PowerPoint to accompany

Welding
Principles and Practices
Third Edition

Sacks and Bohnart

Flame
Cutting
Principles
Chapter 6
1
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The
McGraw-Hill
Companies,
Inc.
Copyright
The
McGraw-Hill
Companies,
Inc.
Permission
required
for
reproduction
or
display.
Permission required for reproduction or display.

Objectives
1. Describe oxy-fuel cutting principles.
2. Identify oxy-fuel cutting equipment.
3. Explain the safety issues of oxy-fuel
cutting.
4. Describe various support equipment for
oxy-fuel cutting.
5. Identify various cutting techniques.
6. Describe
process.

the

oxygen

lance

cutting
6-2

Oxy-Fuel Gas Cutting Torch

Become universal tool
Used widely for straight-line
shape cutting
Used as means of scrapping
obsolete metal structures
Used to fabricate metal
structures from heavy rolled
steel
EdDegginger

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6-3

Oxyacetylene and Other

Fuel Gas Cutting
Oxyacetylene
Limited to cutting ferrous materials
Ferrous materials have affinity for oxygen
Rusting process is slow form of oxygen cutting

Chemical cutting process

Arc or water jet process

Stainless steel, manganese steels and nonferrous
materials
Mechanical method of cutting
6-4

Oxygen Cutting
Requires that the part to be cut be raised to a
temperature of 1,500-1,600F
Stream of pure oxygen directed onto hot metal
causing it to burn rapidly
Burning steel gives off iron oxide as a product
of combustion
Iron oxide solid at room temperature
Melting point below melting point of steel so iron
oxide runs off as molten slag, exposing more iron
to jet
6-5

Properties of Common
Fuel Gases
Propane

Methylacetylenepropadiene (MPS)

Chemical formula

C2H2

C8H8

C3H6

C3H4

Natural
Gas
CH4

Neutral flame F

5,6000 4,580

5,200

5,200

4,600

433

517

11

Secondary flame
Btu/ft3
963 2,243 1,938
1,889
Look for the rest in Table 6.1 from text

989

Acetylene

Primary flame
heat emission Btu/ft3

507

Propylene

255

6-6

Oxy-fuel Gas Cutting

Equipment
Single-purpose cutting torch, or welding
torch to which adaptable cutting head is
attached
Flint lighter
Oxygen regulator
Acetylene regulator
Oxygen welding hose with couplings
attached to each end
Acetylene welding hose with couplings
attached to each end
Flame arresters and check valves
6-7

Cutting Torch
A high pressure oxygen valve operated by a lever
controls the oxygen.
Connecting Tubes

Cutting Head
Thermadyne Industries, Inc

Handle

Hose Connection for Oxygen

Acetylene
Oxygen
furnished
toHead
the preheating
Adaptable
Cutting
A needle
valve in theflame
acetylene
inlet
is regulated by a preheat
valvecontrols
on the side
of handle.
connection
the supply.

The cutting torch mixes oxygen and acetylene or other

fuel gases in the proportions necessary for cutting.
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6-8

Internal Construction of
a Standard Cutting Torch

Thermadyne Industries, Inc

Take a closer look at the cutting end of the torch!

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6-9

Internal Construction of
a Standard Cutting Torch

Thermadyne Industries, Inc

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6 - 10

Internal Construction of
a Standard Cutting Torch

Thermadyne Industries, Inc

Now a closer look at the handle end of the torch!

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6 - 11

Internal Construction of
a Standard Cutting Torch

Thermadyne Industries, Inc

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6 - 12

Thermadyne Industries, Inc

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6 - 13

Standard Adaptable Cutting

Attachment

Thermadyne Industries, Inc

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6 - 14

Cutting Tips

Around this center hole are a number

of preheating flame holes.

Thermadyne Industries, Inc

Cutting tips may be obtained in

various shapes and sizes. The
thicker the metal that is to be cut,
the larger the size of the center hole
must be.
The cutting tip has a central hole through
which the high pressure oxygen flows.
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6 - 15

Standard Cutting Tips

Cutting tips are designated as
standard or high speed.

