Enter thickness, fuel gas and cut length to estimate speed, oxygen and fuel gas use, cost per foot and per part, and how many acetylene cylinders to manifold.
Pre-sizing and estimating tool: results do not replace design, calculations or reports signed by a licensed professional, nor verification against the applicable codes and standards.
Cutting oxygen, preheat oxygen, fuel gas and operator, with the current chart and prices.
Speed from the editable acetylene, propane and natural gas charts.
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It depends on thickness and tip. In the default example (3/4 in steel, acetylene), the GCE chart gives about 131 cfh of cutting oxygen, 17 cfh of preheat oxygen and 12 cfh of acetylene per torch, cutting at about 22.5 in/min. Each foot of cut uses about 1.3 ft³ of oxygen and 0.11 ft³ of acetylene.
In the default example a foot of cut costs about $0.90: oxygen at $0.15/ft³ and acetylene at $0.35/ft³ add about $0.23, and the operator and machine at $75/h about $0.67. A part with 8 ft of cut and two 15 s starts costs about $7.90, and the batch of 50 parts about $394.
CGA G-1 treats up to 1/7 of the cylinder contents per hour as generally safe; European suppliers state 1/10 for intermittent and 1/15 for continuous use. With two torches (about 25 cfh) and 300 ft³ cylinders, the 1/7 rule needs 1 cylinder (up to 43 cfh) and the 1/15 rule needs 2.
From the torch and tip maker chart, which lists thickness, pressures, speed and flow for each tip. The calculator comes with the published GCE machine-tip chart converted to inches and cfh; hand torches usually cut slower. All values are editable and can be pasted from Excel.
Acetylene pierces and cuts thin plate faster and needs less preheat oxygen; propane and natural gas cost less per cubic foot but need more oxygen and longer preheat. Compare by switching the gas on the page: the cost chart shows whether the cheaper gas makes up for the slower cut.
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.253 forbids using acetylene above 15 psig and requires cylinders stored upright and secured, with oxygen 20 ft from fuel gas or behind a 5 ft barrier rated half an hour. Fit flashback arrestors at regulators and torch, and treat cutting as hot work under 1910.252 and NFPA 51B.
Important notice: Indus Metrics tools produce estimates and pre-sizing results from the data you enter and from published engineering methods. They do not replace design, calculations or reports signed by a licensed professional engineer (PE), nor verification against the applicable codes, standards and regulations, such as OSHA rules and the ASME codes. Material and fuel properties vary: check manufacturer data or your own process analyses before deciding. By using this site you agree to the Terms of Use.
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