Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project: Olympic Bobsled Team Relies on Lincoln!

Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project: Olympic Bobsled Team Relies on Lincoln!
Lincoln Electric is Named the Official Welding Sponsor of the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, Inc.


Cleveland, Ohio – In February 2006, the eyes of the world will be on Torino, Italy, for the start of the Olympic Winter Games. The months leading up to the competition will be a whirlwind of activity for the fabricators at Chassis Dynamics, Inc. of Oxford, Conn., the firm which designs, manufactures and tests the Bo-Dyn brand of bobsleds used by the U.S. men's and women's teams.

An integral part of the preparation process is the welding of the sleds' chassis, suspension, steering and internal components. To do this work, the Chassis Dynamics shop uses the latest Lincoln Electric welding equipment, including the Precision TIG 185 TIG welder, as well as the Power MIG 255C and the SP-175 Plus MIG welding machines. The Lincoln Electric Company has recently been named the official welding sponsor of the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, Inc., a non-profit organization that raises funds for the design and manufacturing of the Bo-Dyn bobsleds used by the U.S. Olympic and World Cup teams.

"Bo-Dyn only wants the best equipment to assist us in the manufacturing of the sleds," said Phil Kurze, president of the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, Inc. "When striving for a gold medal, the welds must be strong and able to withstand the high speeds and G-forces associated with the sport. We count on Lincoln Electric welding machines to give us top-rated performance."

The name Bo-Dyn reflects the roots of the project initiated by Winston Cup racer and bobsled enthusiast Geoff Bodine ("Bo" for Bodine and "Dyn" for Chassis Dynamics). After the U.S.'s poor showing in the bobsled competition during the 1992 Olympic Games in Albertville, France, Bodine requested that Chassis Dynamics, a well-known NASCAR race car design and development firm, become involved in the sport.

During the last Olympic Winter Games in Park City, Utah, sleds built by Chassis Dynamics aided the U.S. team in claiming a gold medal in the woman's two-person event, and silver and bronze medals in the men's four-man. These placements mark the most success the U.S. has ever had in Olympic bobsledding, and it is also the first time since 1956 that the U.S. team won a bobsled medal. The U.S. teams hope to build on that success in the upcoming 2006 Olympic Games.

During the 2004-2005 season, a totally new four-man bobsled design was unveiled. The sled was specifically designed to be more aerodynamic, reducing the forces of wind resistance, drag and friction that can slow down a sled. This new design was a significant factor in the success of the four-man team, which won two gold medals in the 2005 World Cup event held in Altenberg, Germany and Winterberg, Germany. According to Kurze, for the Americans to win gold on German soil is unusual considering the high profile the sport enjoys in Europe. In total, the U.S. team claimed 10 medals during the season, despite a foot injury suffered by lead driver Todd Hays.

But a superior sled is only one element in a successful medal bid. It is a combination of four factors that make or break a team - the sled, driver, athletes who push at takeoff, and runners on which the sled rides. All four must be exceptional if the team hopes to be in medal contention.

At the upcoming Olympics, Chassis Dynamics will provide sleds for nine U.S. teams. According to Bob Cuneo, president of Chassis Dynamics, it takes more than a year to design a new prototype sled which includes computer design and conceptual work. His innovative team is constantly coming up with creative ways to make the sleds faster. "There are hundreds of rules regulating the design of a bobsled and the challenge for us is to improve the design and stay within the rules," said Cuneo. "We are continually updating our designs based on what we have learned in the past." To test out new designs, Chassis Dynamics takes advantage of the wind tunnel at the University of Maryland.

Once a design is complete, the fabrication of a sled takes four to six weeks. Chassis Dynamics hand fabricates every part of the sled in-house. "Believe it or not, these sleds are every bit as sophisticated as the NASCAR race cars we design," noted Cuneo.

Having quality welds is of the utmost importance in this sport since the vibration, G-forces, constant pounding and speeds of 80 to 100 mph take their toll on the sled and can lead to weld cracking. Lincoln Electric's Precision TIG 275 is used for welding the bobsled's steel suspension components and aluminum controls. The materials range in thickness from .030 inch aluminum sheet metal to 1-inch thick steel.

"With the Precision TIG, I feel like I have much more control of the arc than on the average TIG machine," said Cuneo. "I searched all over for a machine that would meet our needs. The Precision TIG offers the high quality welding characteristics of the biggest and most expensive TIG welders on the market. The 275's arc starting is definitely an advantage."

According to Cuneo, the Precision TIG 275 provides excellent starting capabilities and arc stability, even on thin materials. "When you're working with thinner metals, some TIG machines won't start well or will start too hot. With the Precision TIG, you get the weld puddle just right from the start and have precise control through the entire welding process. I thought I'd have to buy a more expensive machine to get this type of arc action, but the Precision TIG is an affordable unit that produces an excellent arc."

The shop has recently added Lincoln's Power MIG 255C welding machine. Cuneo indicated that one of the best features on both the Power MIG and the Precision TIG 275 is the single-phase input capability. Since repairs and modifications are performed on-site at the bobsled run, having a unit capable of operating from input power provided by an engine-driven auxiliary power generator is critical.

"The Power MIG 255C is a single phase machine with the performance of a three-phase unit," noted Cuneo. "It has a steady arc with good penetration and control. It's easy to adjust the characteristics of the weld using the controls.

Chassis Dynamic also takes advantage of the portable SP-175 Plus MIG welder from Lincoln. "This machine amazes me," said Cuneo. "It is so small, but yet welds so well. Usually a small welder like this is something you only use out in the field because you have to and you wouldn't think of using it in the shop when you have access to your larger welding machines. But this unit makes you want to use it even while in the shop."

The Lincoln machines are getting a workout as the fabricators of Chassis Dynamics are currently working on a new design for the 2-man sled which they hope to unveil during the 2005-2006 season. It is critical that the team perform well throughout the upcoming season as the point totals used for placement in the World Cup (as tallied throughout the season) also determine the seat for the Olympics.

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