Flame Cutting: Steel Profiling Using the Hottest Technology in Town!

 Flame cutting involves an affordable, yet efficient way of cutting metals like steel to give them the desired shape as per the industry requirements. The machines required for flame cutting are designed to provide machining aid to small and medium scale industries that cannot afford more elaborate and expensive forms of flame cutting.

The specifications of flame cutting machines

The machine carriage has two parts; a longitudinal carriage for longitudinal motion of the flame cutter and a transverse carriage for which helps the machine move along the main beam of the longitudinal part of the carriage. The longitudinal carriage has built in hardened and adjustable wheels that help the machine to be guided in the direction of choice by means of the ball bearings and rollers.

The rail stands consist of a slave rail and master rail and help in aligning the machine in the proper rail direction for perfect movement and working.

A tracing table is attached to the left hand side of the machine to station the drawings and is painted in a matte black shade, made of particleboard and framed for smooth finish. The dimensions of this tracing table are generally 1 metre in length and 1.5 metre in breadth.

There is a coordination control panel, which helps in the proper adjustment and movement of the longitudinal carriage and the transverse carriage.

Methods in flame cutting

Roughing cuts: these cuts are made into the steel portions to be gotten rid of to get as much material out of the part as possible, in order to form a shape according to the desired mould, but leaving enough material on the work part so that it can be operated on later, to give it the final shape that is required.

Finishing cuts: are used to give the roughing material the final alterations that are required to give it a final touch and good surface finish. In most industrial grade flame cutting works, one roughing cut is generally accompanied by two or more finishing cuts to give it the polish that is required. The steel cutting velocities required for roughing are much less compared to finishing cuts.

Types of flame cutting

Gas cutting is also a form of steel cutting and is generally used in the case of ferrous metals like carbon steel. Gas cutting is a method in which carbon steel is pre-heated to its combustion temperature, and then burned vigorously by means of a calculated jet of oxygen. A cutting torch is used for this method of steel cutting technique.

Plasma cutting is used to cut steel and other metals into the desired shape and form using a high-powered plasma torch.

Laser cutting is another form of flame cutting and laser technology is used in this method to cut through metal. The high intensity laser beam is targeted towards the metal wherein the scrap pieces are either vaporized or washed off using gas jets.