NASCAR drivers work under extreme conditions – making split-second decisions while traveling at speeds nearing 200 mph and precariously looking to move ahead when the next car is mere feet away. The safety, integrity and performance of the car are crucial to the driver and his team. These factors were also front and center with NASCAR when in January 2006 it announced the launch of a universal car design tagged the “Car of Tomorrow” (COT) for its Sprint Cup Series.
Sparked in large part by Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s fatal, final-lap crash at the 2001 Daytona 500, NASCAR set out to create a universal design that would improve safety features, provide for more cost-effective maintenance and level the playing field between fiercely competitive teams. The COT design standardizes a number of components, ranging from sections of the frame to crumple zones, across all manufacturers and race teams.
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Lincoln Electric’s popular POWER MIG® wire welder line, a long-time favorite of professional small shop welders, now includes the POWER MIG 180 Dual model. With single phase 60 Hz dual 120- and 208/230-volt input power capability, this same machine can be used to weld at home, in the shop or out on the job site. Handling both MIG (GMAW) and flux-cored gas-shielded (FCAW-G) or self-shielded (FCAW-S) processes, the POWER MIG 180 Dual is designed for sheet metal welding, light-frame autobody work and farm and small shop applications.
The 68 lb. (31 kg) machine features dual input power capability, allowing users to select 120-volt input power for home and generator-driven environments or 208/230-volt input power for shop applications on thicker materials.
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With so many choices of welding machines on the market today, how does a novice welding operator choose what he or she needs? There are a couple of key questions that can guide you through the process and narrow down your selection to make the choice a little easier.
Ask yourself the following:
1. Which arc welding process best suits my needs?
Beginners will usually turn to either a wire feed or stick welding process, but which is the best one for your particular application? Wire feed welding (also referred to as wire welding) offers a number of benefits. First, it provides higher productivity efficiencies over stick since the wire is fed in a continuous process and you don't have to constantly change stick electrode rods as you are welding. Second, wire welding has a lower skill level requirement and can be picked up more readily. With stick, you have to coordinate your hand movements for feeding the electrode rod into the weld puddle, while with wire you just press the trigger and weld. Although there may be some applications where stick might be a better selection, most beginners should look toward wire welding when making their first welding machine purchase.
Time-Tested Classic AC-225 Stick Welder Turns 50 Years Old. The extremely popular AC-225 stick welder from Lincoln Electric celebrates a half century in production. This familiar ‘tombstone’ shaped AC stick welder, affectionately known as a ‘buzzbox’ or ‘crackerbox’ throughout the welding industry and farm, small shop and DIY marketplace, was first produced on May 12, 1961, at Lincoln Electric’s factory in Cleveland, OH.
The compact rectifier-based welder produces an extremely smooth AC arc for welding on a variety of materials, including carbon, low alloy and stainless steels as well as cast iron. The 40-225 amp range allows the operator to handle up to 3/16 in. (4.8 mm) carbon steel electrodes and up to 5/32 in. (4.0 mm) electrode diameters for other materials.
Industry professionals will get a number of chances this year to simulate real welding experiences in virtual environments with the VRTEX™ 360 Virtual Reality Arc Welding (VRAW) training solution from Lincoln Electric. The company will feature this realistic welder training system at seven global conferences and trade shows throughout the year to better acquaint welders with the benefits of virtual hands-on training.
The VRTEX 360 is an educational training tool that is designed to accelerate welding training through the utilization of virtual reality.
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Cast iron is difficult, but not impossible, to weld. In most cases, welding on cast iron involves repairs to castings, not joining casting to other members. The repairs may be made in the foundry where the castings are produced, or may be made to repair casting defects that are discovered after the part is machined. Mis-machined cast iron parts may require repair welding, such as when holes are drilled in the wrong location. Frequently, broken cast iron parts are repaired by welding. Broken cast iron parts are not unusual, given the brittle nature of most cast iron.
While there are a variety of types of cast iron, the most common is gray cast iron, and these guidelines are directed toward this type of material.
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Join veteran educator Karl Hoes of the Lincoln Electric Welding School as he covers some basic welding topics sure to appeal to any farmer, rancher, or welder.
The Welding Workshop is seen regularly on the Successful Farming Machinery Show on RFD-TV
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