quality starting-conditions. All the time. Every weld-spot has a unique fingerprint, which can be replicated exactly, with zero spatter. LaserHybrid butt-weld DeltaSpot: 3-sheet steel joint 5 mm 0.2 in. After wear 12 mm/0.47 in 7.9 mm 0.31 in. 0.8 mm/0.03 in 1.5 mm/0.06 in 2.0 mm/0.08 in / Through-welded on one side / Materials: DC06+ZE75/75, HX 340LAD Z110, HCT 690TD Z100 LaserHybrid fillet weld DeltaSpot: 3-sheet aluminum joint 7.9 mm 0.31 in. 5 mm 0.2 in. 6 mm/ 0.24 in 1.25 mm/0.05 in 1.50 mm/0.06 in / The versatile half-shells ensure constant contacting, even when they are subject to increasing wear. The penetration remains constant and unchanged. 1.50 mm/0.06 in / Through-welded on one side / Materials: EN AW 6014, EN AW 6016, EN AW 6016 10 / Totally R&D CMT Twin: The fastest way to weld / CMT Twin is based on the same set-up as the tried-andtested TimeTwin process: two power sources, one torch and two insulated contact tips (‘Lead’ and ‘Trail’). To which have been added the outstanding welding properties of CMT. CMT Twin scores top marks for its high welding speeds and easy-to-use process control. In short: no need for any time-wasting parametrisation work. / Superior productivity and efficiency with CMT Twin: two power sources, one torch and two insulated contact tips, plus the outstanding welding properties of CMT. Totally R&D / 11 What makes CMT Twin so special? The new process is characterised by high productivity and cost efficiency, thanks to two positive effects: The improved penetration behaviour means that even though the output power is the same as in the conventional tandem process, the penetration is deeper. This is because the leading arc penetrates the base metal more deeply, after which the weld-pool is filled by the trailing arc from the second electrode. What is more, the high welding speeds also hold out the potential for considerable savings, as the reduced thermal input means that there is less post-weld straightening work to be done. By minimising post-weld machining, this makes for shorter cycle times. The new synchronised weld start-up is the only system of its kind on the market, ensuring a stable arc right from the outset. With uniform wetting to sidewalls, and optimum penetration right from the very start of welding, the system creates the ideal preconditions for superior seam appearance along the entire length of the weld. The optimally fine-tuned characteristics and the ‘Lead & Trail’ concept together make the process control of CMT Twin so easy to use. Once the ‘Lead’ electrode has been set, the ‘Trail’ electrode which follows it is automatically adjusted to match. Never before have welding processes been better selfregulated than this. Combining the CMT and pulsed-arc processes in this way makes possible the best result for every application. What else does CMT Twin have to offer? CMT Twin also has huge potential for welding with CO2 gas. It not only offers low-spatter welding results due to the perfect droplet detachment that is typical of the CMT process, but also a graduated choice between twice the welding speed and twice the deposition rate, as required. In addition, CMT Twin comes with optimally fine-tuned characteristics for every application. Extra-thick materials are best welded with the ‘Heavy Duty’ characteristic. CMT Twin Speed is superbly well-suited for thin and ultralight gauge sheets and/or the very highest welding speeds. The use of CMT technology – in particular, mechanical droplet detachment – means that its excellent gap-bridging ability is now also available on CMT Twin. The new and extremely robust heavy-duty torch Twin Compact Pro allows good accessibility to the weldments. In addition, there are torch packages that are optimally tailored for every application. Power, speed and efficiency: CMT Twin, a fast, low-spatter, double-wire process. TimeTwin double-wire CMT Twin / Steel lap-weld, 3 mm Vweld 200 cm/min Vwire total 24 m/min Vweld 300 cm/min Vwire total 23 m/min / Steel fillet weld, 10 mm Vweld 90 cm/min Vwire total 26 m/min Because the ‘Lead’ and ‘Trail’ wirefeed speeds can be adjusted separately, it is also possible to set two different deposition rates, as required. / The ‘Lead’ electrode is in pulsed-arc mode, and the ‘Trail’ electrode (in CMT mode) fills the weld-pool to the required ‘a’-dimension. Minimal mutual influence of the arcs, and a stable weld-pool, are among the defining features of this process. Vweld 150 cm/min Vwire total 24 m/min 12 / Brief and to the point Three new country headquarters Internationalisation of Welding Technology Division continues apace / Fronius is continuing to grow and has recently opened new country HQs giving it a local presence in the UK, Spain and Poland. Service and product quality, and expert knowhow, are the ideal basis for providing direct customer care and support. / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Since 2nd Jan. 2012, Fronius España S.L.U. has also been responsible for serving weldingtechnology customers and enquirers, as the direct local point of contact for arc-welding, resistance spot-welding and automation in Spain. The company’s initial staff of 16 aim to strengthen our position on the Spanish welding-technology market and make Fronius more accessible for customers. Fronius is the market leader in the robotics and automotive fields in Spain, and ranks among the Top 3 suppliers of manual welding systems (2011 market study). The worldwide technological leader and European market leader chose to locate in Leganés, in Greater Madrid. Nationwide customer care coverage is ensured by four additional regional sales and service