Welding

Arc welding : Arc welding is a process utilizing the concentrated heat of an electric arc
to join metal by fusion of the parent metal and the addition of metal to joint usually
provided by a consumable electrode. Either direct or alternating current may be used for
the arc, depending upon the material to be welded and the electrode used.
The various forms of arc welding can be reviewed here

(1) Electroslag Welding (ESW) deposits the weld metal into the weld cavity between
the two plates to be joined. This space is enclosed by water cooled copper dams or shoes to
prevent molten slag from running off. The weld metal is produced from a filler wire that forms an
initial arc with the work piece until a sufficient pool of liquid metal is formed to use the electrical
resistance of the molten slag.
This process requires special equipment used primarily for horizontal welds of very large
plates up to 36 inches or more by welding them in one pass as in large machinery and nuclear
reactor vessels.
There are also variations of ESW where shielding is provided by an appropriate gas and a
continuous arc is used to provide weld metal. These are termed Electrogas Welding or EGW
machines.

(2) Plasma Arc Welding (PAW) uses electrodes and ionized gases to generate an
extremely hot plasma jet aimed at the weld area. The higher energy concentration is useful for
deeper and narrower welds and increased welding speed.
Plasma arc cutting can increase the speed and efficiency of both sheet and plate metal cutting
operations. Manufacturers of transportation and agricultural equipment, heavy machinery, aircraft
components, air handling equipment, and many other products have discovered its benefits.
Plasma cutters are used in place of traditional sawing, drilling, machining, punching, and cutting.
The high-temperature plasma arc cuts through a wide variety of metals at high speeds. Although
plasma arc cutting can cut most metals at thicknesses of up to 4 to 6 inches, it provides the
greatest economical advantages, speed, and quality on carbon steels under 1 inch thick, and
on aluminum and stainless steels under 3 inches thick.
Plasma arc cutting has gained approval in both hand-held and automated cutting operations.
Some of the most impressive results are achieved in automated systems. Advances in computer
numerical controls (CNC), robots, and other automation techniques have offered manufacturers
higher cutting speeds achieved through plasma arc cutting. Improved torch designs and more
efficient power supplies have made plasma arc cutting increasingly popular.
New areas of technology in plasma arc cutting systems include non-transferred arc plasma,
which allows plastics and other nonconductive materials to be cut. Research on cutting
plastics is continuing and at least one commercial process is currently available.

Advantages:
Automated plasma arc cutting systems provide several advantages over other cutting methods
such as oxyfuel and laser.
Rapid Cutting Speeds
Plasma arc cutting is faster than oxyfuel for cutting steel up to 2 inches thick and is competitive
for greater thicknesses. Plasma cutting achieves speeds greater than those of laser cutting
systems for thicknesses over 1/8 inches. CNC controls allow speeds of up to 500 inches per
minute (ipm) to be achieved on gauge thicknesses. These fast cutting speeds result in increased
production, enabling systems to pay for themselves in as little as 6 months for smaller units.
Wide Range of Materials and Thicknesses
Plasma cutting systems can yield quality cuts on both ferrous and nonferrous metals.
Thicknesses from gauge to 3 inches can be cut effectively.
Easy to Use
Plasma cutting requires only minimal operator training. The torch is easy to operate, and new
operators can make excellent cuts almost immediately. Plasma cutting systems are rugged, are
well suitable for production environments, and do not require the potentially complicated
adjustments associated with laser cutting systems.
Economical
Plasma cutting is more economical than oxyfuel for thicknesses under 1 inch, and comparable up
to about 2 inches. For example, for inch steel, plasma cutting costs are about half those of
oxyfuel.

Applications:
Automated plasma cutting systems are being chosen over oxyfuel, hand tools, and laser cutting
in the following areas:
Sheet Metals
Plasma cutting is commonly used to cut sheet metals from 24 gauge up to 1/8 inch thick at high
speeds on carbon steels, aluminum, and stainless steels.

Plasma cutting is widely used in the transportation industry to form the outer skins of
tractor trailers, buses, and agricultural equipment.
Plasma cutting systems are also used in the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning
industry to cut complex duct work.

Plate Thicknesses
Industries involved in cutting plate thicknesses also find many applications for plasma cutting.
Plasma systems cut plate thicknesses from 1/8 to 3 inches, but the most common applications
are for carbon steel plate to inch thick.

