LEADING EDGE

Jeff Ingle in the process of
removing teeth from an
excavator bucket.
Air Carbon ARC Gouging
By: Alan Goodman, Asset Manager
Our shop recently purchased an “air carbon ARC gouging” torch to improve
efficiency / productivity when we need to cut welds. Air carbon
arc gouging works as follows - An electric arc is generated between
the tip of a carbon electrode and the work piece. The metal becomes
molten and a high velocity air jet streams down the electrode to blow
it away, thus leaving a clean groove. The process is simple to apply
and has a high metal removal rate, and gouge profile can be closely
controlled.
This tool dramatically reduces this time to remove weld as compared
to the typical method of torching or grinding, plus the cut is very clean
and the metal is not subjected to extremely high temperatures This
tool could be compared to using a razor to precisely remove material.
A new, high volume, 25 HP air compressor enabled us to take advantage
of the gouging torch. Many thanks to Jerry Lambert and the shop
technicians for bringing new tools and technology into the workplace.
CAGC Pinnacle Award
Congratulations to New Atlantic Contracting for winning the 2014 Carolinas AGC Pinnacle Award!
They won “Best Building” for the UNCG Pedestrian Underpass. Wayne Brothers’ Grading Group is
grateful to have been part of such a successful project. The joint project between UNCG and the NC
Railroad Company was designed to provide a safer path for pedestrians and bicyclists as well as create
a connection between the university’s core campus and the school’s massive mixed-use project along
the Lee Street corridor. The most interesting and challenging part of the project was the open cut tunnel
was excavated and built underneath three Norfolk Southern railroad tracks, without taking them out
of service.
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