teams. / Spain – Fronius España S.L.U. Brief and to the point / 13 / / UK – FRONIUS UK Limited / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Since 1.1.2012 Fronius UK Limited, based at Kingston in Milton Keynes, has represented the Welding Technology Division as well. The firm started up in February 2010 with the Solar Electronics Division, followed by the Battery Charging Systems Division in September 2011. Ably assisted by 13 superbly well-trained staff, Fronius UK offers its customers innovative systems in the fields of arc and resistance spot welding, and of automation. First-rate service and closeness to customers are to be assured by the three planned sales and service teams. Now that this step has been accomplished, expansion of the Fronius brand in the UK can shift into high gear. / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / New location in France Since November 2011, Fronius France has been servicing its clients from its new premises in Roissy. The French subsidiary was set up in Senlis in 1993 to represent the Welding Technology Division. The Battery Charging Systems and Solar Electronics Divisions followed in 2009. The new premises house a distribution and service centre and warehousing space for the entire product line. The reasons for the move are largely to do with the advantageous location of Roissy, which is close to Charles de Gaulle Airport and centrally placed for easy access to and from all regions of France. Here too, the goal of being able to get to the customers as quickly as possible has been achieved. State-of-the art technologies and wide-ranging technical knowledge are the key to success. Poland – Fronius Polska Sp.z o.o. Based in Gliwice, Fronius Polska Sp.z o.o. has been the direct point of contact with the Welding Technology Division in Poland since 9th Jan. 2012. In the Polish welding market, Fronius offers solutions for MIG/MAG, TIG, MMA, laser, plasma and resistance spot-welding, as well as for automation. With their excellent technical equipment and highly capable contact staff, the national TechSupport and the Repair Centre provide first-class service. Since January 2012, two sales and service teams have been ensuring that customers receive the fastest support possible. Two more such teams are planned for Gdańsk and Poznań. Customers will also benefit from services such as calibration, warranty extensions and maintenance contracts. / / / / 14 / Innovations MORE PERFORMANCE IN SHIPBUILDING SYSTEM SOLUTIONS WELD MORE ECONOMICALLY / The developers at Fronius have further enhanced their know-how and adapted it specifically to the needs of welding experts in shipyards and other metalworking sectors. Steel is the predominant material in shipbuilding and crane construction and in the hydraulic and offshore engineering fields. With its ‘Steel Transfer Technology’ package of characteristics, the TransSteel welding system gives users a tool with an exceptionally stable arc and extreme ease of operation. There are three characteristics for flux-cored wire (rutile, basic or metal powder) or for solid wire. Fronius has developed several additional characteristics specifically for the shipbuilding industry: ‘Steel Prime’ is designed to facilitate welding over primer coatings, ‘Steel Root’ is for good gap-bridging ability and roots, while ‘Steel Dynamic’ is ideal for deep penetration and small included angles. When welding aluminium, it is vital to prevent an oxide skin from forming during the fusion process. This layer would hinder and even stop the entire arc process. Among the other challenges posed by aluminium are that it has nearly twice the thermal elongation of steel, and high thermal conductivity. For these applications, Fronius offers the MIG welding systems of its TransPuls Synergic series, with the special programs of the Yard Edition and characteristics for common alloys and filler metals. Hull and superstructure (aluminium) Outside of hull (steel, with solid wire) 6 mm/0.24 in / Excellent gap-bridging ability with the TransSteel 5000 MIG/ MAG system (Steel Root). / SyncroPuls on the TPS 2700 delivers superlative seam appearance and saves on oscillating motions. Moss-Rosenberg aluminium LNG tank (Al alloy, 6 passes) Panel line butt-weld (steel) / Extremely low porosity, very high deposition rate in PF position, narrow-gap with TimeTwin tandem system. 10 mm/0.39 in ALUMINIUM 60 mm/2.36 in SOLUTIONS FOR STEEL / Simultaneous welding with TimeTwin (PA) and CMT (PE) delivers high welding speed and minimal distortion, and requires no manipulation of the components. Innovations / 15 high performanCe A milestone in the development of highperformance welding is tandem welding, in which two wire electrodes melt simultaneously in a weld-pool under a shielding-gas atmosphere. The TimeTwin Digital welding system has the additional qualitative benefit that the second arc improves dilution in the fluid weld-pool, greatly reducing fusion defects and porosity. On smaller fillet welds of dimension a3 to a4, it permits a doubling of welding speeds in the horizontal welding position. LaSerhybrid Combining the digital GMA (gas metal arc) process with a laser beam is predestined for use on long seams where great welding depth and extrastrong joins are required. The welding speed with LaserHybrid is immense, 2 to 3 times higher than with GMA welding alone. The laser beam brings great weld penetration depth and high speed. The GMA process which follows the laser provides good gapbridging ability and simple weld-seam preparation. This has major advantages for shipyard panel lines, for example, in ensuring singlesided root