Steel service centers cut large plates of steel down to size with plasma.
Makers of large construction machinery, mining equipment, and material handling
equipment utilize plasma cutting to produce cranes, bulldozers, and other large
equipment.
Plasma cutting also produces structural steel framework for railroad cars, trucks, and
other heavy equipment.

Other applications include cutting metal for ship building and the production of pressure
vessels.

Other Applications
Plasma cutting is not limited to flat sheets of metal. Plasma torches placed on robots are being
used increasingly for contour cutting of pipes and vessels, removal of sprues and risers from
castings, and cutting of formed shapes, angles, and curves in various planes.

(3) Shielded-Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) is one of the oldest, simplest, and most
versatile arc welding processes. The arc is generated by touching the tip of a coated electrode
to the workpiece and withdrawing it quickly to an appropriate distance to maintain the arc. The
heat generated melts a portion of the electrode tip, its coating, and the base metal in the
immediate area. The weld forms out of the alloy of these materials as they solidify in the weld
area. Slag formed to protect the weld against forming oxides, nitrides, and inclusions must be
removed after each pass to ensure a good weld.
The SMAW process has the advantage of being relatively simple, only requiring a power supply,
power cables, and electrode holder. It is commonly used in construction, shipbuilding, and
pipeline work, especially in remote locations.

(4) Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) shields the weld arc using a granular flux fed
into the weld zone forming a thick layer that completely covers the molten zone and prevents
spatter and sparks. It also acts as a thermal insulator, permitting deeper heat penetration.
The process is obviously limited to welding in a horizontal position and is widely used for
relatively high speed sheet or plate steel welding in either automatic or semiautomatic
configurations. The flux can be recovered, treated, and reused.
Submerged Arc Welding provides very high welding productivity....4-10 times as much as the
Shielded Metal Arc Welding process.

(5) Gas Metal-Arc Welding (GMAW) , also called Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding,
shields the weld zone with an external gas such as argon, helium, carbon dioxide, or gas
mixtures. Deoxidizers present in the electrode can completely prevent oxidation in the weld
puddle, making multiple weld layers possible at the joint.
GMAW is a relatively simple, versatile, and economical welding apparatus to use. This is due to
the factor of 2 welding productivity over SMAW processes. In addition, the temperatures
involved in GMAW are relatively low and are therefore suitable for thin sheet and sections less
than inch.
GMAW may be easily automated, and lends itself readily to robotic methods. It has virtually
replaced SMAW in present-day welding operations in manufacturing plants.
MIG (Metal Inert Gas) or as it even is called GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding) uses an
aluminium alloy wire as a combined electrode and filler material. The filler metal is
added continuously and welding without filler-material is therefore not possible.
Since all welding parameters are controlled by the welding machine, the process is
also called semi-automatic welding.
The MIG-process uses a direct current power source, with the electrode positive (DC,
EP). By using a positive electrode, the oxide layer is efficiently removed from the

aluminum surface, which is essential for avoiding lack of fusion and oxide inclusions.
The metal is transferred from the filler wire to the weld bead by magnetic forces as
small droplets spray transfer. This gives a deep penetration capability to the process
and makes it possible to weld in all positions. It is important for the quality of the
weld that the spray transfer is obtained.
There are two different MIG-welding processes, conventional MIG and pulsed MIG:
Conventional MIG uses a constant voltage DC power source. Since the spray
transfer is limited to a certain range of arc current, the conventional MIG process has
a lower limit of arc current (or heat input). This also limits the application of
conventional MIG to weld material thicknesses above 4 mm. Below 6 mm it is
recommended that backing is used to control the weld bead.
Pulsed MIG uses a DC power source with superimposed periodic pulses of high
current. During the low current level the arc is maintained without metal transfer.
During the high current pulses the metal is transferred in the spray mode. In this
way pulsed MIG is possible to operate with lower average current and heat input
compared to conventional MIG. This makes it possible to weld thinner sections and
weld much more easily in difficult welding positions.

