Cutting Torch Tip:

While a piece is cut by an oxygen cutting procedure, a narrow width of metal is progressively eliminated. The width of the cut is called a kerf Control of the kerf is important in cutting operations where dimensional accuracy of the part and squareness of the cut edges are significant factors in quality control. With the OFC process, kerf width is a function of the size of oxygen port, type of tip used, speed of cutting, and flow rates of preheating gases and cutting oxygen. As material thickness enhance, oxygen flow rates ought to usually be increased. Cutting tips with larger cutting oxygen ports are needed to handle the higher flow rates. As a consequence, the width of the kerf enhance as the material thickness being cut enhance.

Kerf width is especially significant in shape cutting. Compensation ought to be made for kerf width in the layout of the work, or the design of the template. In general, on materials up to 50.0 mm thick, kerf width might be maintained within + 0.4 mm.

While the speed of the cutting torch is adjusted so that the oxygen stream enters the top of the kerf and exits from the bottom of the kerf along with the axis of the tip, the cut shall have zero drag. If the speed of cutting is enhanced, or if the oxygen flow is reduced, the oxygen available in the lower regions of the cut decreases. With less oxygen available, the oxidation reaction rate reduced, and also the oxygen jet has less energy to carry the reaction products out of the kerf. Consequently, the most distant part of the cutting stream lags behind the portion closest to the torch tip. The length of this lag, measured along the line of cut, is referred to as the drag.