Step 1: Surface preparation for the cordless stud fusion.
In the natural resources and shipbuilding industries, high-quality welding, bolting, and clamping can be considered an art. Additionally, skilled labor continues to be in high demand, affecting the overall cost and delivery of projects.
Hilti North America, a global provider of innovative tools, software, and services to the commercial construction industry, recognized this as an opportunity for disruption — and developed the FX 3-A Cordless stud fusion system to help revolutionize fastening on steel.
The new FX 3-A Cordless stud fusion system cuts welding time significantly. Covering higher loads and thinner base materials than previous Hilti products, cordless stud fusion is up to 75% faster than traditional welding methods and is a fully mobile and autonomous system with no power cables needed.
This fastening method is also safer than traditional welding methods as it helps shield users from heat and gas. With virtually no sparks, splatters fumes and no angle grinder needed for the surface preparation, it offers more significant advantages from a health and safety perspective.
Step 2: FX 3-HT welding with the cordless stud fusion.
A wide range of end-user benefits
Compared to welding and other methods like bolting and clamping, cordless stud fusion allows more speed and flexibility in engineering, procurement, and construction.
Engineers know they will get more reliable loads–through repeatable and consistent fastenings–as well as more flexibility for design changes. When combined with modular systems like Hilti’s MT or Oglaend portfolios, this new fastening method enables greater use of supports.
This is the result of the stronger connection to steel, which is often the weak point of supports with other methods like clamping.
Procurement can choose from a wide portfolio of studs with international approvals and corrosion resistance (up to C5 in highly corrosive environments). As a result, construction becomes not only faster than traditional methods, but it can also be done by almost anyone — with minimal training — helping to reduce the risk of installation error.
Collectively, the benefit of this system gives customers more flexibility and more capacity to finish the work earlier. It’s also a cleaner system with no welding slag, burn marks or ceramic ring waste. When using an optional sealing washer with S-BT-MR SN threaded stud, post-painting is not required.
With the easier-to-follow H-code setting customers can expect higher-quality and more consistency, with repeatable fastenings.
Step 3: Modular support installation with the F-BT stud.
Additionally, the Active Fusion Indicator (AFI) gives the installer systematic real-time feedback to help improve the quality of fastening.
“The new FX 3-A Cordless stud fusion system is a game-changing departure from how the industry currently approaches fastening on steel—it helps to save time and resources while increasing reliability and safety,” said Norbert Tiringer, Hilti North America’s director of marketing for Energy & Industry. “This system’s simplicity will also help free up skilled labor to focus on more complex tasks without compromising on this step of construction.”
Filed Under: Fastening + joining