Oxygen cutting, also known as gas cutting, is well-known and has been widely used in many industries for many years. It also turns out that this method, although the oldest, still has great development potential and is gaining new opportunities thanks to technological advances. The use of hydrogen in oxygen cutting is a new chapter that means improved results in many areas.

By far the greatest advantage of oxy-cutting technology is its ability to process low-carbon and low-alloy steels with large thicknesses, and in this aspect this method has basically no competition. At the same time, it is characterized by lower cutting dynamics and a larger heat affected zone, if only in comparison with plasma technology. Research into the use of hydrogen, currently being carried out by leading torch manufacturers, among others, aims to see if more satisfactory results can be achieved in this area.

Green Revolution. The use of hydrogen is a new direction in oxygen cutting technology

The pressure for green solutions to reduce CO2 emissions has forced the industry to look for alternative raw materials and technologies. One of these is hydrogen, which may find wider application in the CNC cutting machine industry. It has already been tested for some time by torch manufacturers, among others, as an alternative to acetylene or propane in the oxygen cutting process. Safe and, above all, environmentally friendly, because the product of its use is not harmful hydrogen gas, it may prove to be a breakthrough solution. Also in terms of other parameters, such as piercing speed, cutting dynamics, and the impact of the heat zone. The advantages of using hydrogen definitely do not end with ecology.

Decarbonization of the oxygen cutting process

Research into the use of hydrogen in the oxygen-cutting process has entered a decisive phase, and solutions such as fully automated gas burners and consoles, enabling the use of this element instead of, for example, acetylene, are expected to be commercially available as early as 2025.

Above all, it is a safe and exceptionally clean cutting system, as emissions of carbon dioxide, one of the key compounds regulated for industrial emissions due to global environmental concerns, are zero in theory. Compared to conventional systems using fossil fuels, cutting with hydrogen produces remarkably little smoke. It is a next-generation cutting system that greatly improves working conditions. When hydrogen is used as a gaseous fuel, the only emission is pure H2O.

More dynamic and better piercing performance. Cut as fast as acetylene, as safe as propane

Until now, it was acetylene that acted as a preheating gas, enabling very high temperatures to be reached in a short period of time, resulting in fast and efficient cutting. However, studies show that the use of hydrogen allows for much faster preheating, as well as better results in terms of cutting dynamics, compared to acetylene or propane.

Because of the excellent heat concentration, the piercing time is significantly reduced, resulting in higher productivity of the entire hydrogen gas cutting process. Preliminary tests conducted by GCE (according to a press release provided by the company) have shown that heating a 50-mm-thick slab takes two to three seconds using hydrogen. By comparison, it takes 10 to 11 seconds to heat the same slab using propane, showing the much higher efficiency of hydrogen as a gaseous fuel. To quote a product manager at GCE, "a concentrated hydrogen cutting flame that heats a specific point reduces the risk of overheating the metal plate, which aids and speeds up piercing procedures."

When it comes to cutting speed, preliminary tests have shown that hydrogen achieves about 10% better results than when cutting with acetylene, considered the most effective gas to date. On the other hand, when it comes to achieving high speed and high quality cutting with oxygen technology,: "the standard cutting speed for 30-mm-thick steel using an oxy-acetylene flame is 400 to 450 mm/min. With our oxy-hydrogen torch, we achieved laboratory results of at least 480 mm/min." Information officially provided by GCE.

High cutting quality with a small heat affected zone

The oxygen cutting process using hydrogen largely resembles thermal cutting using propane or acetylene. However, compared to traditional gases, as much as 60% less heat is introduced during this process. Indeed, during testing it turned out that the ratio of heat introduced when cutting with hydrogen gas to cutting with, for example, propane is 3:5. This means that the amount of heat introduced is much less when using hydrogen. This reduction minimizes the heating of the base material, resulting in a significant reduction in thermal deformation. As a result, the hydrogen cutting system makes it possible to produce high-quality parts. The cut surface is smooth and the edges are sharp, delivering a product characterized by high precision.

Fully automated hydrogen cutting system

Modern solutions use, among other things, advanced sensor systems to select the appropriate cutting parameters. IHT's new generation of gas consoles allows the full potential of the hydrogen cutting torch to be realized, enabling proper flame alignment. Tested stakes make the cutting process fully automated, safe, eliminating errors unavoidable during manual operation. We get a full suite of functionalities that make the production process predictable and repeatable: gas control, a torch adapted to hydrogen cutting, a suite of sensors. A database of predefined data, i.e. ready-to-use parameters for flame ignition, heating, piercing and cutting significantly increases process efficiency and eliminates human errors.

Savings and reduced costs. Lower oxygen consumption

According to GCE, preliminary cost-effectiveness calculations indicate that the cutting process using hydrogen costs about one-fifth less than acetylene and 30% less than propane. It also affects less use of oxygen. The hydrogen gas cutting system also uses oxygen at high pressure, but its consumption is incomparably lower than that of conventional gas cutting systems. Tests have shown that when cutting with hydrogen, the oxygen consumption needed for the preheating process drops to 1/5 or less, and the total oxygen consumption, taking into account the cutting process, is reduced by about 20%. This makes it possible to significantly reduce gas-related costs. It is also worth bearing in mind that due to the high cutting speed, the length of the cut part is significantly reduced, which ultimately reduces production costs, of course.

Easy slag removal. Significantly reduced secondary work after cutting

One of the key advantages of hydrogen gas cutting is the easy removal of slag generated during the process. Compared to traditional gases, slag removal is faster and more efficient. As a result, the time required to process cut parts is significantly reduced, resulting in increased productivity, reduced costs and improved quality of final products. In addition, the hydrogen cutting process generates smooth surfaces, and the man-hours required for maintenance and cleaning can be significantly reduced.

Completion: summary and safety

Hydrogen gas cutting is a method that could prove absolutely groundbreaking, and not just for environmental reasons: the biggest advantage of hydrogen is the lack of CO₂ emissions during combustion. Studies and tests show that it has advantages over conventional gases in terms of piercing time, cutting dynamics, and cost. It has a small heat-affected zone and minimal deformation due to heat input. In addition, hydrogen has a higher auto-ignition temperature and explosion limit, so it is safer than propane and acetylene. Modern hydrogen cutting torches, which will be available for Eckert machines in the near future, combine the full potential of this technology with solutions that guarantee the highest level of safety.