Oxyacetylene Welding

The chapter of knowledge is a very short one, but the chapter of

accidents is a very long one.

—Philip Dormer Stanhope

Introduction

Oxyacetylene welding was first used industrially in the early years of the twentieth century. Although this process makes excellent welds in steel, it is little used for welding today except for a few specialties (light aircraft and race car frames), since there are other more efficient welding processes available. However, oxyacetylene has many other important uses: cutting, hardening, tempering, bending, forming, preheating, postheating, brazing, and braze welding. Because of the precise control the weldor has over heat input and its high-temperature flame, together with its low equipment cost, portability, and versatility, it remains an essential tool. No industrial shop is complete without an oxyacetylene outfit. As with all effective tools, using oxyacetylene carries risk. We will cover the theory and use of oxyacetylene equipment so you can use them with confidence and safety. It will also prepare you for the next chapter on oxyfuel cutting, because many components and issues are common to both processes.

Process Name

What is the name covering all welding processes using oxygen and a fuel gas?

Oxyfuel welding .

What is the American Welding Society (AWS) abbreviation for oxyfuel welding?

The abbreviation for all oxyfuel welding processes—those using oxygen and any fuel gas is OFW.

A particularly important member of the OFW process family is oxy-acetylene welding. What is the AWS abbreviation for this process?

The abbreviation for oxyacetylene welding is OAW. Note that OAW is just one member of the OFW family.