fusion on butt and fillet welds. Transfer), Fronius offers a much faster and more efficient alternative whose reduced heat input leads to less distortion and to significant savings. In typical applications, the CMT process leaves behind a near-surface base-metal component of nearly zero, right from the very first layer. CLadding As well as assuring a protective function in aggressive environments such as salt water, another typical application for cladding is on sealing faces and slide-bearing surfaces. Whether it is used for repairs or surface-finishing, the principle behind cladding is always the same: A layer of high-grade material is welded onto the ‘inferior’ base metals. In order to achieve the stipulated purity in the applied high-grade material, welders using the GMA process have to clad the relevant places repeatedly (as many as 5 times). This is because of the mingling of the base and filler metals in the molten zone. With CMT (Cold Metal meChaniSation Fronius also provides intelligent solutions for panel production and for mounting pipework, with its FDV traversing unit. The magnetic FVD traversing unit is ideal for universal applications in mechanised longitudinal seam welding (MIG/MAG). Its integral permanent magnet ensures optimum wheel traction and lets users perform vertical welding tasks without needing a rail system. When it comes to the production and mounting of pipework, orbital welding systems are simply ideal. The use of intelligent control systems and power sources, coupled with weld-data monitoring, ensures maximum process reliability and outstanding welding results. Slide-bearing of propeller shaft (steel, Inconel 625 filler metal) / Cladding, extremely low dilution of base metal, welded using MIG/ MAG system TPS 5000 CMT Block construction using FDV 15/22 (rutile flux-cored wire on steel) / Flux-cored wire welding, multi-pass, positions: PF, PB with TransSteel 3500 and FDV 15/22 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / 16 / Case studies / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / young pioneerS on traCk for SuCCeSS / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / The Czech Technical University in Prague is not only the oldest institution of its kind anywhere in Europe, but also one of the most successful. Especially when it comes to its involvement in ‘Formula Student’ (FS) racing. Competing teams from 230 technical universities, from all around the world, field racing vehicles they have designed and built themselves. The Prague students’ car, dubbed FS03, has put them in the elite league and made them the best Team from a CEE country. To build it, e.g. for its complex frame, they use welding systems from Fronius. / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / The frame is made of thin-walled CrMo steel tubes. It protects the driver and withstands the extreme loads encountered in racing. / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / The students use the TIG welding system MagicWave 2200 Job to make the vehicle frame. / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Case studies / 17 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Before it can hit the racetrack, the students have to master disciplines such as the design study, simulations, choosing and sourcing the components, and actually assembling the racing vehicle. The complex vehicle frame is made of thin-walled (1 to 2 mm) CrMo-steel tubes. The seams are welded using a MagicWave 2200 Job. As well as the precise adjustment options on the power source itself, the students also gave top marks to the TIG welding torch with its excellent weld accessibility due to the compact torch design, and integrated Up/Down rockers for easier control during welding. These up-and-coming young engineers are also relying on Fronius welding-quality for welding the car’s tank, oil pan and pedals. The very best preconditions, then, for keeping up their run of success in these international races! / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / With their ‘FS03’, the CarTech team from the Czech Technical University in Prague is up among the world leaders in the Formula Student racing events. / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Since 2009, the Faculty of Electrical & Mechanical Engineering at CTU in Prague has been the birthplace of racing cars that hold their own against the best world-class competitors. Around 30 students are busily working on what is already the third generation of their vehicle. The FS03 was a highly successful entrant to the 2011 race, putting the Prague team ‘CTU CarTech’ among the frontrunners in the Formula Student races and making them the best team from a CEE country. Vice Dean Dr.-Ing. Jan Řezníček sums up the educational value of this international competition like this: “If I really want to achieve anything, I have to do something about it.” Motivated by the goal they all share, the CarTech team is working all the time on perfecting their racing vehicles. The FS03 currently weighs 280 kg and accelerates to 105 km/h in just 3.9 seconds. / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / 18 / Case studies Spot-welding aluminium: easily, cleanly, cost-effectively Georg Fischer Automotive deploys DeltaSpot for joins on Porsche door frames / Aluminium has only very limited joinability when conventional resistance spot welding is used. However, automobile industry supplier Georg Fischer Automotive (GFA) has chosen to use an alternative version of this process for the joins on the door frames of the new Porsche Panamera: the resistance spot-welding process DeltaSpot, which eliminates