Welding and Cutting
Shielding and cutting gases to get the desired finish.
Welding and cutting gases have been an important part of Air Liquide's offering for over 100 years. Our gas technology and know-how has evolved alongside the metal fabrication industry to optimally meet the challenges of new manufacturing and assembly processes.
What is a key challenge faced in your practice?
Get in touch with our team to discuss more about how our products and services can support you.
Designed for Your Workshop
Superior Finish
Our premium ARCAL™ welding gas range is a suitable shielding gas for 100% of welding situations, while our LASAL™ range gives our users precision cutting, a shiner finish and higher productivity. Beyond gas supply, our Nexelia™ for Laser Welding provides an all-in-one solution to customers.
Continous Innovation
Our cylinders can be equipped with specialised cylinder top technology such as EXELTOP™ or SMARTOP™. They are designed by Air Liquide Research and Development (R&D) for effortless switchover with zero safety compromise.
Experienced Welding and Cutting Experts
Our experts are well versed in a wide range of welding, cladding and cutting techniques to help you with choosing the best fit gas solutions for an optimised workshop.
Convenient Support
Order cylinders, track deliveries and access invoices via call, email or our 24/7 customer web portal.
MIG, MAG, TIG and Other Welding Methods
Welding refers to a group of methods to permanently join two or more workpieces. The components may by joined by using heat, Welding is an industrial process that generally assembles parts, machines and structures by fusing two or more metal workpieces using heat and with or without filler materials (usually in the form of rods or wires). Melted rods or wires build the connection by solidifying in the joint between the joining partners. The metals could be aluminium, carbon steel, etc. For this, it is necessary to reach the melting temperature of the metals.
The most common welding methods are Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), also referred to as Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG), Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), commonly known as MIG or MAG welding, followed by laser welding, FCAW and torch welding.
Frequently Asked Welding Questions
Why are shielding gases needed during fusion welding?
Shielding gas protects the molten weld pool from Oxygen, Nitrogen, and moisture in the atmosphere. It also helps to protect the filler metal against oxidation.
What are the most common shielding gases used in the GMAW and GTAW welding process?
GTAW - Argon, Helium, Ar/H₂ and Ar/He mixture
GMAW - CO₂, Ar/CO₂ mixture
What are the most common weld defects?
Metal droplets that land on the surface cause spatter, which normally impacts just the appearance of the weld. Large spatters may harden and affect structural capabilities, thereby increasing welding costs.
Improper shielding gas volumes lead to trapped gas bubbles in the weld pool. As a result, porosity weakens the weld strength and manifests as blow holes or pits in severe cases. Smaller gas molecules also contaminate the weld metal.
Exposure to Oxygen during causes a heat tint and leaves stainless steel more susceptible to corrosion. Insufficient shielding, excessive heat, etc. alters the colour of the steel by reducing its chromium content.
Oxygen, Laser and Plasma Cutting
In industry, the choice of the process and the cutting machine are made according to various criteria — in particular:
- the thickness (low, medium or high thicknesses)
- the type of material (special metals, steels, Aluminum or alloys)
- the choice of mode (manual or automated)
- the expected quality (precision, deformation)
- productivity (cutting speed, automation)
Laser Cutting
With laser cutting, complex dimensionally accurate components can be produced in a reproducible manner with a narrow section, small heat affected zone and excellent cut quality.
The process is easy to automate and very cost-effective when processing thin metals. Within the automotive industry, laser cutting has become an established method for, for example, hot processing of body parts. With an extensive product portfolio under the LASAL™ brand, Air Liquide offers the right metal cutting solution for all needs.
Air Liquide's LASAL™ range is the solution for laser cutting. It offers you the assist gases LASAL™ 2003 (Oxygen) and LASAL™ 2001 (Nitrogen) to maximise the productivity of your laser machine, as well as a wide selection of laser gases adapted to the specifications of your CO₂ laser cutting machines.
The LASAL™ range of gases is supported by a full range of equipment solutions designed to ensure the high quality of our gases is maintained through to the point of use. Air Liquide can provide you with a cost-effective solution that delivers your laser gases at the flow-rate, pressure and purity that your laser system demands.
Fuel Gases for Cutting
For the flame during cutting burning, "ordinary" fuel gases can be used, i.e. Acetylene, Propane, natural gas (Methane) or Ethylene.
When cutting with a machine, cost efficiency is an important criterion, but operating conditions such as gas supply, gas prices, gas consumption also matter. It is important to have a powerful flame (fuel gas) to start the cutting process and carry out the cutting burn.
The combustion of hydrocarbon compounds takes place in two stages. In the primary flame, the added oxygen results in incomplete combustion. In the secondary flame, the fuel gas is completely burned through the absorption of oxygen from the surrounding air.
The fuel gases differ in flame temperature and ignition/burning speed and thus the primary flame power. When it comes to gas combustion technology, the effect of the primary flame is of particular importance.
Plasma Cutting
With plasma cutting, you can cut all electrically conductive materials, such as unalloyed, low-alloyed and high-alloyed Steel, Nickel, Copper, Brass, Bronze and Aluminium.
The method is used when the material can no longer be processed using cutting firing. The tapering effect of the cutting nozzle strongly concentrates the arc – the material in the cut melts and is blown out by the plasma gas. Plasma gases must not react with the electrode, and you must select a plasma gas suitable for the material. We advise you when to choose and offer the right solution for your process with ARCAL™ Prime, ARCAL™ 15 or nitrogen.
Let us assess the best solutions for your workshop
Our experts will help you choose the right gas for your metal fabrication operations and give you advice on the use of related equipment. In this way, it is possible to obtain consistent and high-quality finishes in complete safety.
Related Gases
Related Equipment
Large volumes, same high quality
- No electricity needed
- No buffer tank needed
- No Pressure Safety Valve (PSV) needed
- No analyser needed
- No annual calibration needed
- Low maintenance
Our all-in-one solution designed to optimise Welding and Cutting quality and costs.
Why Choose Us
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Industry Leader
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Reliability
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Expertise
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One-Stop Solution Provider
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Extensive Infrastructure Network
Benefit from our robust production and filling infrastructure, including extensive pipeline networks. -
Focus on Quality
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Sustainability
Embrace our solutions that support your highest performance while minimising environmental impact.