 Gas welding is a fusion – welding

process which gas is used as a source of

heat to melt the end of the pieces to be
joined on solidification .
A filler metal is needed in welding of
sheet above 1.5mm thickness but no
filler metal is needed for welding
bellow 1.5 mm thickness.

A filler metal is added in the form of

a filler rod and must be having the
same composition as that of the
parent metal .
 Various gas combination like oxy-hydrogen,
oxy- propane and oxy-acetylene gas may be
used for producing a hot flame for welding of
metal

 The oxy-acetylene flame is most widely used

as it produce very high temperature (3,5000C)
and can be used for welding of variety of
ferrous and non ferrous
 The equipment is usually of low cost
and portable
 The cost and maintenance of welding

equipment is low when compared to

that of some other welding equipment.
 The rate of heating and cooling is

relative slow
It can be applied to a wide variety
of manufacturing and
maintenance
Since the source of heat and of

filler metal are separate, the

welder has control over filler
metal deposition rates
 Heavy section cannot be joined
economically
 Flame temperature is less than the

temperature of the arc

 Fluxes used in certain welding operation

produce flame that are irritating to the

eyes, nose, throat and lungs
 Gas flame takes a long time to heat up
the metal than an arc welding
 More safety problems are associated

with the handling and storing of gas

 Prolong heat of the joint in gas
welding results in a large heat –
affected area. This often lead to
increased grain growth more
distortion
 Oxygen and acetylene gases are

expensive
 For joining thin materials.
 For joining most ferrous and non –

ferrous metal
 In automotive and air craft industries
 The basic equipments used to carry
out gas welding are
◦Acetylene Cylinder
◦Oxygen Cylinder
◦Pressure regulator
 Hose and hose fitting
 Welding torch
 Spark lighter
 Trolley
 Spindle key
 Goggles
 Acetylene cylinders are used for storing
dissolved acetylene. It is not safe to store
acetylene in cylinder above one atmospheric
pressure.
 So acetylene cylinders are filled with acetone.

Acetone has the property of absorbing 25

times its own volume of acetylene for each
atmospheric pressure applied.
 Acetone is store in those cylinders at
a pressure of 16kgf/cm2 and capacity
of each cylinder is 300cubic feet. To
distinguish from oxygen cylinders
acetylene cylinder are painted
maroon
 These are black coloured cylinders
contains 6.25 cubic meters of oxygen
at pressure of 130 to 140kgm/cm3
 Oxygen cylinder are provided with
right handed threaded valves where as
acetylene cylinder are provided with
left handed threaded valve, so that the
regulator of an oxygen cylinder does
not fit on an acetylene cylinder or
vice versa.
 To check against any explosion or
accident , oxygen cylinders are also
fitted with safety valve
 Pressure regulators are used for
reducing the pressure of the gas
being drawn from cylinders. A red
coloured pressure regulator is used
for acetylene and black coloured one
is used for oxygen
 These are rubber tubing used for
connecting the cylinder regulator and
the blowpipe. Hose used are also of
red and black colours. A red coloured
hose is used for acetylene and black
colour hose is used for oxygen
supply
 The oxy- acetylene welding torch is the
tool which gases are mixed in the desired
volume and burning of the mixture takes
place at the end of the tip.
 It consists of a handle with two inlet

valve for oxygen and acetylene gases at

one end.
 Each inlet has a valve to control the
volume to the gases passing through.
 The mixing of the gases takes place at

the tip of the nozzle

 The Flame produced by igniting the

mixture with spark lighter

 Itis a tool used for lighting the gases
at the tip of the nozzle
 Itconsist a steel structure used for
transporting oxygen and acetylene
cylinder from one place to another.
 It
is an instrument used for opening
and closing valves of the gas
cylinders.
 Welding goggles consists of blue
coloured glasses and are used for
protection of eyes from harmful
effects of heat and ultraviolet rays
WELDING FILLER
METAL RODS AND
FLUXES
 Isthe metal that is added to the weld pool
to assist in filling the gap (or groove). The
filler metal forms an integral part of the
weld. Filler metal is usually available in
rod form. These rod are called filler rods.
Filler rods have the same or nearly the
same chemical composition as base metal
 During welding, if the metal is
heated/melted in air, oxygen from the air
combines with the metal to form oxides
which results in poor quality, low strength
welds or in some cases, may even make
welding impossible. In order to avoid this
difficulty, a flux is employed during
welding.
A flux is material used to prevent,
dissolve or facilitate removal of oxides
and other undesirable substance.
 Always welding flux chemically react