The standard tip has a straight

bore cutting oxygen port and is
typically used with oxygen
pressures in the 30 to 60 p.s.i.
range.
American Welding Society, Welding Handbook,
Vol. 2, 8th ed.,Fig. 14.5, p. 457

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6 - 16

High Speed Cutting Tips

The high speed tips have a diverging
cutting oxygen port that flares out
toward the opening.
This flaring out allows much higher oxygen
pressure (60100 p.s.i.), while maintaining
a uniform oxygen jet at supersonic velocities.
These high speed tips are typically used only
for machine cutting and will yield an increase
in travel speed of 20 percent over standard tips.

American Welding Society, Welding Handbook,

Vol. 2, 8th ed., Fig. 14.5 p.457

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6 - 17

Orifice Size
Cutting Oxygen orifice size not usually
affected by type of fuel gas used
Preheat orifices need to be of appropriate
design for type of fuel gas being used.
Various fuel gases require different volumes of
oxygen and fuel
Tips used for acetylene usually one piece,
while other fuel cases may be one-or two-piece
tips
6 - 18

Flame Tips
Acetylene tips are
usually one piece
and flat on the flame end.

1
Close quarters
2 cutting attachment
Long
3
Tips for methylacetylene-propadiene
(MPS)
cutting tip
Rivet-cutting tip4
have a flat surface on the flame end.
Straight gouging tips
Most propylene tips have a slight recess,
and natural gas and propane tips usually
have a deeper recess or cupped end.
Bent machining,
gouging
tip cutting tip
Tips may be obtainedRivet-burning
for flame
Sheet
metal
6
tips
7
gouging, scarfing, and rivet cutting. 5
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6 - 19
Thermadyne Industries, Inc

Lighters
The cutting torch should be lighted with a

Thermadyne Industries, Inc

friction lighter.
The flints of friction lighters can be easily
replaced at small cost when worn out.
Matches should never be used because the
thermal cutters hand has to be too close to
the torch tip and may be burned when the
gases ignite.
There is also the danger that the supply of
matches that the thermal cutter may be
carrying in his or her pockets will ignite and
cause severe burns.
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6 - 20

Goggles

The thermal cutter must wear

protective goggles to prevent harm
to his or her eyes from sparks, hot
particles of metal, and glare.
Thermadyne Industries, Inc

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6 - 21

Gloves
Heat is very intense
Shower of sparks and hot material
Best gloves should be of nonburnable material
Common practice to wear ordinary
canvas glove with cuff which can
be purchases at very small cost

Gloves should be kept free from gr

and oil because of the danger invo
in contact with oxygen.
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6 - 22

Magnetic Burning Square

The magnetic burning square

makes it possible to cut
straight lines with a high
degree of accuracy. It can be
used forstructural burning
and layout work in general.
The tool is inscribed
with a 90 protractor in
1 increments, allowing
a swing of 180 with
the blade or tool.
Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Contour Sales Corp.

6 - 23

Magnetic Burning Square

The base of the tool is

a perfect square, with two
strong, cast-in magnets for
holding the tool in the
overhead, vertical, angular,
and horizontal positions.
Centour Sales Corp.

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6 - 24

Magnetic Burning Square

The top part of the tool

is
cast with an 18-inch
blade
in 1/8-inch increments,
and
it has a large knob for
setting
and holding the blade in
the

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

Centour Sales Corp.

6 - 25

Oxy-Fuel Gas Cutting

Machines
These machines have device
to hold cutting torch and
guide in along the work at
a uniform rate of speed.

