Cutting of Bisplate
All grades of Bisplate quenched and tempered steel can be cut by either thermal cutting, laser cutting, waterjet cutting or power saw operations. The cutting operations can be carried out either in the workshop or, in the case of flame cutting, in field conditions.
As with all plate steels, the smoothness of the cut is affected by the surface scale. If this is present, it is advisable to remove it prior to cutting. (Bisplate is normally supplied in the shotblasted condition. If the flame cut surface is to be the face of a welded joint, the heat affected zone from the flame cutting need not be removed. However, all slag and loose scale should be removed by light grinding, and prior to welding, the cut surface should be dry and free from organic matter such as oil, grease, etc (as directed by good workshop practice). PLASMA CUTTING Plasma cutting is an acceptable method of sectioning all grades of Bisplate. The process offers particular advantages of productivity over flame cutting in thicknesses up to 20mm using currently available equipment. For instance, the cutting speed of 6mm Bisplate 400 may be up to 9 times that recommended when using conventional flame cutting techniques. LASER CUTTING Laser cutting is a productive method for sectioning all grades of Bisplate up to 12mm thickness, particularly where high levels of accuracy and minimal distortion is required. Currently, with thicknesses above 12mm, productivity levels drop when compared with other processes. WATERJET CUTTING Waterjet cutting can be performed on all grades of Bisplate, although its widespread use is limited due to the current machines available in Australia and their low cutting speeds. A key advantage of water jet cutting is that it leaves the surface free of HAZ. Cutting without heat protects against metallurgical changes in the plate, ensuring original plate mechanical properties are maintained. For information on cutting Bisplate please refer to the Complete Technical Manual. |