the quality- and processrelated obstacles that impede conventional spot-welding of aluminium. / Alois Edtbauer and Wolfgang Hintsteiner are extremely pleased with the progress of this project and with the DeltaSpot application, for which they see further potential uses. Case studies / 19 / Wolfgang Hintsteiner, the engineer in charge of coatings who is also responsible for the Panamera doors, is very satisfied with the special solution that has been implemented in his production area at GFA’s Austrian plant in Altenmarkt. A 2 mm thick aluminium stiffening plate has to be joined onto the 3 mm thick frame on four die-cast aluminium doors. Each of the window frames weighs 1.6 kg, and the die-cast aluminium doors each weigh 4.5 kg. They are furnished with an anti-oxidation layer: in previous worksteps, the oxide layer is chemically stripped and a thin layer of titaniumzirconium (TiZrSiO4) is applied which prevents the natural aluminium-oxide layer from forming. “On the weldment, there is a main seal between the door and the frame at the point that has to be joined. This means that the welding carried out here must be virtually spatter-free. The thermally induced distortion has to be kept within tight tolerance limits, and we have to be able to cancel it out with subsequent straightening”, explains Wolfgang Hintsteiner. 300 doorS Without a break a proCeSS With proSpeCtS When it came to meeting the requirements for extra-high dimensional accuracy on the flange and for dealing with possible casting tolerances and differing wallthicknesses, GFA’s engineers were convinced by the resistance spot-welding process DeltaSpot. “The process tape lets us produce a uniform, exactly replicable spot that is exactly 5 mm in diameter, and with 16 spot-welded joins on every workpiece. There’s no need for any postweld finishing of the surface, and the 15-minute job of changing the process tape is only needed after 5000 weld-spots”, says Wolfgang Hintsteiner. In this way, 300 Panamera doors can be welded without interruption. Alois Edtbauer particularly emphasises the fruitful collaboration with Fronius on this project: “This application for DeltaSpot was something new for our partners at Fronius too. Because of this, they tested and optimised our equipment all the way through to the series production stage.” The experts at Georg Fischer are very positive about the prospects for DeltaSpot: “For applications like ours, with weldable castings, a defined surface, an anti-corrosive coating and adequate accessibility, DeltaSpot is the system of choice”, explains Wolfgang Hintsteiner. “Now we can offer our clients an alternative production step for applications like these, and this gives us a competitive edge.” And Alois Edtbauer adds: “I’m fairly certain that there’ll be some new applications here before long.” Alois Edtbauer, specialist buyer for foundry equipment and materials, rounds off the picture with some economic facts: “The DeltaSpot process creates firm joins between the two materials without any difficulty – it only exerts minimal mechanical force and doesn’t need any extra mechanical materials. In our area of use, we’ve found it to be a very costeffective joining process.” / The doors of the Porsche Panamera consist of a cast aluminium frame with welded-on aluminium sheets. faCtS: Georg Fischer Automotive Established 1802 Based in Schaffhausen, Switzerland Worldwide workforce of 13,000 2010 revenues: € 2.85 bn. Division GF Automotive in Altenmarkt, Austria www.automotive.georgfischer.com / Since the start of series production at Georg Fischer Automotive’s Altenmarkt plant in 2008, DeltaSpot has been running with complete process-reliability. 20 / The company We are where our customers are! / Suppose you’ve just bought the perfect car, but been told you’ll have to take it on a 300 km trip every time it needs servicing. Not an attractive proposition, is it? Alongside innovative technologies, then, a company’s success is also about being close to the customer. With well over 1000 service centres all round the globe, the Fronius Welding Technology Division is pretty much on its customers’ doorsteps. / Welding Technology Divisional Manager Wolfgang Lattner has been with Fronius for 35 years, and has been in charge of the Division’s global sales for the past 30. On his office wall is a big map of the world covered with a forest of little flags marking Fronius’ sales branches and service centres. So it’s hardly sur prising that he has a good story in stock for just about every country, no matter how exotic. ‘On location’ in only four weeks For Fronius, South America was still a blank area on the map when Audi decided to set up a production facility in Curitiba, Brazil. In order to be able to give the carmaker the necessary assistance, Fronius at once sent out a technician to provide permanent local support. “I can still remember asking our employee Wolfgang Niedrist whether he could see himself going to Brazil to support Audi there and to build a sales and service operation for Fronius. Four weeks later, he had already moved over there. At the time, this was all rather spon taneous”, chuckles Wolfgang Lattner, “but since then we’ve become Brazil’s biggest European importer of welding technology.” even though dealing with water damage was not exactly part of their daily work”, recalls Lattner. Emergency mission on the other side of the globe Know-how for Mongolia Selling globally also means supporting locally. Indonesia: A sudden water inrush at a power-station construction site put all of an Austrian powerplant builder ’s Fronius welding machines under water – and out of