Thermal cutting

Oxyfuel cutting

Oxyfuel cutting is a type of thermal cutting that has been in use for many decades. Characteristics are:

• the ability to cut with more than one torch at a time
• the ability to cut material up to a thickness of 600 mm
• only suitable for cutting steel.

Advanced CNC-Multi torch cutting machines are used for this cutting process at Avezaat Staal. After preheating to the ignition temperature but below the melting point, the cutting kerf is created by adding additional oxygen which burns the steel. The addition of extra oxygen is continued in order to remove the slag from the cutting kerf.

Plasma cutting

Characteristics of plasma cutting are:

• stainless steel, aluminium and copper can be cut in addition to steel
• a higher cutting speed (up to 10 m/minute) can be used
• the thickness of the material is limited to 40 mm
• less heat is used.
• results in a relatively smooth cut surface, so less time is needed for finishing.

In addition to cutting steel, plasma cutting can also be used for cutting stainless steel and aluminium. In plasma cutting, ionised gas at a temperature of approximately 30,000⁰ C is formed by means of an electric arc, which melts the steel. A narrow cutting kerf is created. The gas supply drives the molten material out of the cutting kerf.

Cutting holes of 'bolt hole quality' with Hyperherm's SureCut™ technology.

A significantly better quality of cut holes can be achieved with the True Hole® technology we use as part of the Hyperpertherm SureCut™ technology. This applies to thicknesses of up to 25 mm and holes with diameter/thickness ratios from 2:1 to 1:1.

The effects of cutting using the True Hole® technology are:

• the elimination of hole taper
• holes of such quality that they often require little or no machining post-processing.

 

Quality control

All of our processes, from the purchase and entry control of steel plates to work preparation, production, quality control and the packaging of products, are carried out according to process-control provisions laid down in our ISO 9001;2015 certified Management System.

Each product is checked before delivery for the correctness of steel grade, dimensions (tolerance according to NEN-EN-ISO 9013, tolerance class 2) and finish.