The AccuPocket 150/400 from Fronius is the world's first-ever MMA welding system with a high-performing lithium-ion rechargeable battery and a low overall weight of only 11 kg, giving users unprecedented freedom of movement in manual electrode and TIG welding. A fully charged battery (400 Wh) delivers sufficient power to weld up to eight 3.25 mm diameter electrodes or 18 electrodes of dia 2.5 mm. The ActiveCharger device supplied with the AccuPocket is specially tailored to the requirements of the welding unit, and is based on Fronius' proven Active Inverter Technology. An intelligent control system using AccuBoost Technology makes sure that the battery and the welding electronics work together perfectly. In practice, this regularly means better welding results than could be obtained with a comparable mains-only powered MMA welding unit.

The AccuPocket 150/400 welding system owes these pronounced improvements in ignition properties, arc stability and arc dynamics to a successful marriage of advanced welding technology with the latest high-performance rechargeable batteries. To give one example, the integral rechargeable battery is able to momentarily deliver above-averagely high short-circuit currents when necessary during welding, which prevents electrode-sticking. At the same time, the AccuBoost electronics ensure high welding voltage at high power, and prevent the arc from breaking - doing so regardless of the battery's charge status. All the main parameters needed for professional welding can be steplessly adjusted with a single digital control knob.

Compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries, the rechargeable batteries used in the AccuPocket (lithium-iron-phosphate, LiFePO4) stand out for having the highest intrinsic safety and environmental compatibility currently available, lower self-discharge and no memory-effect. Built-in battery-management functions and the specially adapted external ActiveCharger - with Active Inverter Technology that detects the state of the battery and optimally adapts the charging characteristic - together ensure safe operation and long battery-cell life.

Although it weighs only 5.25 kg, the rechargeable battery delivers rated energy of nearly 400 Wh. Together with the unit's compact dimensions (435 x 160 x 320 mm) and sturdy constructional design, this makes AccuPocket the ideal solution for repair welding or site-erection work in remote terrain where there is no direct access to mains electricity.

In battery mode, AccuPocket is even safe to use in electrically high-risk environments, because its internal design structure ensures that the highest voltage occuring anywhere inside it is always far below the permissible maximum of 113 VDC.

Even when attached to the ActiveCharger, the AccuPocket can still be used to carry on working, in hybrid mode. During run-times, the energy from the battery is used to ensure a constant arc under all operating conditions (e.g., mains-voltage fluctuations). The welding off-times are then used for recharging the battery. The battery exercises a buffering function, which lessens the load on the supply network, in turn preventing the annoyance of circuit-breakers being tripped on jobsites. What is more, the full welding amperage of 150 A is available in TIG mode, or 140 A in MMA mode, even in a 110 V network.

AccuPocket can also be run from very small generators. In this case, the integrated rechargeable battery reduces the required maximum power input, meaning that a much lower-capacity current source can be used - instead of an 8 kV generator, a 2 kV one is now sufficient. This ties up less capital, and facilitates portable deployment.

Thanks to its facility for battery-powered operation, AccuPocket minimises time-consuming weld preparation work. This means that in many applications, it is actually more economical, over its service life as a whole, than conventional electrode welding systems.