Oxy-Fuel Welding (OFW)

Oxy Fuel Welding (OFW) is a metal joining process, used to join metal end pieces by heating. This process is commonly used to join mild steel. Oxy-Fuel welding is also called oxyacetylene welding because in this process mixture of acetylene and oxygen burns at intense flame of 3500^oC. Oxyacetylene gas welding consists of a group of welding processes, which joins different type of metals by heating them whether it is used with gas flame or without filler metal. When the gas flame combined with metal, it melts the surface to molten form, by allowing the welding process to take place. Oxy-Fuel welding can be used for shaping metal, cutting and brazing of metals. Oxy-fuel welding is mostly used for prefabrication of tubes, steel sheets and plates.

Oxy-FuelWelding process includes welding operations that make use of oxygen, which can also be combined with fuel gas as a heating medium. In this process, gas, fuel and oxygen are mixed in a mixing chamber with proper proportion that also a part of the welding assembly. This welding process involves a filler metal and the melting of the base metal, which can be used by means of the flame produced at the tip of welding torch.

Oxy-Fuel Welding Processes

There are following three processes that involves in Oxy-Fuel Welding.

• Oxy-acetylene welding
• Oxy-hydrogen welding,
• Pressure gas welding.

Oxy Fuel welding also known as air acetylene welding because of its industrial significance, in which combustion of air and acetylene heat is obtained. Welding with Methyl acetone- propadiene gas (MAPP gas) also uses same procedure like Oxy-fuel welding.

Advantages of OFW

There are following given advantages of oxy Fuel welding:

• A welder can control temperature of weld zone, heat input and the oxidizing or reducing potential of the welding environment that controls the welding process.
• Welding process also controls the shape, weld bead size and weld puddle viscosity as it independently adds a filler metal of the welding heat source.
• Oxy Fuel Welding is used for welding of tubes, thin sheets and small diameter of pipe.
• OFW is also used to repair welding joints, welds of thick sections. However, its repair work is not very economical, so its use is not feasible at commercial level.

Oxy fuel welding process is used in welding shops, it is mostly used for torch brazing, soldering, and many other types of operations, where its heat transfer rates and flame characteristics are not the same like that of welding.