(6) TIG-welding (Tungsten Inert Gas) or GTAW-welding (Gas Tungsten Arc

Welding) uses a permanent non-melting electrode made of tungsten. Filler metal is
added separately, which makes the process very flexible. It is also possible to weld
without filler material.
The most used power source for TIG-welding generates alternating current (AC).
Direct current can be used, but due to high heat generation on the tungsten
electrode when DC-EP (electrode positive) welding, that particular polarity is not
feasible. In some cases DC-EN (electrode negative) is used, however, this requires
special attention before welding, due to the arc's poor oxide cleaning action.
AC TIG-welding usually uses argon as a shielding gas. The process is a multi purpose
process, which offers the user great flexibility. By changing the diameter of the
tungsten electrode, welding may be performed with a wide range of heat input at
different thicknesses. AC TIG-welding is possible with thicknesses down to about 0,5
mm. For larger thicknesses, > 5 mm, AC TIG-welding is less economical compared to
MIG-welding due to lower welding speed.
DC TIG-welding with electrode negative is used for welding thicknesses above 4 mm.
The negative electrode gives a poor oxide cleaning compared to AC-TIG and MIG,
and special cleaning of joint surfaces is necessary. The process usually uses helium
shielding gas. This gives a better penetration in thicker sections. DC TIG-welding is
applicable for welding thicknesses in the range 0,3 - 12 mm. More and more popular
is also pulsed DC TIG-welding, which makes it possible to weld uniform welds with
deeper penetration at the same heat input. Pulse frequency is usually in the range 1
- 10 Hz.

Welding of Stainless Steels

Abstract:
Stainless steels or, more precisely, corrosion-resisting steels are a family of iron-base alloys having
excellent resistance to corrosion. These steels do not rust and strongly resist attack by a great many
liquids, gases, and chemicals. Many of the stainless steels have good low-temperature toughness and
ductility. Most of them exhibit good strength properties and resistance to scaling at high temperatures.
Stainless steels can be welded using several different procedures such as shielded metal arc welding, gas
tungsten arc welding, and gas metal arc welding.

Stainless steels or, more precisely, corrosion-resisting steels are a family of iron-base
alloys having excellent resistance to corrosion. These steels do not rust and strongly
resist attack by a great many liquids, gases, and chemicals. Many of the stainless
steels have good low-temperature toughness and ductility. Most of them exhibit good
strength properties and resistance to scaling at high temperatures. All stainless
steels contain iron as the main element and chromium in amounts ranging from
about 11% to 30%. Chromium provides the basic corrosion resistance to stainless
steels. There are about 15 types of straight chromium stainless steels.
Nickel is added to certain of the stainless steels, which are known as chromiumnickel stainless steel. The addition of nickel reduces the thermal conductivity and
decreases the electrical conductivity. The chromium-nickel steels belong to AISI/SAE
300 series of stainless steels. They are nonmagnetic and have austenitic
microstructure. These stainless steels contain small amounts of carbon because this
element has tendency to make chromium carbides, which are not corrosion resistant.
Carbon is undesirable particularly in the 18% chromium, 8% nickel group.
Manganese is added to some of the chromium-nickel alloys. Usually these steels
contain slightly less nickel since the chromium-nickel-manganese alloys were
developed originally to conserve nickel. In these alloys, a small portion of nickel is
replaced by manganese, generally in a two-to-one relationship. The AISI/SAE 200
series of stainless steels are the chromium-nickel-manganese series. These steels
have an austenitic microstructure and they are nonmagnetic.
Molybdenum is also included in some stainless steel alloys. Molybdenum is added to
improve the creep resistance of the steel at elevated temperatures. It will also
increase resistance to pitting and corrosion in many applications.
Stainless steels can be welded using several different procedures such as shielded
metal arc welding, gas tungsten arc welding, and gas metal arc welding.
These steels are slightly more difficult to weld than mild carbon steels. The physical
properties of stainless steel are different from mild steel and this makes it weld
differently. These differences are:

Lower melting temperature,

Lower coefficient of thermal conductivity,
Higher coefficient of thermal expansion,

Higher electrical resistance.

