Table of Contents
1. Abstract .................................................................................................................................... 2
2. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 2
2.1 Oxyacetylene Welding (OAW) .............................................................................................. 2
2.2 Metal Cutting......................................................................................................................... 2
3. List of Equipment .................................................................................................................... 3
4. Experimental Procedure .......................................................................................................... 3
4.1 Gas Welding .......................................................................................................................... 3
4.1.1Preparation ....................................................................................................................... 3
4.1.2 Welding operation ........................................................................................................... 4
4.1.3 Final Steps ...................................................................................................................... 4
4.2 Metal Cutting......................................................................................................................... 4
4.2.1 Preparation ...................................................................................................................... 4
4.2.2 Torch Arrangement ......................................................................................................... 4
4.2.3 Cutting Procedure ........................................................................................................... 4
5. Result ....................................................................................................................................... 5
6. Discussion ................................................................................................................................ 6
7. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 7
8. Questions and Answers ............................................................................................................ 7
9. References ............................................................................................................................... 9
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1. Abstract
This experiment encompasses the processing of metal cutting and gas welding using the oxy-
acetylene process. The lab will be on the welding of a butt joint. The objective is to investigate
the various variables determining the quality of welding and cutting. Two mild-steel plates were
welded using the oxy-acetylene welding torch, with filler metal comprising copper-coated mild
steel; likewise, the same gas combination was used for metal cutting. The report looks at
equipment and tools used in gas welding and cutting, the principles of flame production, and
their characteristics. Key observations entail the effects that flame type has on the welding
process, observing the essential safety precautions, and good working conditions as basics to
yield excellent quality in welding and cutting. This laboratory experiment has attained
knowledge of the processes involved in gas welding and cutting, manipulation of equipment, and
following safety precautions. The experiment is quite successful since the requirements of the
experiment were satisfactorily performed.
2. Introduction
2.1 Oxyacetylene Welding (OAW)
OAW is classified as a type of OFW where a mixture of acetylene and oxygen yields a high
temperature flame that may melt metals for joining. In this technique, it is portable, easy, and
cheap; hence, it finds applications in repair and maintenance. [1] However, in terms of power
density and heat input, OAW welding normally has relatively lower power density and higher
heat input, which may result in a relatively slower welding speed with probable distortion in
workpieces. [2]
2.2 Metal Cutting
Oxy-acetylene cutters use a setup that is just about similar, with the only difference being that
whereas in OAW, an attempt is made to join metals together, here an attempt is made to cut
through them. In this cutting, metal is heated up to its ignition temperature where oxygen is
blown in to produce an exothermic reaction. This reaction gives off iron oxide, or slag, which is
blown away by the high-pressure oxygen stream that causes the cut in the material. This process
finds wide application in the cutting of metals of various thicknesses and the parameters of the
cutting vary with respect to the material. [3]
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3. List of Equipment
For Gas Welding
1. 2 sheets of Mild Steel (MS)
2. Acetylene cylinder
3. Oxygen cylinder
4. Oxyacetylene welding torch
5. Filler rod or Copper-coated Mild Steel
6. Tongs
7. Scrubber or brush
8. Refractory brick
For Cutting of Metals
1. MS Plate
2. Acetylene cylinder
3. Oxygen cylinder
4. Oxyacetylene cutting torch
5. Refractory brick
6. Scrubber or brush
7. Tongs
4. Experimental Procedure
4.1 Gas Welding
4.1.1Preparation
Butt Joint Preparation:
The two MS sheets cleaned by a brush or scrubber were kept side by side on a refractory brick in
preparation for a butt joint.
Torch Preparation:
• The regulator adjusting screws of both oxyacetylene equipment were adjusted to make
readings of both working pressure gauges 5 psi.
• Open the welding torch fuel gas valve slightly allowing a little of the gas to escape.
• Fire the torch with a spark lighter by the lighter near the tip of the torch.
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Flame Adjusting:
• Progressively opened the acetylene gas and little by little added oxygen until the flame
stopped smoking.
• From there forward, the torch was settled to a neutral flame on the ratio of oxygen to
acetylene 1:1.
4.1.2 Welding operation
• Filler rod held in one hand-edges of MS sheets tack-welded by melting the filler metal on
top of the joint.
• Wholly clearance at a butt joint was then welded by covering with molten filler metal to
form a strong bond.
4.1.3 Final Steps
• The job so welded was taken out using tongs and immediately quenched in water to
solidify the joint.
4.2 Metal Cutting
4.2.1 Preparation
• The plate to be cut was then placed on a refractory brick keeping that part to be cut
overhanging for easy access to cut.
