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Team Rahal Helps Develop Lincoln's New TIG Machine

In racing, a vehicle's capabilities are pushed to the edge so there is a greater possibility that a faulty part could end the race. In this environment, weld integrity is of critical importance so the best race teams rely on top-notch equipment to ensure quality and performance. Because of these stringent demands, the motorsports industry is at the forefront in developing technological innovations and that is why The Lincoln Electric Company called on one of the best in racing, Team Rahal, to help develop the company's new Precision TIG 275 and 375 units.

"Typically, the aerospace and racing industries lead technology in the TIG market," said Carl Peters, Lincoln Electric's Director of Motorsports Marketing. "The innovations that come out of these industries are then translated to general fabrication work. For this reason we chose to work with one of the most respected names in the racing industry in designing our new TIG units. Team Rahal has a winning philosophy like Lincoln."

"We don't want to just participate in racing, we want to win and be the best," said Bobby Rahal, Owner of Team Rahal. "To do that we have to make a commitment to win at every level and that includes our relationship with our suppliers. Our team worked with Lincoln Electric to help develop their TIG machine so we can, in turn, make a better race car."

According to Peters, Team Rahal's shop was the perfect place to develop and test the Precision TIG because of the wide variety of materials welded, which range from very thin, .016" material to thick castings. "Because of this board range of metals, a machine with both low- and high-end capabilities is needed," noted Peters. "Team Rahal also welds with an array of material types such as 4130 steel, stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, brass and copper so it was great testing ground for the capabilities of the Precision TIG."

Testing Phase
During the Precision TIG's development phase, Dan Dreisbach, Team Rahal's Head Fabricator, not only tested the unit in his shop, but was also invited to Lincoln's R&D lab in Cleveland to provide input on the TIG's performance and to suggest improvements the company could make to the prototype design. Dreisbach, who has been welding for 23 years (10 of those with Team Rahal), uses TIG for 98 percent of all welding that takes place on the team's Shell Oil and Gigante CHAMP cars and Miller Lite IRL car. With his vast experience, Dreisbach knows what to look for in a machine and how to distinguish a high-quality TIG weld that is worthy of riding on a Team Rahal vehicle.

"One of the most important issues for me in a TIG unit is the high-frequency starts," said Dreisbach. "The welder I was using previously had a problem with violent DC starts that were causing my tungstens to become contaminated - this, in turn, caused even more violent start-ups. The result was poor-quality welds and the need to spend time grinding. In addition, the arc would tend to wander. I wanted a machine that would eliminate these problems."

In addition to the request for better high frequency, Dreisbach noted a number of areas where engineers could make improvements or add features to the Precision TIG 275 and 375:

• Mount the Cooler Underneath
  The prototype model had a cooler mounted horizontally on top of the machine. During welding, the shielding gas would be prone to blow away because of the effects of the cooler's fan. Dreisbach suggested setting the cooler underneath.
• Install An Access Door
  Since connections and cables that hook into the front of the welder tend to be obtrusive to the welding process, Dreisbach recommended that Lincoln install an access door to cover all connectors and cables, but still offer easy access.
• Place 110v Outlet in the Center
  The prototype model had the 110v outlet and gas hose connector installed on the side of the unit. When a bottle was in use, it crowded the plugs and hoses. Dreisbach's idea was to mount the 110v outlet in the center of the machine to give the bottles and plugs plenty of clearance.
• Raise Height of Unit
  Dreisbach noted that if the height of the new Precision TIG was raised, there could be room for storage underneath the machine. He also suggested that raising the unit would put the control panel at natural hand level.
• Decrease Depth
  Because Team Rahal fabricators use a welding bench, they need welding units that will easily fit on the bench. Dreisbach noted that most welders on the market today are large and not fitting properly on the bench. Dreisbach suggested that with a depth of 36" from front to back, the machine will fit on the bench and conserve room in the shop.
• Move Controls to Upper Portion Of Welder
  To keep fabricators from having to bend over to adjust the machine's parameters, Dreisbach recommended that all the controls of the new Precision TIG be located near the top portion of the welder.
• Create Holder for Welding Wire
  Dreisbach noted that a welding unit able to hold at least two types of commonly used electrodes would offer a great convenience to the fabricator.
• Use Brass Threads
  Most welding machines use plastic threads to make connections with torches and solenoids. In Dreisbach's opinion, if Lincoln could design a machine with brass threads there would never be a concern about stripping threads as they wore out. Brass threads would be more durable and long lasting.

