“As automobile manufacturers move to lighter and stronger materials in order to meet to meet fuel economy standards, technicians must consider the equipment they use to repair these vehicles,” says Mike DeKeuster, product manager for Snap-on. “The MIG160i is a versatile welder that can be used for on a variety of material types, most notably high-strength steel and aluminum which is becoming more common in the body shop industry.”
According to Snap-on, multiple synergic curves provide technicians with a library of pre-programmed settings to quickly set up and weld various material types and thicknesses with ease, which reduces repair time and increases productivity. As a benefit, the LCD screen on the MIG160i provides the technician with the ideal parameters for each specific material type and thickness. The MIG160i MIG welds steel and stainless steel, MIG brazing of high-strength and Boron steels with copper-silicon wire and MIG welds 5356 and 4047 aluminum with an optional torch kit, the company says.
“Technicians in the body shop industry like the quick set up time of the MIG160i. Within a short amount of time they can go from MIG brazing of high-strength steel to MIG welding aluminum, without having to consult a chart or manual. The machine provides all of the information for the technician in order to set the machine up and weld right on the LCD screen. Another great feature of the MIG160i is built-in compensation that automatically makes micro adjustments to the current and voltage settings as the technician is welding. This helps maintain a uniform weld bead and ideal penetration for each given situation,” says DeKeuster.
An inverter-style wire-fed synergic MIG welder, the MIG160i features an easy-to-read LCD panel which displays welding parameters such as current, voltage, recommended thickness, wire speed and wire diameter and a multi-function knob navigates menu selections, Snap-on says.
