Oerlikon Citopuls III 320 C is a compact inverter MIG/MAG power source with pulse and a built in four roll wire feeder. You set the current from 15 to 320 A, and the duty cycle at 40°C is 320 A at 40%, 280 A at 60% and 220 A at 100%. Supply is 3 x 400 V, 50 to 60 Hz, at 91% efficiency.
What this machine is for
In one housing you have the power source and a feeder for wires from 0.6 to 1.2 mm, and up to 100 programs in memory. The maker loaded over 100 synergic lines for mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium and braze welding, so a changeover comes down to picking a program. Efficiency of 91% and a power factor of 0.99 mean lower losses and less load on the installation, which matters when you work off a generator and on long supply cables.
The machine goes to fabrication of aluminium structures, where clean welds count, to thin walled stainless steel parts and to braze welding of galvanised body panels with CuSi and CuAl wires. The compact build and remote control let you work on pipelines and on site assembly, and the MMA mode adds the covered electrode.
Four processes cover what this machine does better than a plain wire welder. Speed Short Arc puts the short arc in order at higher speeds: it gives narrow and deep penetration at lower heat input, so it suits root runs on pipe and sheet up to 4 mm thick. Cold Double Pulse switches between the heating and the cooling phase of the pool, lays an even ripple and limits the heat affected zone, which helps on vertical up welding without weaving the torch. Spray Modal modulates the current in the spray arc on aluminium: it forces the pool to vibrate, helps gases escape and limits porosity. The sequencer switches two wire feed speeds within one cycle, which lets you control the bead geometry and distortion on thin materials.
You take Speed Short Arc where until now you had to reach for TIG: a root run on pipe or thin sheet, where a plain short arc loses stability at higher speed. Lower heat input means less distortion, and a stable droplet transfer lets you move the torch faster and in fixed positions.
Cold Double Pulse helps on thin walled aluminium and stainless steel parts, where too much heat ends in burn through or a loss of corrosion resistance. The system sets the pulse frequency to the set wire speed by itself, so the bead keeps the same character along its whole length. Spray Modal in turn covers thicker aluminium parts welded at up to 320 A and what hurts most on aluminium: porosity and oxide inclusions.
Features and equipment
- Over 100 synergic lines: mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium and braze welding with CuSi3 and CuAl8 wires.
- Speed Short Arc: short arc with modulated current in the short circuit phase, for roots and thin sheet up to 4 mm, stable also with a long wire stickout.
- Cold Double Pulse: sequential switching of parameters between heating and cooling the pool, a face close to a TIG bead and less heat in the material.
- Spray Modal: spray mode for aluminium, with modulation that limits porosity and gives a bright, smooth face.
- Sequencer: two wire feed speeds within one welding cycle.
- Memory for up to 100 user programs, covering MMA settings as well.
- Parameter lock with a PIN code and a margin of up to 20% arc length correction for the operator.
- 4 roll wire feeder for wires from 0.6 to 1.2 mm, built in with the power source.
- Analogue interface for simple automation, without extra expansion cards.
- Remote control and work with long cables.
Memory for 100 programs together with the PIN code lock makes this machine a tool for series production: the process engineer saves the settings and the operator gets a narrow margin of correction. The memory also holds MMA mode settings, so a change from wire to covered electrode is a matter of picking a program.
Technical data
| Brand | Oerlikon |
|---|---|
| Model | Citopuls III 320 C |
| Supply voltage | 3 x 400 V, 50 to 60 Hz |
| Welding current range | from 15 to 320 A |
| Duty cycle at 40°C | 320 A at 40%, 280 A at 60%, 220 A at 100% |
| Wire feed system | 4 roll, wires from 0.6 to 1.2 mm |
| Efficiency | 91% |
| Power factor | 0.99 |
| Program memory | up to 100 |
| Cooling | gas |
| Processes | synergic MIG/MAG, pulse, Cold Double Pulse, Speed Short Arc, Spray Modal, braze welding, MMA |
What to watch out for
The wire range from 0.6 mm matters on thin sheet and in braze welding, because thinner filler puts in less heat. With aluminium and 1.2 mm wires pick the liner and the tips for the alloy, otherwise even a good process will not give an even face.
The compact build has its price: the power source and the feeder stand together, so on a large part you work with a long torch or you move the whole machine. In return you get one unit to transport and fewer connections that can fail. Efficiency of 91% and a power factor of 0.99 translate into calmer work off a generator and on longer supply cables than in machines with a worse characteristic.
Supply 3 x 400 V at 50 to 60 Hz. You get the full 320 A at a 40% duty cycle, at 60% you are left with 280 A, and in continuous work 220 A, so plan long beads by that last value. The torch is gas cooled, you add no cooling unit, but at high currents it is the torch that sets the pace of work.
The feeder takes wires from 0.6 to 1.2 mm, so thicker diameters are out, and with aluminium you need rollers for soft wire and the right liner. The PIN code lock helps where the procedure is approved and the operator is to stay within a narrow range, with arc length correction up to 20%.
Before you buy, settle which torch and earth cable come with this piece and which set of rollers is fitted. If you plan simple external control, check with us how to wire the analogue interface into your station. For braze welding of body panels prepare a separate set of rollers and a liner for CuSi wire, because soft copper filler needs different feeding than steel wire.
This unit is sold
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