4.2.2 Torch Arrangement
• The oxyacetylene cutting torch was lit and flame was adjusted keeping oxygen lever off
to preheat the metal.
4.2.3 Cutting Procedure
• Work being heated to red-hot condition, the starting point getting soft enough, the oxygen
valve was opened and allowed a high-speed jet of oxygen to pass through the cutting
torch.
• The torch being advanced along the cutting line was steadily melting the metal and
burning into the slag and finally allowed it to be blown clear along with the cut. Final
Steps:
• Continue further along that line and make the cut clear through until the whole section
was removed from the plate and so completed the process of metal cutting.
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5. Result
Two mild steel sheets were welded in the experiment by the welding technique of gas welding
with a mixture of oxygen and acetylene. The general characteristics of the weld after welding
showed that, because of perfect fusion between the base metals, the filler metal was evenly
distributed across the seam of the weld. It could also be seen from the surface of the weld that
ripple marks were visible, showing proper technique and effective temperature control occurring
with respect to the welding process.
(a) (b)
Fig 1: a) - Butt joint by gas welding (Front side), b) - Butt joint by gas welding (Back side)
It had also been used for the cutting of a mild steel plate using an oxyacetylene cutting torch,
which yielded a clean cut with less slag formation, straight, thereby showing efficiency of
process in making accurate and effective cuts in metals.
(c)
Fig 2: c) - Metal cutting from plasma
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Also, both the welding and the cutting were done at appropriate working pressure; thus, their
results were quite satisfactory considering the strength of the bond of the welded joint and the
nature of the cut through the metal.
6. Discussion
Gas Welding:
Figure 1 (a) shows a non-uniform welded bead for the gas-welded joint; this might be due to the
inadequacy of the welder, who did not maintain a uniform oxyacetylene flame throughout the
joint. The irregular melting of the metal into the weld resulted in a non-standard heat input across
the weld and thus resulted in visible imperfections along the same. Also, gas welding tends to
include higher levels of heat input, which again gives rise to more distortion within the
workpiece. One of the reasons which make gas welding less productive compared to others is the
excess amount of heat; considering that it makes the process more troublesome to control. A few
of the irregularities in the weld are pointed out in the figure.
Figure 1 (b) also shows a non-uniform melt-through bead at the root of the workpiece. The
irregularity also points to the fact that the flame control is not smooth during the process.
Distortion of workpiece is also visible. It speaks of the high heat input characteristic of gas
welding.
Metal Cutting:
Cutting of MS plate by oxy-acetylene gas:
During the process, MS plates are cut by an oxyacetylene flame. The technique, unlike arc-based
cutting process uses heat dissipated by a flame in the cutting action of material. Oxyacetylene
cutting can be done on plates up to 24 inches of metal. The type of flame neutral, oxidizing or
reducing controls the outcome of the procedure and proper pressure while working is pertinent.
Butt Joint Welding:
Butt joint welding, on the other hand-which was carried out in another part of the experiment-
really showed an excellent performance where it brought the melting base metal on either side
quite well. The weld was straight and uniform except at the start and the end of the joint. There
had been some sputtering at the beginning because I am still inexperienced in manipulating the
flame. Overall, however, the welding was also reasonably uniform, and only slight hollowing
was experienced in the joint due to uneven weld pool penetration on the backside. The heat-
affected zone was considerably large, but this process no doubt cut into the mild steel plate
because of an intense amount of heat input by the oxyacetylene flame.
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7. Conclusion
The efficiency and handiness in dealing with metals make the application area of OAW and
metal cutting with the oxyacetylene wider.
Gas Welding-OAW: The oxy-fuel gas welding technique is one of the most acceptable welding
processes which has a low price and is simple but very satisfactory for repair and maintenance
work. The controlled combustion of acetylene and oxygen allows the making of permanent joints
in the metals. OAW is relatively easy to understand and operate; its disadvantages are that it
involves greater heat inputs and power densities than any other welding process. In thicker
materials, it causes more workpiece distortion, with poorer productivity. It is an economical
process where applications do not have special demands on shielding and equipment. [2]
Metal Cutting: One of the efficient methods of cutting metals with a high-temperature flame in
the combustion of acetylene and oxygen is Oxyacetylene cuttings. It provides, along with many
others, a rather inexpensive alternative to the much more precise methods such as plasma cutting
for ferrous metals. The process requires that the controlled flow rate of oxygen is related to the
thickness of the metal being cut. It is for clean and correct cuttings without backfires or
flashbacks. Though not as precise compared to plasma cutting, the cutting of oxyacetylene is
quite effective for a wide range of applications in metal cuttings. [3]
Oxyfuel gas welding and oxyacetylene metal-cutting basic skills thus make both quite
indispensable in industries like automotive repair and construction. This has been demonstrated
through the flexibility that is realized because of easy handling and relatively low-cost rendering.