with the oxides and a slag is formed, that

float to and covers the top of the molten
paddle of metal and thus helps keep out
atmospheric oxygen and other gases.
 Fluxes are available as powders,
Pastes or liquids. Flux may be used
either by applying it direct on to the
surface of the base metal to be
welded or by dipping the heated end
of the filler rod in it. The flux sticks
to the filler rod end
 The following are some common types of
fluxes used for different metals,
 Ferrous metal – Borax, Boric acid
 Copper and its alloys – Borax, boric acid,

phosphate magnesium and silicate

 Cast Iron – Boric acid, soda ash and

sodium chloride
 Aluminum and its alloys – potassium

chloride, lithium chloride.

 Acetylene and oxygen are mixed in the
correct proportional in the mixing chamber
of the welding torch and ignited, the flame
resulting at the tip of the torch is sufficiently
hot to melt and join the parent metal.
 Interchangeable nozzle of different sizes are

fitted to the torch to give a range of flame

intensities to suit a variety of application .
 The oxy- acetylene flame reaches a
temperature of about 3,5000C and thus
can melt all commercial metal which
during welding actually flow together
to form a complete bond
 A filler metal rod is general added to

the molten metal pool to build up the

seam required as in case of welding
Aluminium or Copper
 Always keep the cylinder in upright
position
 Before starting gas welding remove

from the neighborhood any

combustible materials or any that
might be damaged by heat or sparks
which are often thrown a long distance
 Always keep the cylinder key at valve
stem
 Container which had held

combustible or inflammable materials

should be welded only after exerting
proper precautions.
 Fire extinguisher and sand should be

available at hand .
 Do not pick up hot jobs or object
 Use goggle with non-flammable
lenses and flame
 If the welding is to be stopped for a

long time, close the cylinder valve

and then release all gas pressure from
the regulator and hose by opening the
torch valve.
 Before
starting any welding operation
make sure that all connection are tight
 Gas cylinder must be prevented from sharp
impact with one another or with the
ground.
 Cylinders should not be exposed to

welding.
 Cylinders should be stored in a well

protected well ventilated, well away from

highly combustible materials such as oil.
 One should not smoke at place where
gas cylinders have been stored
 Do not use a hammer to open any

valve or cylinder
 Use the correct pressure regulator for a gas.
 A pressure regulator shall be used, only at

pressure for which it is intended.

 Handle pressure regulator carefully.

Cylinder valve shall be opened slowly to

avoid straining the mechanism of pressure
regulator .
 Use the correct colour hose for
oxygen ( Green/Black or Blue) and
acetylene (red) and never use oxygen
hose for acetylene or vise versa.
 Protect the hose from flying sparks,

hot slag, hot work piece and open

flame.
 Never allow the two hose come into
contact with oil or grease they
deteriorate with rubber and constitute
a hazard with oxygen.
 Gas torch and tips should be stored in
clean boxes to avoid gas hole from
becoming burred and chocked with dirt.
 The slag accumulated at the blow – pipe

tip shall be frequently removed by either

a hard wood or a soft brass wire
 During working if the tip become
overheat it may be cooled by
plunging the torch into water, Close
the acetylene valve but leave a little
oxygen flowing.
 Welding flame can be classified
broadly into the following categories
1. Neutral Flame
2. Oxidizing Flame
3. Carburizing Flame
A neutral flame is produced when
approximately equal volume of Oxygen
and Acetylene are mixed in the welding
torch and burnt at the torch tip.
 It consist of two clearly visible zone. It

