Fronius Austria to showcase WAAM additive manufacturing cell in 2026

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Fronius has introduced the Additive Cell based on Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM), integrating its self-developed CMT welding technology, intelligent process control, and easy-to-use software into a single unit for producing high-quality metal components. Fronius International GmbH states that the cell can serve the manufacturing of spare parts, prototypes, and structurally complex one-off products.

Manufacturing demands for shorter development cycles, higher material utilization, and low-cost production of complex geometries continue to rise. Industries such as aerospace, automotive, pressure vessels, rail vehicles, and oil and gas all require customized solutions and spare parts that can be obtained quickly. With metal 3D printing, components can be formed almost from nothing, with lower material consumption and lower costs compared to traditional processes such as casting, cutting, or milling. Manuel Stinglmayr from Fronius Business Development states that WAAM enables decentralized, location-independent manufacturing without complex production lines, and even irregular geometries can be produced to the highest quality standards without wasting valuable material.

For the Directed Energy Deposition-Arc (DED-Arc) method to achieve the desired quality, a stable welding process and the resulting uniform layer deposition are essential. CMT Additive PRO is based on the Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) process developed by Fronius, a relatively "cold" droplet transfer arc process with a higher deposition rate than other additive manufacturing methods while maintaining low heat input. This welding characteristic is specifically tailored to the needs of additive manufacturing, featuring a deposition rate stabilizer, Pulsed HotStart, CTWD measurement, and power correction to ensure process stability. Manuel Stinglmayr emphasizes that CMT Additive PRO ensures uniform and predictable layer deposition across the entire component, significantly reducing scrap rates and minimizing the workload required for rework.

The Fronius Additive Cell is a highly coordinated complete system developed for industrial requirements. Inside the welding cell, CMT Additive PRO and the Fronius iWave ensure precise welding processes, while the Polaris system handles overall control. Anna Dieplinger, Key Product Manager for Additive Manufacturing, Automation, and Digital Solutions at Fronius International GmbH, states that the Additive Cell combines proven welding technology, intelligent control, and Fronius's many years of welding expertise, with each component designed to work in concert with the others to form a stable manufacturing process.

In addition to hardware, the system includes Fronius's proprietary software package Vectris, which integrates the Machine Tool Service Kit (MTSK) and post-processor on a central platform. The software was developed by a team of Fronius experts specifically for additive manufacturing using the Additive Cell. In addition to integrated kinematic models, an adapted user interface, and validated additive process welding operations, it supports geometry-based identification of different component zones, enabling flexible process parameter settings, such as different settings for outer walls, panels, infill sections, or component joints. With the FroArc welding instructions integrated into the post-processor, these "build styles" can be directly converted into code for the welding robot, and the system instantly switches to the correct welding parameters at the exact required position. The integrated system of welding power source and software ensures a simple, stable, and reliable welding process.

The Fronius Additive Cell and WAAM have a broad range of applications, covering everything from reverse engineering and optimization of existing components to entirely new designs. Reverse engineering is particularly useful for repairs when original parts are no longer available or CAD data is lost; designing new components allows for optimized geometries. Fronius offers a complete solution at its Prototyping and Manufacturing Center covering consulting, feasibility studies, process development, and production services, and can develop, test, and certify welding and pressure parameters for the corresponding welding materials, then license the validated "recipes" to customers. As part of its 360° service, Fronius can also take on the entire process engineering work for additive manufacturing projects upon request.

With decades of experience in welding technology, Fronius has a unique foundation in industrial additive manufacturing. The continuous development of CMT, combined with comprehensive application and process expertise, makes it a partner for all types of additive manufacturing applications.

Fronius experts will be present at the Fromnext trade fair held in Frankfurt am Main from November 17 to 20, 2026, at Booth B59 in Hall 12, showcasing the Fronius Additive product and service portfolio on site.