The properties are not the same for all stainless steels, but they are the same for
those having the same microstructure. Regarding this, stainless steels from the same
metallurgical class have the similar welding characteristics and are grouped
according to the metallurgical structure with respect to welding.
Austenitic Type. Manganese steels are not hardenable by heat treatment and are
nonmagnetic in the annealed condition. They may become slightly magnetic when
cold worked or welded. This helps to identify this class of stainless steels. All of the
austenitic stainless steels are weldable with most of the welding processes, with the
exception of Type 303, which contains high sulphur and Type 303Se, which
contains selenium to improve machinability.
The austenitic stainless steels have about 45% higher thermal coefficient of
expansion, higher electrical resistance, and lower thermal conductivity than mildcarbon steels. High travel speed welding is recommended, which will reduce heat
input and carbide precipitation, and minimize distortion.
The melting point of austenitic stainless steels is slightly lower than melting point of
mild-carbon steel. Because of lower melting temperature and lower thermal
conductivity, welding current is usually lower. The higher thermal expansion dictates
that special precautions should be taken with regard to warping and distortion. Tack
welds should be twice as often as normal. Any of the distortion reducing techniques
such as back-step welding, skip welding, and wandering sequence should be used.
On thin materials it is very difficult to completely avoid buckling and distortion.
Ferritic Stainless Steels. The ferritic stainless steels are not hardenable by heat
treatment and are magnetic. All of the ferritic types are considered weldable with the
majority of the welding processes except for the free machining grade 430F, which
contains high sulphur content. The coefficient of thermal expansion is lower than the
austenitic types and is about the same as mild steel. Welding processes that tend to
increase carbon pickup are not recommended. This would include the oxy-fuel gas
process, carbon arc process, and gas metal arc welding with CO2 shielding gas.
The lower chromium types show tendencies toward hardening with a resulting
martensitic type structure at grain boundaries of the weld area. This lowers the
ductility, toughness, and corrosion resistance at the weld. For heavier sections
preheat of 200C is beneficial. To restore full corrosion resistance and improve
ductility after welding, annealing at 760-820C, followed by a water or air quench, is
recommended. Large grain size will still prevail, however, and toughness may be
impaired. Toughness can be improved only by cold working the weld.
If heat treating after welding is not possible and service demands impact resistance,
an austenitic stainless steel filler metal should be used. Otherwise, the filler metal is
selected to match the base metal.
Martensitic Stainless Steels. The martensitic stainless steels are hardenable by
heat treatment and are magnetic. The low-carbon type can be welded without special
precautions. The types with over 0.15% carbon tend to be air hardenable and,
therefore, preheat and post heats of weldments are required. A preheat temperature

range of 230-290C is recommended. Post heating should immediately follow

welding and be in the range of 650-760C, followed by slow cooling.
If preheat and post heat are not possible, an austenitic stainless steel filler metal
should be used. Type 416Se is the free-machining composition and should not be
welded. Welding processes that tend to increase carbon pickup are not
recommended. Increased carbon content increases crack sensitivity in the weld area.

Welding filler metals

The selection of the filler metal alloy for welding the stainless steels is based on the
composition of the stainless steel. The various stainless steel filler metal alloys are
normally available as covered electrodes and as bare solid wires. Recently flux-cored
electrode wires have been developed for welding stainless steels.
Filler metal alloy for welding the various stainless steel base metals are: Cr-Ni-Mn
(AISI No. 308); Cr-Ni-Austenitic (AISI No. 309, 310, 316, 317, 347); CrMartensitic (AISI No. 410, 430); Cr-Ferritic (AISI No. 410, 430, 309, 502). It is
possible to weld several different stainless base metals with the same filler metal
alloy.

Welding procedures
For shielded metal arc welding, there are two basic types of electrode coatings.
These are the lime type indicated by the suffix 15 and the titanium type designated
by the suffix 16. The lime type electrodes are used only with direct current electrode
positive (reverse polarity). The titanium-coated electrode with the suffix 16 can be
used with alternating current and with direct current electrode positive. Both
coatings are of the low-hydrogen type and both are used in all positions. However,
the type 16 is smoother, has more welder appeal, and operates better in the flat
position. The lime type electrodes are more crack resistant and are slightly better for
out-of-position welding. The width of weaving should be limited to two-and-one-half
(2,5) times the diameter of the electrode core wire.
Covered electrodes for shielded metal arc welding must be stored at normal room
temperatures in dry area. These electrode coatings, of low hydrogen type, are
susceptible to moisture pickup. Once the electrode box has been opened, the
electrodes should be kept in a dry box until used.
The gas tungsten arc welding process is widely used for thinner sections of
stainless steel. The 2% tungsten is recommended and the electrode should be
ground to a taper. Argon is normally used for gas shielding; however, argon-helium
mixtures are sometimes used for automatic applications.
The gas metal arc welding process is widely used for thicker materials since it is a
faster welding process. The spray transfer mode is used for flat position welding and
this requires the use of argon for shielding with 2% or 5% oxygen or special
mixtures. The oxygen helps producing better wetting action on the edges of the
weld. The short-circuiting transfer can also be used on thinner materials. In this
case, CO2 shielding or the 25% CO2 plus 75% argon mixture is used. The argonoxygen mixture can also be used with small-diameter electrode wires. With extra

low-carbon electrode wires and CO2 shielding the amount of carbon pickup will
increase slightly. This should be related to the service life of the weldment. If
corrosion resistance is a major factor, the CO2 gas or the CO2-argon mixture should
not be used.
For all welding operations, the weld area should be cleaned and free from all foreign
material, oil, paint, dirt, etc. The welding arc should be as short as possible when
using any of the arc processes.