action. Replacing this many welding units normally takes several weeks, meaning unplanned delays that can cause millions of euros’ worth of damage. “With a great deal of dexterity and skill, our local technicians got the equipment working again, Even in the remotest towns of Mongolia – like Darkhan, Dalandzadgad and Erdenet – you will now find high-tech kit from Fronius. In order to train new welders cost-effectively here, a client has started using the Virtual Welding System. This product lets students learn how to weld in a playcentred way, on a simulator. From Kaluga in Russia to the jungle city of Manaus in Brazil, Wolfgang Lattner has many other tales to tell. But what exactly lies behind the success The company / 21 of the Welding Technology Division? “For me, Fronius Welding Technology means a perfectly oiled team, the willingness to try out new things in no matter what field, and the incredible enthusiasm and hands-on mindset of our people. Without these capabilities we would never have managed to build up s u ch a t i g h t l y - d r a w n distribution network or accomplish so many out-ofthe-ordinary projects with our customers”, explains Lattner. The global distribution network does more than just ensure fast service, however. It also means that customers enjoy the same high quality and the same contract terms wherever in the world they are. This can only be achieved by way of a dependable network of Fronius sales locations, representatives, distributors and dealerships. “It’s only now that we’ve given a name to it. But ‘shifting limits’ is actually what we’ve been doing all along”, grins Welding Technology Divisional Manager Wolfgang Lattner. Some personal details: / Wolfgang Lattner joined the company in 1976 straight from technical college, beginning work as a draughtsman. Not long after this he switched to the administration field, where he was responsible for planning, order processing and stockkeeping. For almost 30 years now, he has successfully headed the Sales field of the Welding Technology Division. 22 / Travel Tip / Built entirely of larch wood, this 118 m radio transmission tower is the tallest timber construction in Europe. Downtown idyll On the map, the old quarter is shaped like an oval enclosing a chequerboard pattern of streets. At its heart is an exactly square marketplace known as ‘Rynek’, in the middle of which stands the old Town Hall. The Neptune Fountain on the western side of the square was The new A4 motorway, a major transportation artery that joins Poland from west to east, runs right through Gliwice. This is one of the reasons why many international corporations have chosen to locate here, in three large Special Economic Zones. Among them is General Motors, which has a car plant here. / Fronius, too, recently established a presence in Gliwice, from which to develop the Polish market for innovative welding-technology products and efficient batterycharging systems. Fronius Polska is well equipped and ready: As well as a warehouse, the new country HQ has a National TechSupport, a repair centre and demonstration and training rooms. Executive Manager Damian Kiersten and a team of 10 colleagues opened for business from 1st January 2012. Fronius Polska sp. z o.o. Ul. Gustawa Eiffel’a 8 44-109 Gliwice, Poland www.fronius.pl e-mail Modern-day Gliwice Fronius in Poland Country of its kind in Poland. It houses thousands of different species of plant, the oldest of them over 100 years old. However, the denizens of this ‘must-see’ attraction also include canaries, parrots, turtles and many different reptiles. Postcode & locality designed by Johannes Nietsche in 1794 to symbolise the access to the sea which the town gained with the building of the Klodnitz Canal. The fountain with the 3 dancing fauns, by Hans Dammann, is another landmark of Gliwice. Not just one, but several statues of lions used to be spread out across the city. The ‘Sleeping Lion’ was part of a lion-themed mon ument in the old Municipal Park, but went missing sometime in the 1960s. You can still see the ‘Vigilant Lion’ outside the Villa Caro and the ‘Recumbent Lion’ in the Chopin Park, which is also home to the imposing Municipal Palm House. With its four pavilions, this is the third-largest building Department 21st century Gliwice is a city that has cast off the drab grey cloak of the Eastern Bloc and turned itself back into a vibrant and colourful metropolis. The architecture of the old town centre is characterised by clinker-brick buildings that have been brightly spruced up one-by-one since the collapse of communism. Some out standing examples are the Wszystkich Świętych (All Saints) Church, the Piast Castle, the old city wall and many other buildings, especially on the 840 m long shopping promenade known as Ul. Zwycięstwa. This boulevard is lined with houses built during the city’s 19th century boom years, such as the neobaroque Hotel ‘Diament’ (known pre1945 as ‘Hotel Schlesischer Hof’), to which the starkly modernist 1920s facades of buildings like the ‘Dom Tekstylny Weichmanna’, a former department store, present a fascinating contrast. Surname Traditional brick facades line the main thoroughfare Forename / Gliwice is a city of nearly 200,000 inhabitants in the Polish Voivodeship of Śląskie (Silesia). It was first mentioned as a town in the 13th century. During its turbulent history, it frequently changed hands between Polish, Prussian and Austrian overlords. Early in the industrial era, a model ironworks was established which became well-known for its artistic castings and advanced ordnance products. The Continent’s first coke-fired blast furnace was put into