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MIG 400 · Applications

MIG welding for fabrication: frames, trolleys, brackets and base plates

Two everyday jobs for the CRUXWELD CWMIG400iJ: light frames in 5–8 mm steel and heavier base plates in 10–16 mm. See the joints, the settings to start from, and what each metre of weld costs.

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CRUXWELD CWMIG400iJ MIG welding machine
Frames and trolleysBrackets and base platesFabrication stepsMachine specificationQuestions

1. Frames and trolleys (5–8 mm steel)

Material trolleys, workbench frames, machine stands and racks. Mostly square or rectangular tube and angle, joined with short fillet welds at every corner. Maintain the specified weld size and adequate fusion; then optimise travel speed and spatter for productivity.

What the job needs

  • Joint: fillet and corner welds, 3–5 mm leg
  • Wire: ER70S-6 solid wire, 1.0 mm or 1.2 mm
  • Gas: CO2, or argon/CO2 mix for less spatter
  • A flat fixture table and clamps so every frame comes out square

Typical starting settings

Wire1.0 mm
Currentabout 180–240 A
Voltageabout 20–25 V
Gas flowabout 15 L/min

A starting point only. Set the final values on a scrap piece of the same tube; our technical team can set them with your operator on a video call.

40 x 40 x 5 mm square tubefillet welds at every cornerILLUSTRATION

Illustration, not a customer job. Orange dots mark the fillet welds.

Example from the cost calculator

Cost per metre

₹22
Weld per hour

16.4 m

Job as entered in the calculator: 4 mm fillet on 5 mm tube, one side, 500 mm per joint × 40 joints (20 m of weld). Assumptions: MIG/MAG solid wire ER70S-6 with CO2, 220 A / 24 V, deposition 2.97 kg/h, 40% arc-on time, no setup or handling time; illustrative Indian rates (Oct 2026): wire ₹115/kg, gas ₹60/m³, labour ₹175/h, power ₹8/kWh. Result: about ₹438 for the job, 1.2 hours. Change any value to your own.

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2. Brackets and base plates (10–16 mm steel)

Column base plates, machine mounting plates, lifting brackets and stiffeners. Bigger fillets, often welded all round and in more than one pass. Here you need current to spare and a wire that can lay down metal quickly.

column stub12 mm base plate, 4 anchor holesall-round filletILLUSTRATION

Illustration, not a customer job. Orange lines mark the fillet welds.

Example from the cost calculator

Cost per metre

₹78
Weld per hour

5.2 m

Job as entered in the calculator: 8 mm fillet on 12 mm plate, one side, 1200 mm per joint × 10 joints (12 m of weld). Assumptions: MIG/MAG solid wire ER70S-6 with CO2, 280 A / 28 V, deposition 3.78 kg/h, 40% arc-on time, no setup or handling time; illustrative Indian rates (Oct 2026): wire ₹115/kg, gas ₹60/m³, labour ₹175/h, power ₹8/kWh. Result: about ₹938 for the job, 2.3 hours. A bigger fillet needs about four times the metal of a 4 mm fillet, so cost per metre rises fast.

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What the job needs

  • Joint: fillet welds, 6–10 mm leg, often multi-pass
  • Wire: ER70S-6 solid wire, 1.2 mm
  • Gas: CO2 or argon/CO2 mix
  • Clean, rust-free plate edges and a tack sequence that limits distortion

Typical starting settings

Wire1.2 mm
Currentabout 250–320 A
Voltageabout 26–32 V
Gas flowabout 15–18 L/min

A starting point only. Large fillets are laid in several passes; check fit-up and leg size on a test piece first.

Basic fabrication steps

The same four steps apply to both jobs. Most rework comes from steps 1 and 2, not from the welding itself.

  1. Cut and cleanCut to size, grind off mill scale, rust and paint 20 mm back from every joint.
  2. Fit up and tackClamp on a flat table, check square, tack each joint at both ends.
  3. Weld in sequenceWeld opposite joints in turn so heat, and distortion, stays balanced.
  4. Clean and checkRemove spatter, check leg size with a weld gauge, look for undercut and porosity.

Why the CWMIG400iJ suits both jobs

One machine covers light tube and thick plate: the current range runs from 40 A for thin work up to 400 A for large fillets, and it takes 0.8–1.4 mm wire. It runs on a standard 415 V three-phase workshop supply.

See the MIG 400 product page
ModelCWMIG400iJ (inverter)
Input supplyAC 415 V ±15%, 3 phase, 50/60 Hz
Current setting range40–400 A
Voltage setting range16–34 V
Welding current @60% duty cycle400 A
Welding current @100% duty cycle310 A
Wire feed speed1.5–20 m/min, stepless
Suitable wire diameter0.8–1.4 mm

Questions buyers ask

Can one MIG 400 handle both light frames and heavy base plates?

Yes. The 40–400 A range and 0.8–1.4 mm wire cover thin tube and thick plate. Change the wire size and settings between jobs rather than changing machines.

Should I use CO2 or mixed gas?

CO2 costs less per cylinder. An argon/CO2 mix gives a smoother arc and less spatter, so less grinding after welding. Use the cost calculator with both gas prices to compare for your job.

How do I work out my welding cost before quoting a customer?

Open the welding cost calculator, choose MIG, enter the joint, plate thickness, weld length and your own rates. It shows cost per metre, per joint and per job, and metres of weld per hour.

Will someone help us set up the machine?

Yes. Our technical team helps on WhatsApp and video call with wire, gas and settings for your job.

Tell us your job, we will suggest the machine

Send a photo or drawing of what you make, the plate thickness and how many pieces a day. Our technical team replies with a machine suggestion and quotation.

Suggest a machine on WhatsAppCalculate my welding costCutting the plates first? See DynaCut applications

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