Oxy-Acetylene Welding
Oxy-Acetylene (OA) welding is one of the many types of welding supported by the PRL.
It is extremely versatile, and with enough skill and practice you can use this type of
welding for virtually any metal. In fact, the oxy-acetylene flame burns at 6000 F, and is
the only gas flame that is hot enough to melt all commercial metals. Oxy-acetylene
welding is simple in concept - two pieces of metal are brought together, and the touching
edges are melted by the flame with or without the addition of filler rod. This document
will help you get started welding using the oxy-acetylene set-up. Read the steps below to
get a feel for what is going on, and then get a shop TA to walk you through the process
the first time.
Advantages of Oxy-Acetylene Welding:
It's easy to learn.
The equipment is cheaper than most other types of welding rigs (e.g. TIG welding)
The equipment is more portable than most other types of welding rigs (e.g. TIG
welding)
OA equipment can also be used to "flame-cut" large pieces of material.
Disadvantages of Oxy-Acetylene Welding:
OA weld lines are much rougher in appearance than other kinds of welds, and
require more finishing if neatness is required.
OA welds have large heat affected zones (areas around the weld line that have had
their mechanical properties adversely affected by the welding process)
Materials Suitable for OA Welding in the PRL:
=>Most steels
=>Brass
Preparation:
1) Assemble all of the materials needed to make the weld. This includes parts, OA
equipment, fixturing, tools, safety mask, gloves, and filler rod.
2) Clean the parts to be welded to remove any oil, rust, or other contaminants. Use a wire
brush if needed to remove any rust.
3) Assemble and fixture the parts in place - the parts need to be stable for a good weld
line. Ceramic bricks, vise grips, pliers, and clamps are available in a file cabinet in the
weld room for fixturing.

4) Select the nozzle you plan to use for welding. Nozzles come in a variety of sizes, from
000 (for a very small flame - typically used for thin materials) to upwards of 3 (for a large
flame - needed for thick materials). Larger nozzles produce larger flames and, in general,
are more appropriate for thicker material. Choosing the right size nozzle becomes easier
with more experience. Ask a TA or make some test welds to determine if you are using
the right size nozzle.
5) Clean the nozzle. Carbon deposits can build up on the nozzles which interfere with
flame quality and cause backfiring. The cleaning tool has a wide flat blade (with a filelike surface) which is used to clean carbon deposits on the exterior of the nozzle.
Use it to scrape any deposits from the flat face of the tip. Use the wire-like files to clean
the interior of the nozzle. Pick the largest wire which will fit inside the nozzle, and the
scrape the edges of the hole to remove any carbon buildup.
6) Attach the nozzle to the gas feed line by hand. Don't over-torque - the nozzle and hose
fitting are both made of brass which doesn't stand up well to abuse. A snug, finger tight fit
is the sufficient.
7) Check the pressure levels in the oxygen and acetylene tanks. There should be at least
50 psi in the acetylene tank. The oxygen tank can be used until it is completely empty. If
needed, ask a TA to change bottles. Note: The oxygen used in OA welding in NOT for
human consumption. It contains contaminants that could be unhealthy if taken in large
quantities.
Lighting the flame
1) Open the main valve on the acetylene tank ~1/2 turn. This charges the pressure
regulator at the top of the tank.
2) Open the pressure regulator valve on the acetylene tank (turn clockwise to open) and
adjust the pressure in the acetylene line to 5 psi. DO NOT pressurize the acetylene over
15 psi - it will explode.
3) Open the acetylene pin valve on the handle of the welding tool, letting acetylene
escape. Tweak the pressure regulator valve until the regulator pressure is constant at 5
psi. Close the acetylene pin valve.
4) Open the main valve on the oxygen tank. Turn the valve until it is fully open (until it
stops turning).
5) Open the pressure regulator valve on the oxygen tank (turn clockwise to open) and
adjust the pressure in the oxygen line to 10 psi.
6) Open the oxygen pin valve on the handle of the welding tool, letting oxygen escape.
Tweak the pressure regulator valve until the regulator pressure is constant at 10 psi. Close
the oxygen pin valve.
7) Slightly open the acetylene valve (~1/8), until you can just barely hear acetylene
escaping.
8) Make sure there is no person or anything flammable in the path of the nozzle. Use the
striker to ignite the acetylene. The flame should be yellow and will give off a lot of soot.
Adjusting the flame
1) Open the acetylene valve further and watch the flame near the nozzle tip. Add more
acetylene until the flame is just about to separate from the tip. (The flame will separate
from the tip of the nozzle if you add too much acetylene.) If so, reduce the flow until the
flame reattaches to the tip, and then open the valve again to the near-separation point.