service here at the end of the 18th century, leading to the growth of a flourishing cannon and munitions foundry. Company / The historic ‘Rynek’, an exactly square marketplace with the old Town Hall standing at its centre, is the very heart of Gliwice. We’ll be pleased to carry on sending you every edition of weld+vision as soon as it comes out. If you know anybody else who might be interested, please just pass this reply card on to them directly. Or simply copy it and fax it to us on: +43 7242 241-953940. Sign up – free – online at www.fronius.com/weld.vision / Never heard of a city in southern Poland called Gliwice? Or Gleiwitz, to give it its old German name? If you have, then you may also know that it’s one of Central Europe’s most interesting metropolises. A town with a fascinating old quarter, a long commercial tradition and an impressive industrial monument constructed entirely of timber. My opinion on weld+vision (or e-mail to weld.vision@fronius.com) Travel Tip: Gliwice. Polish architectural jewel and economic hub Street address An old city. A new world. Fronius International GmbH Divisional Marketing Welding Technology Froniusplatz 1 A 4600 Wels Please affix postage stamp if available, or fax to +43 7242 241953940 Travel Tip / 23 22 / Travel Tip / Built entirely of larch wood, this 118 m radio transmission tower is the tallest timber construction in Europe. Downtown idyll On the map, the old quarter is shaped like an oval enclosing a chequerboard pattern of streets. At its heart is an exactly square marketplace known as ‘Rynek’, in the middle of which stands the old Town Hall. The Neptune Fountain on the western side of the square was The new A4 motorway, a major transportation artery that joins Poland from west to east, runs right through Gliwice. This is one of the reasons why many international corporations have chosen to locate here, in three large Special Economic Zones. Among them is General Motors, which has a car plant here. / Fronius, too, recently established a presence in Gliwice, from which to develop the Polish market for innovative welding-technology products and efficient batterycharging systems. Fronius Polska is well equipped and ready: As well as a warehouse, the new country HQ has a National TechSupport, a repair centre and demonstration and training rooms. Executive Manager Damian Kiersten and a team of 10 colleagues opened for business from 1st January 2012. Fronius Polska sp. z o.o. Ul. Gustawa Eiffel’a 8 44-109 Gliwice, Poland www.fronius.pl e-mail Modern-day Gliwice Fronius in Poland Country of its kind in Poland. It houses thousands of different species of plant, the oldest of them over 100 years old. However, the denizens of this ‘must-see’ attraction also include canaries, parrots, turtles and many different reptiles. Postcode & locality designed by Johannes Nietsche in 1794 to symbolise the access to the sea which the town gained with the building of the Klodnitz Canal. The fountain with the 3 dancing fauns, by Hans Dammann, is another landmark of Gliwice. Not just one, but several statues of lions used to be spread out across the city. The ‘Sleeping Lion’ was part of a lion-themed mon ument in the old Municipal Park, but went missing sometime in the 1960s. You can still see the ‘Vigilant Lion’ outside the Villa Caro and the ‘Recumbent Lion’ in the Chopin Park, which is also home to the imposing Municipal Palm House. With its four pavilions, this is the third-largest building Department 21st century Gliwice is a city that has cast off the drab grey cloak of the Eastern Bloc and turned itself back into a vibrant and colourful metropolis. The architecture of the old town centre is characterised by clinker-brick buildings that have been brightly spruced up one-by-one since the collapse of communism. Some out standing examples are the Wszystkich Świętych (All Saints) Church, the Piast Castle, the old city wall and many other buildings, especially on the 840 m long shopping promenade known as Ul. Zwycięstwa. This boulevard is lined with houses built during the city’s 19th century boom years, such as the neobaroque Hotel ‘Diament’ (known pre1945 as ‘Hotel Schlesischer Hof’), to which the starkly modernist 1920s facades of buildings like the ‘Dom Tekstylny Weichmanna’, a former department store, present a fascinating contrast. Surname Traditional brick facades line the main thoroughfare Forename / Gliwice is a city of nearly 200,000 inhabitants in the Polish Voivodeship of Śląskie (Silesia). It was first mentioned as a town in the 13th century. During its turbulent history, it frequently changed hands between Polish, Prussian and Austrian overlords. Early in the industrial era, a model ironworks was established which became well-known for its artistic castings and advanced ordnance products. The Continent’s first coke-fired blast furnace was put into service here at the end of the 18th century, leading to the growth of a flourishing cannon and munitions foundry. Company / The historic ‘Rynek’, an exactly square marketplace with the old Town Hall standing at its centre, is the very heart of Gliwice. We’ll be pleased to carry on sending you every edition of weld+vision as soon as it comes out. If you know anybody else who might be interested, please just pass this reply card on to them directly. Or simply copy it and fax it to us on: +43 7242 241-953940. Sign up – free – online at www.fronius.com/weld.vision / Never heard of a city in southern Poland called Gliwice? Or Gleiwitz, to give it its old German name? If you have, then you may also know that it’s one of Central Europe’s most interesting metropolises. A town with a