A-MAZE-ING RACE

AISC-certified major bridge fabricator Stinger Welding Inc. (Coolidge, AZ) won a subcontract to fabricate 12 steel girders for two spans of an overpass bridge ? known as the MacArthur Maze ? on Interstate 580 near Oakland, CA, which had been destroyed when a gasoline tanker overturned and caught fire.

Using new welding equipment from Lincoln Electric (Cleveland, OH), the company fabricated the plate girders in just eight days, allowing the bridge spans to be reopened six weeks ahead of schedule. Gary Gardner, quality assurance/quality control manager and certified welding instructor for Stinger Welding stated, ?CalTrans initially estimated it would take at least six months to complete the reconstruction. Due in large part to our turnaround time on the girders, it was done in three.?

Stinger Welding used Idealarc® DC-1000 power sources with LT-7 submerged arc welding tractors and NA-3 wire feeders. In combination with Lincolnweld® LA-75 wire and 888? submerged arc flux, the welding equipment allowed the company to weld on the high strength AASHTO M270/ASTM A709 grade 50 steel in accordance with the AWS D1.5 code. The girders, or structural supports, were 42 in tall, measuring 60 ft to 90 ft in length.

In addition to its fast turnaround, Stinger Welding?s attention to detail resulted in each of its 12 girders on the MacArthur Maze passing inspection without any required on-site rework.

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Stinger Welding, Inc., 4248 N. Hwy. 87, P.O. Box 280, Coolidge, AZ 85228, www.deckjoint.com.

The Lincoln Electric Company, 22800 Saint Clair Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44117-8542, 216-383-8586, Fax: 216-383-8381, www.lincolnelectric.com.