ESAB

Work is of higher quality and

faster than with the hand cutting
torch. They may be used for cutting
Small machines used straight lines, bevels, circles,
with only one torch. and other cuts of varied shape.
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6 - 26

Multiple Cutting Torches

Automatic control

ESAB

Multiple torches
Large permanent installations can make
use of several cutting torches to make a
number of similar shapes at the same time.
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6 - 27

Automatic Control

ESAB

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6 - 28

Multiple Cutting Torches

A number of cutting torches

are mounted on the machine
so that a number of parts o
the same shape can be cut
simultaneously. These
machines can be used for
straight-line or circle cutting
They can be guided by hand
or a template.
Metal Fabricating Institute

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6 - 29

Tracing Devices

utting machines may be guided by various

types of tracing devices. One type follows
a pattern line of tracer ink and electrically
controls the movement of the torch by
means of a servomechanism.

Some units make use of a tracer roller,

which is magnetized and kept in contact
with a steel pattern. The tracer follows
e exact outer contour of the pattern and
auses the cutting tools to produce a cut
in exactly the same shape.
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ESAB

6 - 30

Stack Cutting
Cuts made through several
thicknesses at same time
Plates in stack must be
clean and flat with edges in
alignment
Tight contact with minimum
of air space between
Need to clamp them together
American Welding Society (AWS) Welding Handbook Committee, 2001,
Welding Science and Technology, Volume 1 of Welding Handbook, 9 th ed.
Miami: American Welding Society, Fig. 14.13, p. 468

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6 - 31

Stack Cutting

Stack cutting is particularly

suitable for cutting thin sheet
A sheet 1/8 in. thick or less w
and the edge is rough with sla
cut singly. If stack cut, the ed
are straight and smooth and f
from slag.
Plates may be up to in. thick.
American Welding Society (AWS) Welding Handbook Committee, 2001,
Welding Science and Technology, Volume 1 of Welding Handbook, 9 th ed.
Miami: American Welding Society, Fig. 14.13, p. 468

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6 - 32

Beam Cutter
The beam rail is positioned across the flanges.

BUG-O

The beam cutter is a portable structural fabricating tool.

operator can trim, bevel, and cope beams, channels and ang
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6 - 33

Beam Cutter
Two permanent magnets lock and square rail
in position.
Variable speed power units used on both
horizontal and vertical drives
Squaring gauge enables operator to adjust tip
quickly from bevel to straight trim cuts
Weighs only 60 pounds so one operator setup
times is minimal
Clean, accurate cuts done in minimum time
6 - 34

Oxygen Lance Cutting

Oxygen pressure used is

75 to 100 p.s.i.

American Welding Society, Welding Handbook, Vol. 2, 8 th ed., Fig. 14.25, p. 479

The lance is length of black iron pipe.

The pipe size may vary from 1/4 to 3/8 in.

ygen lance cutting (OLC) is a method of cutting heavy sectio

of steel that would be very difficult by any other means.
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6 - 35

Oxygen Lance Cutting

American Welding Society, Welding Handbook, Vol. 2, 8 th ed., Fig. 14.25, p. 479

In order to start the cut, it is necessary to preheat the

cutting end of the pipe (lance) to a cherry red with an
oxy-fuel cutting or welding torch.

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6 - 36

Oxygen Lance Cutting

American Welding Society, Welding Handbook, Vol. 2, 8 th ed., Fig. 14.25, p. 479

Once it is cherry red the oxygen flow is started. The stee

burns in a self-sustaining, exothermic reaction, and the h
torch is removed. When the burning end of the lance is b
close to the workpiece, the work is melted by the heat o
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6 - 37

Oxygen Lance Cutting

The lance is slowly consumed during the operation an

must be replaced from time to time.

The oxygen lance is useful for piercingholes in heavy

thicknesses of steel, cutting off large risers in the foundry,
and opening holes in steelmaking equipment which have
become plugged with solidified metal.
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6 - 38

Oxygen Lance Cutting

The lance is slowly consumed during the operation an

must be replaced from time to time.

The oxygen lance is useful for piercingholes in heavy

thicknesses of steel, cutting off large risers in the foundry,
and opening holes in steelmaking equipment which have
become plugged with solidified metal.
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6 - 39