Cloos vs EWM (MIG-MAG) what to chose? Your recomendation.

[wasp238]

Hello friends!
EWM alphaQ vs Cloos Quineo Champ (on quality, special technology and relieblity)
Who have expirience working on Cloos Champ and EWM alphaQ mig-mag apparatus? What your opinion about them? I intresting about Cloos - the information in internet about this machines is pretty short and mystic: some people say that is ideal machines for MIG, someone say that quality on level industrial German machines: Lorch\EWM\Merkle etc.
What to chose ? (price does not important, only quality)

 

[Jim Davey]

Go with whoever gives best local support. I'm an EWM owner/dealer and I'd say you want good backup and training. Trial both and pick the best supply partner. Both the machines you mention, and Lorch are excellent.

 

[wasp238]

Jim Davey, OK!
So, Who have expiriance with Cloos? What your opinion?

 

[Jim Davey]

Robotstar is likely to have Cloos knowledge, I know they are popular when used in conjunction with a robot.

 

[HMB]

Ewm. They're that good I brought 2

 

[Richard.]

Jim is right cloos is more often associated with robot integration.
I think you'll struggle to find a "best" out of that lot and I'd be more interested in looking at support/warranty/deal on the day.
As good as they are they can all go wrong and this is where local support is nice. You want to be able to chuck it in the motor and take it up the road if possible.

 

[Robotstar5]

Robotstar is likely to have Cloos knowledge, I know they are popular when used in conjunction with a robot.

I've built a couple of welding cells with Cloos robots & weldsets, it was hard work as all the documentation & drawings were in German, Cloos UK wanted lots of money to provide any english info and we had to sub out the programming, we installed them in Saudi.

Sorry I can't give any more input apart from they were a quality, well built and well specced bit of kit.

 

[wasp238]

Thanks for info!
One man told that he worked with lot of welding aparatus, but the etalon quality for him is Cloos, specialy on welding thick material.
My logical conclusion was next:
power source intesivly used with robot = 24/7 time working ---> device must be very rigid and relieable = so, may be his was right.
Thats why i'm curios how they operate on workshop.
Here is one video what i found. Result looking good (have no idea what he talking about):

 

[Jim Davey]

But that is an old machine, a step switched mig transformer/rectifier type set. Is that the sort of thing you are looking for?

 

[wasp238]

No It's just an example (something better than nothing). It will be Intresting to look of a new machines.

 

[Jim Davey]

EWM are also used in a lot of robotic applications, VAG and BMW have hundreds of them in Germany welding cars.

 

[matt1978]

No It's just an example (something better than nothing). It will be Interesting to look of a new machines.

You need to try and gain some experience of your choice of machines in the type of application that will be similar to the application on which you want to do.

There is no point taking peoples opinions on board who weld Aluminium if you are mainly going to be welding Steel in the same way that there is no point comparing a 15 year old Transformer machine if you are planning on buying a brand new inverter.

A robot will only simulate what a welder does by hand, the key things to look at regarding machines to go on a robot are the ease of integration, duty cycles and reliability.

Ease of Integration will depend on who is doing the integration, what interfaces and protocol languages the machine/manufacturer can provide and can work with.

Duty Cycles can be found in the technical spec and reliability you can get an idea from your market.

Sometimes the choice of power source for Robotic applications will be better based on the type of robot you wish to use it on. As the make and model of robot will require specific interfacing and bracketry for dressing the robot. It could be that your choice of machine manufacturer does not have so much experience with your choice of robot and may not have the bracketry etc readily available.

 

[Jim Davey]

What do you want to weld and is this a manual or mechanised application?

 

[wasp238]

Manual. Mostly steel 10-20 mm thicknes, stainless steel 1-10 mm. Some times duraluminium.
ps: it's a plan. reality can modify my assumption