The Kemppi KM 500 FastMig is a modular MIG/MAG welder on an IGBT inverter, supplied from a 3 x 400 V mains. The power source gives 500 A at a 60% duty cycle and 380 A at a continuous 100% load, and you set the current from 10 A to 500 A. The set works with a 25 m interconnection cable and it also handles a covered electrode.
What this machine is for
The modular build separates the power source from the wire feeder, and the 25 m interconnection cable moves the welder station away from the machine. In a large hall or inside a tank you walk with the feeder and the torch instead of dragging the whole power source behind you. This is a solution for repair crews and for prefabrication, where the part stands in one place and the machine in another.
At 380 A the machine works continuously, and the peak of 500 A at a 60% duty cycle stays for thick fillet welds, multi run joints, hard facing and work with a large diameter wire. The lower limit of the setting goes down to 10 A, so on the same power source you tack and weld thinner parts. The IGBT inverter has a smooth, stepless adjustment of the parameters and lower energy losses than old transformer power sources, in smaller dimensions.
Apart from MIG/MAG the machine welds with a covered electrode in MMA mode, so one power source covers production with wire and repairs where a gas shield will not hold over the pool. The maker aimed this model at heavy steel structures, machine building, shipyards, production of tankers and tanks, repairs of construction machines, welding of thick aluminium sheet, lines in the car industry and metalworking shops.
Features and equipment
- IGBT inverter with smooth, stepless adjustment of the parameters: no losses typical of transformer power sources, in a smaller housing.
- Modular build with a 25 m interconnection cable: the feeder and the torch go to the part, the power source stays in place.
- Panels of the KM series: physical switches and digital displays, you set the welding voltage and the wire feed speed from the feeder.
- Digital bus between the power source and the feeder: the circuit reacts fast to a change of the arc length, and you see the parameters as you work.
- Adjustment of the arc dynamics, that is electronic inductance: you limit spatter in welding in a CO2 shield and in argon mixtures.
- 2T and 4T modes: on short tack welds you hold the trigger, on long runs you weld without holding it, which rests the hand.
- Creep Start: the starting current rises smoothly, so the wire does not stick to the material at the strike.
- MMA mode: a covered electrode without a change of the power source.
- Forced cooling with a thermostatically controlled fan: the fan starts when it has to, so the power source draws in less dust at idle.
Technical data
| Brand | Kemppi |
|---|---|
| Model | KM 500 FastMig |
| Type | modular MIG/MAG welder with an MMA mode, IGBT inverter |
| Supply voltage | 3 x 400 V, tolerance 10% |
| Mains fuse | 35 A slow blow |
| Welding current at a 60% duty cycle | 500 A |
| Welding current at a 100% duty cycle | 380 A |
| Current adjustment range | from 10 A to 500 A |
| Welding current given on the card | up to 500 A |
| Open circuit voltage | 65 V |
| Power factor | 0.90 at the maximum value |
| Protection class | IP23S |
| Cooling | liquid, power source cooled by a fan with a thermostat |
| Interconnection cable | 25 m |
| Processes | MIG/MAG, MMA, arc dynamics, 2T and 4T, Creep Start |
What you get
- set of interconnection cables 25 m long
What to watch out for
The installation has to be ready for this machine: a 3 x 400 V supply with a tolerance of 10% and a circuit with a 35 A slow blow fuse. At a current of 500 A the cross section of the cables and the state of the contacts in the switchboard mean more than the setting on the panel itself, so settle the installation with an electrician. Protection class IP23S allows work outside a building too, but do not leave the machine in the rain for good.
The KM panel in the basic configuration gives manual control, and synergy depends on the feeder and on extra modules from the maker, so if ready programs matter to you, settle the configuration with us before you buy. The card lists only the set of cables 25 m long, so confirm the feeder, the torch and the earth cable separately. For work at 500 A you need a liquid cooled torch with the right rating, and for aluminium a teflon liner and rolls for soft filler. With a 25 m cable the voltage drop along the run is noticeable, so lead the earth short and firm, close to the part. The set is heavy and split into modules, and the card does not give the weight or the dimensions, so plan the transport in advance.
This unit is sold
This machine has already gone to a customer. Similar units are listed below, and if you want the same model, leave your contact details in the form and we will let you know when the next one arrives.