Autogen Cutting

Autogen is the Automated Oxy-Fuel cutting technology, it is more than a torch

Autogen cutting

Autogen cutting is a mechanized or automated technology for cutting unalloyed carbon steel plates, tubes or profiles on cutting tables or robots. The principle of this thermal cutting method is the combustion of the steel in the cutting oxygen stream. The steel is preheated to its ignition temperature by the flame created by heating oxygen and fuel gas. The performance of the technology is influenced by many factors such as the parameters of the gases delivered to the steel by the nozzles, the speed of torch movement and the distance between the nozzles and the material.

Cost effective process 

Whichever thermal cutting method is used, the total cost of the cutting process depends on many elements such as machine investment, gas cost, consumables cost, material waste, personnel cost, overhead cost, work time efficiency, downtime rate, cutting speed, etc. 

One of the most important factors is the cost of electricity consumed. We are all very focused on energy consumption today, as the price we pay for electricity is rapidly increasing. It is good to know that the autogen cutting process does not directly require any electrical power. No electricity! There are two sources of power to make a cut. About 80% of the energy comes from the reaction between the steel and the cutting oxygen, and the rest comes from the flame. Most of the energy consumed is stored in the steel we cut. Compared to others, oxyfuel is a low energy process. 

The autogen process can be provided without CO2 emissions. When hydrogen is used as the fuel gas, the only emission is pure water H2O.

When cutting plates that are 20 mm (3/4“) or thicker, oxyfuel should be considered as the primary process. The latest statistics confirm that 20-50 mm carbon steel plate thickness is the most used range for autogen cutting.