Being able to understand their operating concepts and field applications would most contrast
them with other welding and cutting processes, including resistance welding and plasma cutting,
to get the right operation that would be fitted to a given job of metalworking.
8. Questions and Answers
a) How does oxy-acetylene torch ignite?
Answer: Light up the oxy-acetylene torch:
How to operate
1. Both regulator screws are to be opened counterclockwise until such time as the working
pressure gauges read 5 psi.
2. The opening of the fuel gas valve of the torch is to be affected by one to two full turns to let a
small quantity of gas escape.
3. The torch is lighted with a spark lighter close to the tip of the torch but without covering the
tip of it.
4. Open slowly the acetylene valve until no more smoke comes out of the flame.
5. Slowly introduce oxygen and the flame; adjust torch to neutral flame. [4]
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b) How does one turn off the oxyacetylene torch?
Answer: To turn off the oxyacetylene torch:
1. Instantly shutting the valve of oxygen and then the valve of acetylene
2. Turning off oxygen and acetylene cylinders
3. Opening one torch valve to bleed the pressure off before closing.
4. Switching off the two torch valves by rotating to off position and rotating back both regulators
adjusting screws to zero. [5]
f) Principles of metal cutting by oxyacetylene cutting torches discuss.
Answer: The mixture of oxygen and acetylene gases in an oxy-acetylene torch is used to heat a
metal to its ignition temperature. When it reaches this temperature, another jet of high-velocity
oxygen is introduced to the hot surface. A further exothermic reaction is then carried out when
the metal is oxidized, thereby resulting in iron oxide-called slag-mostly-with the torch now
cutting through the metal. The rates of oxygen flow and manipulation of the torch should be
discriminatingly controlled to have an appropriate cut. [6]
g. How does one avoid cylinder explosion due to leakage and flashback? What are the
machinery parts or systems in gas welding/cutting machinery setup?
Answer: To avoid explosions in cylinders and flash back:
• Handlers check the gas cylinders for leakage routinely and they are kept locked securely.
• Flashback arresters prevent flashback from reaching cylinders
• If flashback is seen, immediately shut off the oxygen valve and acetylene valve. Allow the
torch to burn off and cool down. After cooling down, it must be checked for faults. [7]
Gas Welding/ Cutting Setup Machineries parts
There are two kinds of gas cylinders used in this procedure: one is filled with oxygen, while the
other one is filled with acetylene. It is color-coded and fitted with pressure regulators each.
Pressure Regulators: These reduce the high cylinder pressures to save working pressures for the
torch.
Flashback Arrestors: These stop flashback flames from going into the cylinders.
Hoses: These carry the gases from the cylinders to the torches - colored differently to
differentiate oxygen from acetylene. Threads on the right-hand side for oxygen and on left-hand
side for acetylene.
Check Valves: The gas can flow in only one direction without any scope for the backflow into the
torch.
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Welding Torch: It consists of controls for fuel gas and oxygen, utilized in joining metals.
These elements ensure that the operation meets the requirement of safety and efficiency,
consequently reducing hazards related to explosion, flashback, and damage to the apparatus
during oxyacetylene welding and cutting operations. [8]
9. References
[1] S. Lesson, "gas-welding-definition-applications-working-advantages-disadvantages," [Online].
[2] interestingengineering, "gas-welding-basics-advantages-disadvantages-and-applications,"
[Online]. Available: [Link]
advantages-disadvantages-and-applications.
[3] thepipingmart, "how-to-use-oxy-acetylene-cutting-torch-a-complete-guide," [Online].
Available: [Link]
complete-guide/.
[4] yourarticlelibrary., "gas-welding," [Online]. Available:
[Link]
and-applications/97612.
[5] D. M. A. Rashed, "Metal joining and Forming Process," Department of MME,BUET.
[6] mewelding, "oxy-acetylene-cuttin," [Online]. Available: [Link]
cuttin.
[7] occusafeinc, "health-hazards-of-oxy-acetylene-cutting-welding-june-2015," [Online].
Available: [Link]
welding-june-2015/.
[8] harrisproductsgroup, "how-to-properly-light-adjust-and-shut-down-an-oxy-acetylene-torch,"
[Online]. Available: [Link]
adjust-and-shut-down-an-oxy-acetylene-torch/#:~:text=Ignite%20flame%20with%20striker.
[9] Bhowmick. [Online]. Available: Bhowmick, S., 2023. Study of Resistance welding and Plasma
cutting. Dhaka: s.n.
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