Here is an intersting story about a a new development in portable mig welders.
VR5000 Fronius Wire Feeder
Austrian company Fronius has launched a briefcase-format wirefeeder. Fronius, known as a manufacturer of battery charging systems, welding technology and solar electronics, says that the portable VR 5000 Case has been developed for use in dusty, damp and salty environments.
Used in with the MIG/MAG power sources from the TransSteel series designed for separate wirefeed units, it gives welders an optimally co-ordinated system for use mainly in shipbuilding, oil-rig construction, railway-vehicle manufacturing and site erection.
The VR 5000 Case wirefeeder has sturdy plastic housing, skid runners and rugged strain-relieved connectors make it possible to drag the unit directly by the torch hosepack, and to lift it or let it down from great heights by the interconnecting hosepack.
The flame-resistant case is designed to be unaffected by dust, moisture, salty air and splashwater. Its external dimensions of 507 x 200 x 320 mm can fit through any manhole of up to 350 mm in diameter.
Fronius claim that the ergonomically shaped handle, and the unit’s weight of less than 10 kg, make the VR 5000 Case easier to carry, even for longer distances. Interconnecting hosepacks of up to 70 m long (for gas-cooled welding systems) allow a wide radius of action here. A bayonet latch with an inside locking mechanism lets the welder fix and detach the torch hosepack and interconnecting hosepack quickly and securely.
