Cutting Torch Tips, Types and Their Manufacturing Elements
Welding and cutting are two of the most important processes of a variety of industries, especially manufacturing and construction companies. Welding is used to join two or more pieces of metal, while cutting is exactly the opposite of it. The equipment used in these processes consists of fuel and gas cylinders, pressure regulators, flexible hoses, and a torch.
Torch, from which the heat is transferred on the material under process, has a tip on the front called cutting tip a.k.a welding tips. These are the portions where the real action takes place. Here’s a detailed look at different factors that go into the making of cutting torch tips and their use:
- The tip design of a cutting torch or a welding torch is based on the characteristics of the fuel gas that is in use and also the intended use of the tip.
- Welding tips produce, in most cases, positive pressure that is higher than 1 pound per square inch (PSI) and are used at equal pressures of acetylene and oxygen.
- The mixing of oxygen and fuel gas takes place at the tip and the mixed gas is then pushed through it and it burns at the end of the tip.
- Torch tips usually come in two styles, one piece and two piece. One piece tips are made of copper alloys and are made for use with acetylene. Designed to handle light, medium, and heavy preheats, one piece tips are machined with either 4 or 6 preheated holes. Methyl acetylene propadiene (MAPP), acetylene, and propylene are used with one-piece tips.
- Two piece tips are designed for cooler and slower burning fuel gases. It consists of an outer shell, an inner membrane, grooves for penetrating flames, extremities of grooves, a cutting oxygen passage, and a splined insert. The splined insert is used to eliminate the need to drill the numerous preheat holes. Two piece tips provide the best results with propylene and MAPP gas.
Finding the tips of the right sizes can be a real challenge as manufacturers assign numbers to the tips that are in no relation to bore size or thickness of the material. But there are a few brands that offer easy-to-use, high quality tips that are designed to help the users ascertain their use in simple manner. Victor torch tips fall in this category where the customers have found it real easy to purchase and use these tips. Internet offers easy ways to locate and purchase cutting and welding tips and at affordable prices too.
The author is a blogger. This article is about different types of cutting torch tips.
