What Is Oxy-Fuel Cutting Up to 420 mm? A Guide to Heavy Plate Cutting
In the production of thick plates and heavy steel components, the cutting method plays an important role in both part quality and production efficiency.
Oxy-fuel cutting is a powerful and economical cutting method, particularly for processing thick carbon steel and low-alloy steel materials.
At Fabensan, steel materials up to 420 mm in thickness can be processed using oxy-fuel cutting within a 4000 × 12000 mm working area.
How Does Oxy-Fuel Cutting Work?
Oxy-fuel cutting works by heating the material to a high temperature and then introducing a high-pressure cutting oxygen jet to the heated area.
The preheating flame brings the steel to its ignition temperature. Cutting oxygen is then introduced into the cutting zone, causing the steel to oxidize and forming the cut.
During the process, the resulting oxide and molten material are removed from the cutting zone by the oxygen jet.
This process is particularly suitable for cutting thick carbon and low-alloy steel materials.
Messer Torch Technology
Our oxy-fuel cutting system uses industrial torch technology and suitable cutting tips developed by Messer Cutting Systems.
Messer offers different cutting tips depending on material thickness and fuel gas selection.
This means that the same cutting tip is not necessarily used for materials with different thicknesses such as 20 mm, 50 mm, or 300 mm.
The appropriate cutting tip is selected together with the cutting conditions, including oxygen pressure, fuel gas, cutting speed, and material thickness.
Messer's machine cutting nozzle catalogues specify different tips and pressure ranges for different material thicknesses. Heavy-duty cutting tips are also available for cutting ranges above 300 mm.
Cutting Up to 420 mm
One of the major advantages of oxy-fuel cutting is its ability to process very thick steel materials.
Fabensan offers oxy-fuel cutting for steel materials up to 420 mm in thickness.
At these thicknesses, the cutting process differs significantly from standard sheet cutting and requires careful control of heat input, cutting speed, oxygen flow, and process parameters.
Messer also describes oxy-fuel cutting as a process particularly suited to heavy and thick steel materials, with systems designed for cutting applications involving several hundred millimeters of material thickness.
4000 × 12000 mm Working Area
For thick material cutting, the maximum cutting thickness is not the only important factor.
The size of the material that can be processed is equally important.
Fabensan's oxy-fuel cutting infrastructure provides a 4000 × 12000 mm working area.
This allows large steel plates to be processed directly, including applications involving high material thicknesses.
A large working area can be particularly useful for large structural components, heavy machinery parts, and steel construction elements.
Which Materials Are Suitable for Oxy-Fuel Cutting?
Oxy-fuel cutting is primarily used for carbon steel and low-alloy steel.
Depending on the application, materials such as:
- S235
- S355
- Structural steels
- Low-alloy steels
- Heavy steel plates
can be considered for oxy-fuel cutting.
Stainless steel and aluminum, however, cannot be processed using the standard oxy-fuel cutting process in the same way. Oxy-fuel cutting is primarily designed for low-alloy steel applications.
Why Is the Cutting Tip Important for Thick Materials?
The cutting tip is one of the most important consumable components in oxy-fuel cutting.
As material thickness changes, the required oxygen flow, flame characteristics, and cutting conditions also change.
For this reason, selecting the correct cutting tip for the material thickness is essential.
Messer cutting tips are designed for different thickness ranges. For example, Messer's heavy-duty GRICUT 5310-A cutting tips are listed for thickness ranges such as 100–300 mm and 300–500 mm.
This demonstrates the importance of using suitable heavy-duty cutting equipment rather than a standard tip when processing very thick materials such as 420 mm steel plate.
What Determines Cutting Quality in Thick Materials?
Successful oxy-fuel cutting of thick plates depends on more than just torch selection.
The main factors affecting cutting quality include:
- Material thickness
- Material surface condition
- Cutting speed
- Cutting oxygen pressure
- Fuel gas
- Preheating
- Cutting height
- Cutting tip selection
- Piercing method
- Cutting geometry
These parameters need to be considered together to achieve a consistent cutting process, particularly when processing very thick steel.
Piercing and Cutting Start Points
Starting a cut in thick material is different from starting a cut in thin sheet.
At higher thicknesses, the piercing process and the formation of the correct cutting temperature become increasingly important.
The appropriate torch, cutting tip, and process parameters need to be selected to ensure a controlled piercing and cutting process.
Where Is Oxy-Fuel Cutting Used?
Oxy-fuel cutting for material thicknesses up to 420 mm can be used in a wide range of heavy-industry applications.
Examples include:
- Heavy machinery manufacturing
- Steel construction
- Industrial equipment
- Energy industry
- Mining equipment
- Construction machinery
- Heavy-duty frames and structures
- Welded fabrication
- Heavy industrial components
Oxy-fuel cutting can be an important solution for applications where very thick carbon steel plates need to be processed and other cutting processes may not be suitable.
Oxy-Fuel Cutting vs. Laser Cutting
These two processes serve different manufacturing requirements.
Laser cutting is generally preferred for applications requiring high precision, thin and medium-thickness materials, and complex geometries.
Oxy-fuel cutting, on the other hand, is particularly suitable for processing very thick carbon steel plates.
The appropriate cutting process should therefore be selected according to factors such as:
- Material type
- Material thickness
- Part geometry
- Required tolerances
- Production volume
Large and Thick Components with Oxy-Fuel Cutting
For the production of thick steel components, cutting thickness alone is not enough.
The working area, torch technology, cutting tips, gas infrastructure, and production experience should all be considered together.
With a 4000 × 12000 mm working area and oxy-fuel cutting capability up to 420 mm, Fabensan provides production solutions for large and thick steel components.
Request a Quote for Thick Plate Cutting with Fabensan
Fabensan is a digital metal manufacturing platform that brings technical drawings and metal production together in a digital environment.
For projects requiring oxy-fuel cutting up to 420 mm, you can submit your technical drawings in DWG, DXF, or PDF format.
The part geometry, material type, thickness, and production quantity can be evaluated to determine the appropriate manufacturing process.
Bring your large and thick steel components into production.
Fabensan
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