Uses of Industrial Gases in Manufacturing

Industrial gases play a key role in various manufacturing processes. Depending on the industry, they’re used to improve safety, productivity, or product quality. Read more about the uses of industrial gases in this blog.

Argon

Welding and Casting

Argon is one of the most commonly used gases in welding and casting applications. Argon is very nonreactive, making it ideal for use as a shielding gas. Welders use shielding gases to prevent exposure of the molten weld pool to the oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen in the atmosphere; this helps prevent porosity and excessive spatter.

Glass Manufacturing

Glass manufacturers also use argon to fill thermal holes in window panes. Reducing thermal holes helps create a tighter envelope and increases energy efficiency in buildings.

Automotive

Automotive assembly plants use argon in combination with other industrial gases to weld exhaust systems, suspensions, seats, and axles.

Acetylene

Welding

Acetylene has highly flammable characteristics that make it ideal for cutting torches in welding processes. The welding jobs that use acetylene are known as oxy-fuel cutting and require temperatures as high as 5,700 degrees Fahrenheit. Oxy-acetylene welding is an effective technique for soldering filler rods to base metals and melting iron and steel.

Automotive

Automotive manufacturers use acetylene as a carbon source for low-pressure carburizing processes.

Portable Lighting

Acetylene has provided light for portable lamps since the late 19th century. Miners and outdoorsmen still use these carbide lamps.

Blue Flame Plus (Propylene)

Welding

Blue Flame Plus is a high-flame temperature gas that’s well suited for heavy burning and heating jobs.

Plastics

Plastic molders use propylene to produce polypropylene plastics for injection molding.

Carbon Dioxide

Welding

Carbon dioxide is used as a shielding gas to help produce higher welding rates in MIG and MAG welding processes. Cutters prefer carbon dioxide in their operations because it’s an inexpensive gas and provides deep weld penetration, even through thick materials.

Fire Suppression

Carbon dioxide is effective as a fire suppressor because it quickly displaces the oxygen in the atmosphere, preventing the fire from spreading. Manufacturers prefer carbon dioxide suppression systems because they eliminate the risk of water damage and require little clean-up.

Dry Ice Blasting

Manufacturers use dry ice blasting to clean their industrial machines. Dry ice blasting uses compressed air with high-velocity and dry ice pellets to safely blast clean surfaces. Other benefits of this cleaning process include:

• Reduced Downtime: It’s a quick process that increases productivity.
• Safety: It eliminates the need for harmful chemicals and keeps your employees safe.
• Cost Effectiveness: It minimizes equipment clean-up and disposal costs.

Helium

Welding

Welders and cutters use helium with non-ferrous metal and stainless steel because it helps produce a wide penetration profile and works well with thick materials.

Automotive Manufacturing

Helium plays a key role in testing radiator heat exchangers, torque converters, and fuel tanks to make sure they meet industry-standard specifications.

Electronic Manufacturing

Electronic manufacturers use helium to manufacture semiconductors, LCD panels, and fiber optic wires. It functions as a carrier gas in production processes and enhances throughput by quickly cooling parts and components.

Hydrogen

Welding

Hydrogen gas enhances plasma welding and cutting operation in various welding processes. When mixed with argon, it forms a gas shield that protects the welded metal from contaminants.

Metal Fabrication

Metal manufacturers use hydrogen to prevent oxidation during heat treating processes.

Glass Manufacturing

Glass manufacturers use hydrogen in combination with other gases to reduce the atmosphere above the tin bath. This helps prevent oxidation during float glass production.

Nitrogen

Automotive

Compressed nitrogen gas is used with other gases to weld auto parts, frames, and mufflers in the automotive industry.

Plastics

Plastic manufacturers use nitrogen in their gas-assisted injection molding projects. Gas-assisted injection molding is a process that produces large plastic parts that have complex designs. It’s performed by introducing an inert gas at pressure and pushing plastic melts into mold extremities. Some of the benefits of gas-assisted injection molding include:

• Leaves no sink marks
• Reduces part deformation
• Molds thicker products

Metal Fabrication

Nitrogen is a carrier and purge gas that prevents oxidation in steel production and heat-treating processes.

Oxygen

Automotive

The automotive industry uses oxygen as a plasma gas for laser cutting processes. Oxygen also plays a role in the production of automotive coatings.

Glass Manufacturing

Glass manufacturers use oxygen as an industrial gas to improve productivity and enhance combustion in glass furnaces.

Metal Fabrication

Oxygen is an important gas in metal processing jobs and is used to enrich the air in ferrous and non-ferrous metals.