Technological innovation: guided welding for perfect results

With the new Velocity Assistant, or Velo for short, Fronius is taking manual MIG/MAG welding to a whole new level. The innovative system was presented to the public for the first time at SCHWEISSEN & SCHNEIDEN in Essen and at FABTECH in Chicago and caused quite a stir among all those who often weld long, precise seams.

Welding perfect, long, and even MIG/MAG seams by hand in one go—with Velo, the Velocity Assistant from Fronius, it’s not rocket science.

Velo impresses welding specialists with its assisted torch guidance and constant welding speed - for perfect, reproducible seams with reduced physical strain.

Long welds pose challenges even for experienced welders: consistent speed and precise torch guidance are crucial for the quality of the seam - but at the same time difficult and above all strenuous to maintain over longer distances.

This is precisely where Velo comes into its own, as the Velocity Assistant makes it possible for the first time to control the welding speed during manual welding. As a result, it supports a wide range of applications, especially where long, even welds are required—for example, in the areas of commercial transportation, heavy-duty machinery, steel construction, or apparatus engineering. Velo is suitable for thin-sheet applications as well as for thick-sheet welding in steel, CrNi, or high-strength steel.

A quantum leap in manual welding

At the heart of Velo is a second wire—the so-called Velo wire, which works without an arc and without an additional gas feed. This wire touches the workpiece in its solid state and generates a forward movement through friction. The travel speed of the Velo wire determines the welding speed.

The Velo wire “pushes” the torch along the weld and ensures a constant welding speed and a constant distance between the contact tip and the workpiece. This ensures quality and relieves the welding specialist.

The Velo wire keeps the distance between the workpiece and the contact tip constant and “pushes” the torch along the seam edge, notch, or chamfer without any special seam preparation. In all of this, the Velo wire only adds minimal additional material to the seam: the wire consumption corresponds exactly to the seam length.

_“If you allow yourself to relinquish some control, you can now produce perfect welds in manual welding at unprecedented speed by simply holding the torch,” explains Franziska Eichhorn, Strategic Product Manager at Fronius International. “Test users confirm noticeably less strain and a significant increase in precision and welding quality.”_

Handling is extremely simple: the Velo wire takes over the guidance and supports the specialist.

Whether beginner or professional—Velo supports them all

Velo is a real game changer: while beginners quickly achieve high-quality welds thanks to the supportive guidance, professionals benefit from the relief provided for long or complex welding tasks. Cramping and fatigue are a thing of the past and the seam quality remains consistently high.

A special highlight: under certain conditions, Velo can achieve welding speeds comparable to those of robotic welding. This increases productivity considerably.

Simply upgrade—get started immediately

Velo is compatible with existing TPS/i devices from 320 A and iWave Multiprocess PRO systems and can be easily retrofitted. All you need is:

the wirefeeder for the Velo wire

a suitable torch adapter with Velo wire feeding system

the corresponding software activation

Integration into existing systems is quick and uncomplicated—without the need for complex conversions.

Focus on ergonomics and flexibility

The Velo holder can be rotated 360° without tools and locks securely into place. If accessibility is restricted, the Velo system components can be simply unclipped from the holder and set to one side. Thanks to its flexibility, the system is suitable for all positions—even for pipe welds with 360° seams or multi-layer applications.

Simply retrofit and off you go: TPS/i devices from 320 A and iWave Multiprocess PRO systems only require the wirefeeder for the Velo wire, the appropriate torch adaptor with Velo wire feeding system, and the corresponding software activation.

A large operating range is ensured through the five-meter-long Velo wire feeding system. The system is activated directly on the welding torch, meaning that it can be deactivated at any time if required in order to switch flexibly between manual and assisted guidance.

Availability and distribution

The system has been available worldwide since fall 2025 and has a patent pending.

For further information visit: https://www.fronius.com/en/welding-technology/product-information/velo

This news release and the images can be downloaded from: https://www.fronius.com/de/schweisstechnik/info-center/presse.

Photos: Fronius International GmbH; reprints free of charge

M4S News Team

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M4S TAKE

My take: AI claims need scrutiny. The useful implementations reduce cycle time or defect rates in measurable ways. Vague promises about 'optimization' without specific metrics are usually marketing.

Simon McLoughlin