March 29, 2021

How Do We Cut Our Hardox Plate?

Hardox plate is one of the most popular steels in the steel production industry. Thanks to its minimal alloying content, giving it a different shape requires comparatively less effort. Whether you prefer plasma cutting or laser cutting or oxy-fuel cutting – each process can successfully cut the steel plate. However, there is no restriction with the steel cutting process. The cold process is equally effective when steel cutting is concerned.

Whether you are working with hardox plate or strenx steel, the products will be of top-notch quality. The premium end products make this steel so popular among industries around the globe. Special steels play a pivotal role in maintaining the standards of a product regarding its bending angles, ability to withstand wear & tear, and durability.

Many are of the view that thicker steels are better but this only increases the overall construction weight as well. Replacing this with standard materials like Strenx can do wonders for construction work. In the automotive industry, the use of strenx also minimises fuel consumption.

Another benefit of strenx is its lightweight which offers it a great bending feature that is absent in thicker metals. Heavy metals get cracked and chipped easily than their lighter counterparts. Durable materials are mandatory when quarries are involved. Reducing the environmental effects is a necessity when metals are concerned. It’s vital when rough terrains come into play. With the suitable material, the metal parts enjoy the fruits of a prolonged lifespan which in turn saves the money of your clients.

As you’re familiar with Strenx now, let’s look into the benefits of hardox plate:

  • Excellent resistance power
  • Resist cracks to a great extent
  • Can withstand severe, harsh weather conditions
  • Better service span
  • Minimised risk
  • Durable

Steel Cutting.

What Makes Hardox Steel So Unique?

Abrasion-resistant steels such as stainless steel or hardox are almost up to 5 times tougher than their standard counterpart. Industries like excavation or mining or waste processing prefer to work with hardox steel.

The abrasion resistance quality is adored for its durability and strength but these qualities also pose a threat to the cutting tools. The situation intensifies when workers work with mobile drive tools.

So how to cut or drill a hole in a Hardox plate?

Cutting or drilling holes in Hardox-like special metal necessitates the involvement of proper tools and setup to complete the task right. The necessary tools are:

  • Slow speed and high torque magnetic drills
  • Lubricant

It’s not possible to complete the process right without the right equipment. Our team has also come up with our unique steel cutting method to simplify and ease up the process.

Let’s explore the Method:

No matter how high-tech tools you use, cutting a hole in a hardox plate is a challenge where there is no scope to get away with a mistake. Quality operators who are in the field for decades and are knowledgeable enough to tackle magnetic drills following necessary codes of practice are an essential part of the job.

If we look deeper into the types of steel cutting process, flame cutting or Oxy-Fuel Gas Cutting may come at the top.

Oxy-Acetylene Cutting involves a torch that cuts the steel by burning it down. The chemical process that goes into this burning situation is known as ‘rapid rusting’.

During this process, the involved steps are:

Preheat

Before cutting the steel, the hardox plate should be burning hot. Here comes the role of an oxy-fuel torch which gives birth to a flammable mixture. The mixture leads to a flame just outside a nozzle.

Steel Cutting

Piercing

Once the plate reaches a kindling temperature, the pure oxygen starts to pierce through the hardox plate. This process is known as ‘cutting oxygen’ where rapid oxidation begins. The oxidised steel turns into molten slag. As per the thickness of the plate, this process can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours. During this process, the molten slag can take a form of a geyser or a small puddle of the substance.

Cutting

The heat from the torch and the metal react which results in a chemical reaction. The chemical reaction preheats the plate right in front of the cut which keeps the plate heated but not enough to eliminate the need for a torch.

Along with these three basic steps, you can tailor the process as per the quality you are expecting to enjoy. We follow all the basics and alter the steps as well to suit the needs depending on the field where the steel is going to be a part of or the client’s needs. Koike straight line cutting is a crucial part of the Oxy-Acetylene Cutting which comes with the involvement of oxy-fuel torches. We can accomplish bevel cutting, circle cutting, and straight-line cutting with a straight-line cutter.

Enjoy the process!