Using Alternative Gases and Electricity for Welding
Page 32
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VOUR journal dated December 25, 1942, under the 1 heading of "Propane and Coal Gas in Welding and Metal Cutting," contained extracts from a note issued by the Ministry of Supply.
In the interests of your readers we should like to offer our comments oa certain statements which, in our ` opinion, are extremely misleading.
In the first place, our expeirience a1 actual users of propane and acetylene for welding and cutting does not show that one 56-lb.cylinder of propane will do the same amount'of work as three 200 cubic" ft. acetylene cylinders.
Secondly, when a new plant is being installed, the suggestion that that electric welding should be substituted for gas "welding on light-gauge metals appears to be made in a light-hearted fashion without any due consideration of the many factors involved.
There is a great number _of light-gauge metal fabrications which,can be welded by only the oxy-acetylene process, reliably, economically and in sufficient quantity to meet the needs of war-time production. 'Latest technical development is also bringing into production new fabrications "which are ideally suitedto oxy-acetylene welding processes.
What will be the profit to this country if, in an endeavour to save carbide by changing to electric welding for such fabrications, the result may, possibly, be dangerous and unsatisfactory products, misdirected labour, reduced production and a waste of preparatory research work, any, or all of which may seriously jeopardize larger-scale production plans? By all meanseconomize in the use of acetylene gas whenever this may be possible without interfering with eSsential production, just as it is necessary to economize in the use of electricity,' coal gas and other fuels, but let the economies be effected where common sense and technical advice can proye that alternative methods will help production and not just save carbide at the expense of far-reaching and more important issues.
Thirdly, it-is stated • in the Ministry of Suppl3k note that coal gas or propane can be substituted. for acety
lene gas in welding non-ferrous metals. No qualification is given for this statement, nor is there any suggestion as ta .which non-ferrous metals are recommended to be welded by these substitute gases. We should like to point out that, whilst the fusion tern-. perature of certain non-ferrous metals and alloys is lower than ferrods metals, it is important to bear in mind that heat conductivity is greater in copper and aluminium, also the majority of non-ferrous metals and alloys is subject to intense oxidation at elevated temperature, and unless some precautionary measures he taken to avoid or reduce this oxidation, then unreliable welds will undoubtedly be the result.
Zhe oxy-.acetylene flame, by its natural combustion, has a reducing zone in the envelope of the flame which retards the adverse effects of atmospheric oxygen; this important feature is one of the principal reasons for the successful results achieved by oxy-acetylene welding _ on non-ferrous metals and alloys.
In conclusion, we wish state that we have n‘) interests, finan6a1 Or otherwise, in any of the gases under discussion, acetylene; propane or coal gas. We . appreciate certain advantages in the Lige of propane or enriched coal gas for flame cutting, particularly machine flame cutting. Possibly there is room for wider uses of propane and coal gas in thib field, thereby effecting real carbide economy, but our experiments and research do not' show where any reasonable economies May be expected in the welding field by the substitutions suggested, unless it is at the expense of equal or even more important issues.
We suggest in the interest of your readers that before any large-scale change-over, either old or newly contemplated, reaches its final stages,. full, consideration. should be given to the various aspects and to the advice of technical authorities who are fully conversant with the technical features of the processes and their suitability sto the particular welding operations.
Suffolk, E. CHRISTIE,
, Manager, Technical Service Dept.,. Sifbronze Works.