is mostly widely used flame and

consists of luminous blue inner zone.
 The temperature of the neutral flame
is about 3400C
 The neutral flame is commonly used

for the welding of

1. Mild steel
2. Stainless steel
3. Copper
4. Aluminum
 After the neutral flame has been
establish, the supply of Oxygen is further
increased, the result will be an Oxidizing
flame.
 An Oxidizing flame can be recognized by

the small white cone which is shorter,

much blue colour and more pointed than
that of the neutral flame
 An oxidizing flame tends to be hotter
than the neutral flame. This is
because of excess Oxygen and which
cause the temperature to rise as
higher as 3500oC.
 This type of flame used as a cutting

flame or preheating flame and helpful

when welding copper – base metal
and zinc- base metal.
 Ifthe volume of oxygen supplied to
the neutral is reducing, the resulting
flame will be a reducing i.e. rich in
acetylene. A reducing flame can be
recognized by acetylene feather which
exist between the inner cone and the
outer envelop.
 As reducing flame consists of excess
carbon, its used to ensures that steel will
absorb carbon. This flame consists of
three distinct zones
1. Inner cone
2. Intermediate cone
3. Outer envelop
 A reducing flame has an approximate

temperature of 3150oC. This flame used

for welding high carbon steel.
 Depending upon the way in which
welding rod and the welding torch
may be used, there are two usual
techniques in gas welding namely
1. Left ward technique
2. Right ward technique
• It is the most widely used oxy-
acetylene gas welding technique in
which the welding commences at the
right hand edge of the welding job and
proceeds towards the left. It is also
called forward or forehand technique.
• It is the most widely used oxy-acetylene gas
welding technique in which the welding
commences at the right hand edge of the
welding job and proceeds towards the left.
It is also called forward or forehand
technique.
• In this process the torch is held in the
right hand at an angle of 60o to 70o and
welding rod in the left hand at an angle
of 30o to 40o from the work piece.

APPLICATION:-This technique is used for the

welding of: -Mild steel up to
5mm thick
-All metals both ferrous and
non ferrous.
 Itdiffer from left ward welding in the
direction of movement of the torch. In
this system the torch moves from left to
right.
 The torch is held in the right hand at an

angle of 40o to 50o and the filler rod in

the left hand at an angle of 30o to 40o
 APPLICATION:- This technique is
used for the welding of steel above
5mm thickness and
 The consumption of filler rod and fuel is less.
 It’s a quicker methods.
 The weld thus produced is stronger and

tougher
 The expansion and contraction of material is

lesser
 The molten pool is better visible, thus it gives

a better control on weld.

 Joints
used in gas welding are
◦Butt joint
◦Lap joint
◦T – joint
◦Corner Joint
 Inthe joint preparation it should be
ensured that the plates edge is free from
rust or oil. This prevent excessive fumes
and help to improve the appearance of
finished weld.
 Backfire is the condition where by the flame
enters into nozzle or torch with a violent
popping sound.
 Flame either extinguishes or re – ignites at the

nozzle. This common causes of backfire

1. Weak acetylene flame
2. The tip coming into contact with the
molten pool
3. Leaks
4. Over heating of the torch
5. Dirty tips
 Flashback is the conditions whereby flame
enters into torch and travels back into supply
system
 This condition can results in damage to the

equipment and serious injury to operator.

Although it is possible for flame to travel all
the way back to regulator, it usually goes only
as for as the mixing chamber.
The condition is easily identified
by a sound and a thin flame of
black smoke coming from the tip
The causes of flashback are

1. Improper pressure
2. Faulty mixing chamber
3. Overheating of the torch
 To obtain the best uses from equipment ,
it should be kept clean in good condition
and in safe working order, it should also
be tested and checked at regular intervals,
when any small fault can be quickly
rectified before the need for extensive
repairs become necessary.
 Failureto overhaul the be equipments
regularly may results in torches,
hoses, gas connections etc being used
in dangerous and wasteful conditions.