fascinating old quarter, a long commercial tradition and an impressive industrial monument constructed entirely of timber. My opinion on weld+vision (or e-mail to weld.vision@fronius.com) Travel Tip: Gliwice. Polish architectural jewel and economic hub Street address An old city. A new world. Fronius International GmbH Divisional Marketing Welding Technology Froniusplatz 1 A 4600 Wels Please affix postage stamp if available, or fax to +43 7242 241953940 Travel Tip / 23 / Battery Charging Systems / Welding Technology / Solar Electronics / Battery Charging Systems / Welding Technology / Solar Electronics WE HAVE THREE DIVISIONS AND ONE PASSION: SHIFTING THE LIMITS. / What Günter Fronius started in 1945 in Pettenbach, Austria, has now become a modern day success story. Today, the company has more than 3,000 employees worldwide and owns 737 active patents. Since the very beginning, our goal has not changed: to be the technology and quality leader. We shift the limits of what‘s possible. While others progress step by step, we innovate in leaps and bounds. SOLAR ELECTRONICS / The greatest challenge of our time is to make the leap to a regenerative energy supply. Our vision is to use renewable energy to achieve energy independence. With our mainsconnected inverters and products for monitoring photovoltaics systems, we are now one of the leading suppliers in solar electronics. v03 2011 EN WELDING TECHNOLOGY / We develop welding technologies, such as entire systems for arc and resistance spot welding, and have set ourselves the task of making impossible weld joints possible. Our aim is to decode the »arc welding‘s DNA«. We are the technology leader worldwide and the market leader in Europe. Shifting the limits: With a free weld+vision subscription. Text and images correspond to the current state of technology at the time of printing. Subject to modifications. All information is without guarantee in spite of careful editing - liability excluded. Copyright © 2011 Fronius™. All rights reserved. BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEMS / We started a technological revolution with Active Inverter Technology and are now one of the leading suppliers in Europe. We are driven by the aim of providing intelligent energy management systems that ensure mobility stays as economically viable as possible in the twenty-first century. Welding Technology magazine / N° 27 / April 2012 Further information about all Fronius products and our global sales partners and representatives can be found at www.fronius.com The ‘issues’ that count! Every issue, the Fronius weld+vision magazine brings you information and behind-the-scenes reporting from the world of welding. Why not let your colleagues and friends benefit as well? Simply sign them up for a gift subscription to weld+vision. Shifting the limits weld+vision is opinion-forming. M,06,0045,EN, 7.250 copies The editorial team of the Fronius magazine would dearly love to know: What do you really think of weld+vision? Send us your reactions, suggestions, praise, criticism ... we await them with great interest! Fronius International GmbH, Froniusplatz 1, 4600 Wels, Österreich, Telefon +43 7242 241-0, Telefax +43 7242 241-953940, sales@fronius.com, www.fronius.com Change / What does it take to make the impossible possible? Speed squad / Students build their own racing-car with MagicWave. Looking east / Poland’s architectural gem, Gliwice, is definitely worth a visit. 22 / Travel Tip / Built entirely of larch wood, this 118 m radio transmission tower is the tallest timber construction in Europe. Downtown idyll On the map, the old quarter is shaped like an oval enclosing a chequerboard pattern of streets. At its heart is an exactly square marketplace known as ‘Rynek’, in the middle of which stands the old Town Hall. The Neptune Fountain on the western side of the square was The new A4 motorway, a major transportation artery that joins Poland from west to east, runs right through Gliwice. This is one of the reasons why many international corporations have chosen to locate here, in three large Special Economic Zones. Among them is General Motors, which has a car plant here. / Fronius, too, recently established a presence in Gliwice, from which to develop the Polish market for innovative welding-technology products and efficient batterycharging systems. Fronius Polska is well equipped and ready: As well as a warehouse, the new country HQ has a National TechSupport, a repair centre and demonstration and training rooms. Executive Manager Damian Kiersten and a team of 10 colleagues opened for business from 1st January 2012. Fronius Polska sp. z o.o. Ul. Gustawa Eiffel’a 8 44-109 Gliwice, Poland www.fronius.pl e-mail Modern-day Gliwice Fronius in Poland Country of its kind in Poland. It houses thousands of different species of plant, the oldest of them over 100 years old. However, the denizens of this ‘must-see’ attraction also include canaries, parrots, turtles and many different reptiles. Postcode & locality designed by Johannes Nietsche in 1794 to symbolise the access to the sea which the town gained with the building of the Klodnitz Canal. The fountain with the 3 dancing fauns, by Hans Dammann, is another landmark of Gliwice. Not just one, but several statues of lions used to be spread out across the city. The ‘Sleeping Lion’ was part of a lion-themed mon ument in the old Municipal Park, but went missing sometime in the 1960s. You can still see the ‘Vigilant Lion’ outside the Villa Caro and the ‘Recumbent Lion’ in the Chopin Park, which is also home to the imposing Municipal Palm House. With its four pavilions, this is the