If you use steel in any of your company’s operations, you should know the options for cutting and metal processing. Those who work with low-alloy steel may be familiar with a process called oxy-fuel cutting. However, you may not know exactly what it entails or why it’s so beneficial. Here's a more detailed look at the process.

What Is Oxy-Fuel?

Oxy-fuel combines pure oxygen with acetylene or a similar fuel, such as propane or natural gas, to create an extremely hot flame. It's ideal for cutting low-alloy steel with a thickness of 2 inches or more. It's also been used in welding in the past, though it's most commonly applied for cutting in today's metal processing industry. 

How Does the Cutting Process Work?

The oxy-fuel cutting method is generally applied to metal using a torch. The oxygen allows the fuel to burn hotter than it would when exposed to regular air, thus speeding up the oxidation process. 

Cutting starts by preheating the metal surface. A stream of oxygen is then applied to remove the liquid waste and leave the rest of the metal intact. 

What Are the Benefits?

This method allows metal processors to create clean, precise cuts in thick pieces of low-alloy steel. It's also a portable method of metal processing since it simply requires a couple of tanks and a torch. 

It can even be completed indoors. Since it doesn’t require heavy or expensive equipment, it can also be completed on multiple pieces of steel fairly quickly, allowing metal fabricators to increase efficiency. 

If you’re interested in reaping the benefits of oxy-fuel cutting or other metal processing options, contact American Metal Supply. Serving customers throughout Louisville, KY, and Cincinnati, OH, the metal distributor offers a wide array of stainless steel, aluminum, bars, and sheets. They also provide custom metal processing services to ensure customers receive the exact metals they need for their projects. Visit the website or call (502) 634-4321 to request a quote.