Dreisbach's suggestions have been incorporated into the Precision TIG that is on the market today and has helped make the next generation Precision TIG a machine that offers both great performance and many benefits to the fabricator.

TIG in Use at Team Rahal
Since Lincoln's Precision TIG has gone on the market, it is the only TIG machine in use at Team Rahal. The machine is used to weld many parts of the racing vehicle including radiators, suspension parts, exhaust systems, gearbox cases, accelerators and brake pedals.

"With the Precision TIG, violent DC starts have been completely eliminated," said Dreisbach. "The unit's MicroStart Technology makes it extremely easy to use and provides better control of the high-frequency to keep it off once you are welding. In addition, a minimum output current control allows me to turn the output down to as low as 2 amps to make the high-frequency starts even better and lets me adjust the machine for specific material thicknesses."

According to Dreisbach, the Precision TIG provides a smooth arc, which is especially noticeable when AC welding. "Because of the better high frequency in this machine, the unit has great starts and arc characteristics that are quieter and smoother than what I've used in the past. It makes it much easier for a professional to make beautiful and consistent welds," said Dreisbach. "I also take advantage of the machine's post-flow setting to keep metals from oxidizing."

With the Precision TIG, Team Rahal keeps its reputation for providing safe, high-quality welds. "Although the quality we are achieving with the Precision TIG is the same top-notch quality we have always turned out of our shop, we feel that this quality is easier to produce with the Precision TIG," stated Dreisbach. "The machine has clearly marked dials and simpler controls than competitive units. Storage is available in two areas - near the bottom of the welder for things like my helmet, gloves and sleeves and a flip-up door at the top for tungstens and gas lenses."

Set-up of the Precision TIG is simple since the torch connections are easy to hook up and have brass threads instead of plastic. "I want to spend my time making welds and building parts rather than making the welder work," noted Dreisbach.

Team Rahal's entire shop is filled with Lincoln equipment, including the Square Wave TIG 175, Pro-Cut 55 plasma cutter, the Power MIG 255 welding machine and the Invertec® V350 PRO with Cobramatic® for aluminum MIG welding. The race team also utilizes every diameter of aluminum TIG consumables that Lincoln manufactures.

Helping Sponsors
Team Rahal has worked to help drive technological advances with a number of other companies, including Shell Oil Company, Hewlett-Packard and Timken. According to Dreisbach, the opportunity to help industry is very rewarding. "If we help our sponsors, it gives us a feeling of accomplishment and will provide them with the impetus to keep working with us," noted Dreisbach.

Dreisbach has also partnered with Lincoln to perform welding demonstrations and make speeches to the sales force. Team Rahal drivers and vehicles have also appeared in promotional marketing pieces.

"One of the things we are proud of is that when you look at the names on our cars, we feel we represent some of the world's finest corporation," said Rahal. "I think the Lincoln name also represents the same world-class respect in the welding industry. We have a tremendous sense of confidence in the Lincoln equipment and in the company's capabilities. Its part of our security blanket getting in the race car - knowing it is put together in the best possible manner."

Service
Dreisbach feels that he has forged a relationship with Lincoln and can count on the company to provide what he needs to keep Team Rahal vehicles running at top quality. "From technical assistance at the track to welding problems related to producing and repairing race car parts, Lincoln has always come through for Team Rahal. Lincoln's Local Technical Representative Craig Eppley has been instrumental in providing the equipment and expertise we need," noted Dreisbach.

Dreisbach has attended Lincoln's Advanced Motorsports Welding Seminar, which is specifically designed for race team fabricators to address welding practices on some of racing's latest materials, such as nickel-based and titanium metals.

"Since nickel-based material is nearly indestructible and able to withstand heat at minimum thicknesses, we are now using this metal for exhaust systems," explained Dreisbach. "Titanium is used for the vehicle's heat shields and brackets since it is extremely flexible and lightweight. Lincoln's technologically advanced equipment helps us create superior welds on these newer materials and realize our overall goal to achieve lighter-weight vehicles."

As the motorsports industry continues to push the envelope when it comes to race car technology, it is only natural that Lincoln Electric partner with a leader in racing to drive new technological advances in welding.

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