CSWIP 3.

1 Welding Inspection

Cutting Processes

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Course Reference WIS 5
Course notes section reference 15
 Oxyfuel Gas Cutting Process
A jet of pure oxygen reacts with iron, that has been preheated to
its ignition point, to produce the oxide Fe3O4 by exothermic
reaction.This oxide is then blown through the material by the
velocity of the oxygen stream

Different types of fuel gases may be used for the pre-heating

flame in oxy fuel gas cutting: i.e. acetylene, hydrogen,
propane. etc

By adding iron powder to the flame we are able to cut most

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metals - “Iron Powder Injection”

The high intensity of heat and rapid cooling will cause

hardening in low alloy and medium/high C steels  they are
thus pre-heated to avoid the hardening effect
 Oxyfuel Gas Cutting Process

The cutting torch

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Neutral cutting flame

Neutral cutting flame with

oxygen cutting stream
 Oxyfuel gas cutting equipment
Cutting tip

Torch-mix cutting Tip nut

Torch head

torch Mixed
preheat
Cutting oxygen

gases

•fuel and oxygen for Universal

pressure
mixer
preheat flame are mixed
within the torch
•can be injector type (for

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Handle

pressure less than 14 Cutting

oxygen
kPa) or medium lever
Preheat
pressure type Preheat
fuel gas
oxygen
valve
valve
Oxygen
Fuel gas inlet
inlet
 Oxyfuel gas cutting equipment
Tip nut
Tip mix cutting
torch Tip mix

Three tube
design

•fuel and oxygen

Preheat
for preheat flames fuel gas
Preheat
Cutting
oxygen
are mixed in the oxygen

tip of the torch

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Cutting
oxygen
lever
Handle

Preheat
valves
Oxyfuel gas cutting related terms

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 Oxyfuel gas cutting quality
• Good cut - sharp top edge, fine and even drag lines,
little oxide and a sharp bottom edge

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• Cut too fast -
• Cut too slow - top edge is melted, pronounced break in the
deep groves in the lower portion, drag line, irregular cut
heavy scaling, rough bottom edge edge
 Oxyfuel gas cutting quality
• Good cut - sharp top edge, fine and even drag lines,
little oxide and a sharp bottom edge

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• Preheat flame too low - deep • Preheat flame too high - top
groves in the lower part of the cut edge is melted, irregular cut,
face excess of adherent dross
 Oxyfuel gas cutting quality
• Good cut - sharp top edge, fine and even drag lines,
little oxide and a sharp bottom edge

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• Nozzle is too high above the
works - excessive melting of the • Irregular travel speed - uneven space
top edge, much oxide between drag lines, irregular bottom
with adherent oxide
 Mechanised oxyfuel cutting

• can use portable carriages or gantry type machines

 high productivity
• accurate cutting for complicate shapes

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 Mechanised oxyfuel cutting

Cutting and bevelling

head

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 OFW/C advantages/disadvantages
Advantages:
1) No need for power supply
 portable
2) Versatile: preheat,
brazing, surfacing, repair,
straightening
3) Low equipment cost
4) Can cut carbon and low
alloy steels
5) Good on thin materials
Disadvantages:
1) High skill factor
2) Wide HAZ
3) Safety issues
4) Slow process
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5) Limited range of
consumables
6) Not suitable for reactive &
refractory metals
 Plasma cutting

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Plasma cutting

•no need to promote

oxidation no preheat
•works by melting and blowing
and/or vaporisation
•gases: air, Ar, N2, O2, mix of Ar
+ H2, N2 + H2
•air plasma promotes
oxidation  increased speed
but special electrodes need

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•shielding gas - optional
•applications: stainless steels,
aluminium and thin sheet
carbon steel
Plasma arc modes

• used for cutting and

joining non-conductive
workpiece
• workpiece is not in the
arc circuit
• heat is obtained from

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plasma jet only
• low energy
concentration
 Plasma cutting

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 Arc Air Gouging

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 Arc-air gouging features
• Operate ONLY on DCEP
• Special gouging copper
coated carbon electrode
• Can be used on carbon
and low alloy steels,
austenitic stainless steels
and non-ferrous materials
• Requires CLEAN/DRY
compressed air supply

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• Provides fast rate of metal removal
• Can remove complex shape defects
• After gouging, grinding of carbured layer is mandatory
• Gouging doesn’t require a qualified welder!