third-largest building Department 21st century Gliwice is a city that has cast off the drab grey cloak of the Eastern Bloc and turned itself back into a vibrant and colourful metropolis. The architecture of the old town centre is characterised by clinker-brick buildings that have been brightly spruced up one-by-one since the collapse of communism. Some out standing examples are the Wszystkich Świętych (All Saints) Church, the Piast Castle, the old city wall and many other buildings, especially on the 840 m long shopping promenade known as Ul. Zwycięstwa. This boulevard is lined with houses built during the city’s 19th century boom years, such as the neobaroque Hotel ‘Diament’ (known pre1945 as ‘Hotel Schlesischer Hof’), to which the starkly modernist 1920s facades of buildings like the ‘Dom Tekstylny Weichmanna’, a former department store, present a fascinating contrast. Surname Traditional brick facades line the main thoroughfare Forename / Gliwice is a city of nearly 200,000 inhabitants in the Polish Voivodeship of Śląskie (Silesia). It was first mentioned as a town in the 13th century. During its turbulent history, it frequently changed hands between Polish, Prussian and Austrian overlords. Early in the industrial era, a model ironworks was established which became well-known for its artistic castings and advanced ordnance products. The Continent’s first coke-fired blast furnace was put into service here at the end of the 18th century, leading to the growth of a flourishing cannon and munitions foundry. Company / The historic ‘Rynek’, an exactly square marketplace with the old Town Hall standing at its centre, is the very heart of Gliwice. We’ll be pleased to carry on sending you every edition of weld+vision as soon as it comes out. If you know anybody else who might be interested, please just pass this reply card on to them directly. Or simply copy it and fax it to us on: +43 7242 241-953940. Sign up – free – online at www.fronius.com/weld.vision / Never heard of a city in southern Poland called Gliwice? Or Gleiwitz, to give it its old German name? If you have, then you may also know that it’s one of Central Europe’s most interesting metropolises. A town with a fascinating old quarter, a long commercial tradition and an impressive industrial monument constructed entirely of timber. My opinion on weld+vision (or e-mail to weld.vision@fronius.com) Travel Tip: Gliwice. Polish architectural jewel and economic hub Street address An old city. A new world. Fronius International GmbH Divisional Marketing Welding Technology Froniusplatz 1 A 4600 Wels Please affix postage stamp if available, or fax to +43 7242 241953940 Travel Tip / 23 / Battery Charging Systems / Welding Technology / Solar Electronics / Battery Charging Systems / Welding Technology / Solar Electronics WE HAVE THREE DIVISIONS AND ONE PASSION: SHIFTING THE LIMITS. / What Günter Fronius started in 1945 in Pettenbach, Austria, has now become a modern day success story. Today, the company has more than 3,000 employees worldwide and owns 737 active patents. Since the very beginning, our goal has not changed: to be the technology and quality leader. We shift the limits of what‘s possible. While others progress step by step, we innovate in leaps and bounds. SOLAR ELECTRONICS / The greatest challenge of our time is to make the leap to a regenerative energy supply. Our vision is to use renewable energy to achieve energy independence. With our mainsconnected inverters and products for monitoring photovoltaics systems, we are now one of the leading suppliers in solar electronics. v03 2011 EN WELDING TECHNOLOGY / We develop welding technologies, such as entire systems for arc and resistance spot welding, and have set ourselves the task of making impossible weld joints possible. Our aim is to decode the »arc welding‘s DNA«. We are the technology leader worldwide and the market leader in Europe. Shifting the limits: With a free weld+vision subscription. Text and images correspond to the current state of technology at the time of printing. Subject to modifications. All information is without guarantee in spite of careful editing - liability excluded. Copyright © 2011 Fronius™. All rights reserved. BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEMS / We started a technological revolution with Active Inverter Technology and are now one of the leading suppliers in Europe. We are driven by the aim of providing intelligent energy management systems that ensure mobility stays as economically viable as possible in the twenty-first century. Welding Technology magazine / N° 27 / April 2012 Further information about all Fronius products and our global sales partners and representatives can be found at www.fronius.com The ‘issues’ that count! Every issue, the Fronius weld+vision magazine brings you information and behind-the-scenes reporting from the world of welding. Why not let your colleagues and friends benefit as well? Simply sign them up for a gift subscription to weld+vision. Shifting the limits weld+vision is opinion-forming. M,06,0045,EN, 7.250 copies The editorial team of the Fronius magazine would dearly love to know: What do you really think of weld+vision? Send us your reactions, suggestions, praise, criticism ... we await them with great interest! Fronius International GmbH, Froniusplatz 1, 4600 Wels, Österreich, Telefon +43 7242 241-0, Telefax +43 7242 241-953940, sales@fronius.com, www.fronius.com Change / What does it take to make the impossible possible? Speed squad / Students build their own racing-car with MagicWave. Looking east / Poland’s architectural gem, Gliwice, is definitely worth a visit.