If you’re a small manufacturing business or work with raw materials, you may be considering an oxy-fuel cutter.
But what actually is oxy-fuel cutting, and is it right for your business?
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What is Oxy-Fuel Cutting?
It’s a process that has been used across the globe for over a century. However, despite cementing its place in history, it’s still a commonly used cutting technique today.
Oxy-fuel cutting combines fuel and oxygen to cut different materials, but mostly metals. The most commonly used fuel is acetylene, but other gases like natural gas, propylene, liquified petroleum, and hydrogen can also be used.
How does Oxy-Fuel cutting work?
The first step in the cutting process is to heat the metal with a torch. The metal needs to reach its kindling temperature before it can be cut. At this point, oxygen is added to the metal to create a metal oxide that flows out and away from the material being cut. The heat produced by the metal oxide is what effectively cuts the metal, and any additional liquid metal can be wiped or tapped away.
How does Oxy-Fuel compare to other options
You can find a variety of different cutting options at kerfdevelopments.com. In addition, there are several popular alternatives to oxy-fuel available such as plasma or waterjet cutting.
A torch is used to blow inert gas through an electrical arc at high speed during plasma cutting, which turns the gas into plasma. In waterjet cutting, high-pressure water is used to make the cuts.
It really depends on the material you’re cutting when it comes to choosing the right type of cutting method.
Choosing between plasma and oxy-fuel can be negated by opting for a cutting machine that can offer both. Alternatively, waterjet cutting offers a process that produces much less heat if you work in a small area or are worried about damaging other equipment. Waterjet also offers high accuracy and can be used to create intricate patterns across a variety of materials. Metal, however, is not one of them. Therefore, oxy-fuel cutting is a much better and much more efficient option for businesses that do a lot of metalwork and need a high level of precision.
Finding a machine that can cut different types of material will save money and time for your business. Not to mention reduce the amount of space you need in your work area.
By installing a machine that can either cut multiple materials or combines oxy-fuel processes with plasma cutting. It will allow your business to grow too and potentially offer different services or products. It could also boost your efficiency as a whole and improve productivity at the bottom line. All of this should be considered when looking at the different types of cutting machines and processes available.
Oxy-fuel is a great traditional option that can be used across a wide variety of industries. That said, it is good to understand the pros and cons of each cutting type to make an informed decision about which machine is right for you.