2) Slightly open the oxygen pin valve. If the flame goes out, turn off the gases and try
again. DO NOT try and ignite the flame with both oxygen and acetylene pin valves open.
As the oxygen is added the flame will turn bluish in color.
3) The blue flame will be divided into 3 different color regions - a long yellowish tip, a
blue middle section, and a whitish-blue intense inner section. There are three types of
flames as described below:
Neutral - This type of flame is the one you will use most often in the shop. It is called
neutral because it has no chemical effect upon the metal during welding. It is achieved
by mixing equal parts oxygen and acetylene and is witnessed in the flame by adjusting
the oxygen flow until the middle blue section and inner whitish-blue parts merge into a
single region.
Reducing flame - If there is excess acetylene, the whitish-blue flame will be larger
than the blue flame. This flame contains white hot-carbon particles, which may be
dissolved during welding. This reducing flame will remove oxygen from iron oxides in
steel.
Oxidizing flame - If there is excess oxygen, the whitish-blue flame will be smaller
than the blue flame. This flame burns hotter. A slightly oxidizing flame is used in
brazing, and a more strongly oxidizing flame is used in welding certain brasses and
bronzes.
Welding
1) Put on a dark face shield to protect your eyes from the light of the flame. Make sure
you have on long sleeves and all natural fibers. You can wear a leather welding jacket
and/or gloves if it makes you feel more comfortable.
2) Apply the flame to the parts to begin heating. Use the region of the flame near the tip
of the bluish inner region.
3) The metal will begin to glow. Continue heating both parts being welded until a small
pool of welded metal appears near the edge of each of the parts. You must get molten
pools on BOTH parts simultaneously to create the weld. The may require adding more
heat to one side than the other, and takes some practice.
4) After the molten pools have formed on both sides of the weld, use the flame to gently
stir the two pools together to form the weld. This also takes a little practice.
5) After the two pools have joined, slowly move the flame along the weld line,
lengthening the pool using metal from both parts. A gentle, circular, swirling motion will
help mix the molten metal from both sides as the puddle is lengthened. This process is
highly dependent on the materials and part geometries being welded. Practice, practice,
practice to get better control. Welding sample parts is a good idea..
6) Continue this process until the entire weld line is complete.
7) Once you're done, turn off the flame. Close the oxygen pin valve first, and then the
acetylene valve. Note: Welded parts can remain hot for a LONG time.
Backfiring
Improper operation of the torch may cause the flame to go out with a loud snap or pop.
This is called backfire. It is caused by one of a few things. The first thing to do is turn the
gas in the torch off, check all the connections and try relighting the torch. Backfiring can
be caused by touching the tip against your workpiece, overheating the tip, operating the

torch at other than recommended gas pressures, by a loose tip or head or by dirt on the
seat.
Shutting Down and Cleaning Up
When you're completely finished welding and are ready to quit for the day, you need to
clean up.
1) With the flame extinguished and the pin valves closed, close the main valve on the
oxygen tank. It should be firmly seated at the bottom.
2) Open the oxygen pin valve to bleed off all of the oxygen in the regulator and feed line.
Close the pin valve once the feed line pressure has gone to zero.
3) Fully back out the oxygen regulator valve so there is no pressure in the line. DO NOT
close the valve, as this will pressurize the line once the tank is open again. In the case of
the acetylene, if it is pressurized over 15 psi, it may explode! If you are not sure about
doing this properly, find a TA to help you.
4) Repeat steps 1 through 3 for the acetylene line.
5) Return all of the tools to their proper storage places and coil the feed lines around the
handle on the gas cylinder cart. Note: Do not remove the nozzle from the feed line. The
feed lines should always have a nozzle attached to prevent accidental damage to the
threads used to attach the nozzle.
6) Dont forget to ask for a shop job!