Fronius MagicWave 3000 is a digital TIG AC/DC power source for a 3 x 400 V supply, cooled by liquid, with a weight of 24.2 kg. You set the current from 3 A to 300 A, at a 35% duty cycle the source gives 300 A, and at a continuous 100% load from 170 A to 200 A. The control is handled by a DSP signal processor.
What this machine is for
A setting from 3 A and a concentrated arc make this source a machine for small and thin parts: thin walled tubes, finishing sheet, small apparatus. The upper 300 A stays for thicker sections and for aluminium, which draws heat away fast. In continuous work the machine holds from 170 A to 200 A, depending on conditions, so you lay long circumferential passes without a break for cooling.
A weight of 24.2 kg is small for this current class, so the power source travels between stations and out to assembly work. The control is fully digital: the signal processor computes the course of the arc on the fly and corrects the current, so voltage swings in the mains and the ambient temperature do not show on the look of the weld. An open circuit voltage of 89 V gives a sure strike also on material that is not entirely clean.
On alternating current you weld aluminium and its alloys, because the positive half wave tears off the aluminium oxide layer. On direct current you take black steel, acid resistant steels, copper, nickel and titanium. The manufacturer aimed this model at tasks in the aerospace, chemical and automotive industry, that is where the weld has to look the same on every part in a batch.
Features and equipment
- Active Wave: the signal processor shapes the curve of the current passing through zero, instead of a hard switch of polarity. The alternating current arc stops humming, the noise level drops below 80 dB even at the full load of 300 A, and the welder hears the pool and the gas flow.
- Arc stabilisation by Active Wave: the arc becomes stiffer and more predictable, which matters when welding in forced positions.
- TAC function, that is vibration tacking: a series of high frequency pulses sets neighbouring pools into resonance, the liquid metal runs together into one point without adding filler on thin sheet. The points are flat, smooth and free of oxides, so the main arc runs over them without stopping.
- Shorter preparation time: the source description states that preparing the material can be 70% of the time of the whole job, and tacking with the TAC function cuts this stage by as much as 50%.
- Automatic cap forming, the Cap-Shaping function: you grind the electrode to a cone, choose its diameter in the menu, and the inverter melts the tip of the tungsten itself and forms a symmetrical hemisphere.
- A cap formed by the machine is smaller than one made by hand, so the arc is narrower and has a higher energy density. This gives deeper penetration in fillet welds and better control of the pool in places that are hard to reach.
- Tunnel cooling: the electronics are separated from the duct with the cooling air, so dust and filings do not settle on the control boards.
Technical data
| Brand | Fronius |
|---|---|
| Model | MagicWave 3000 |
| Type | digital TIG power source |
| Type of current | AC/DC |
| Supply voltage | 3 x 400 V, tolerance from -20% to +15% |
| TIG welding current range | from 3 A to 300 A |
| Duty cycle 35% in 10 minutes at 40 degrees | 300 A |
| Duty cycle 100% | from 170 A to 200 A, depending on conditions |
| Welding current given in the data sheet | up to 300 A |
| Open circuit voltage | 89 V |
| Power source weight | 24.2 kg |
| Protection rating | IP23 |
| Noise level | below 80 dB, Active Wave technology |
| Cooling | liquid, electronics cooled by tunnel |
| Functions | Active Wave, TAC, Cap-Shaping, DSP control |
What to watch out for
The supply is a 3 x 400 V mains with a tolerance from -20% to +15%, so the machine forgives a weaker circuit, but settle the socket and the fuse with an electrician. A 35% duty cycle at 300 A means you hold the full output for a little over three minutes in a ten minute period, and for work without breaks you plan a setting in the range from 170 A to 200 A. Protection rating IP23 allows work in a hall and under a roof, but not in open rain.
The data sheet does not list a torch, an earth cable or a cooler in the set, so confirm the content with us before you buy. A liquid cooled TIG torch is chosen for the current and the length, and check the circuit before the first strike: the level of fluid with frost protection, the flow and the tightness of the quick couplings. On alternating current the tungsten electrode wears faster than on direct current, so keep a stock of electrodes, collets and nozzles. The cap forming function works on an electrode ground to a cone, so a grinder comes in handy. The weight of the power source is 24.2 kg, but together with the cooler, the trolley and the argon cylinder the set gets heavy, so plan the transport in advance.
How we sell used machines
This unit was checked in our service workshop in Krotoszyn with measurements to PN-EN 60974-4 and a load test. The price includes the first year of the basic service package: an inspection with cleaning of the machine and a validation measurement. Further years can be added. We ship across the European Union, collection in person by appointment.
