A To Z Guide On Pipe Cutting Machines : Working, Advantage & Application

As we all know that pipe cutting machines are a great boon to mankind when it comes to working on hard materials, many of you will still be wondering what job exactly a pipe cutting machine does, what’s the working principle of such machines, the benefits obtained and its applications. In this blog we are going to have a detailed look into all of these aspects of pipe cutting machines.

What Are Pipe Cutting Machines?

Techniques adopted to the cutting of pipes and tubes in metal fabrication sectors play a crucial role in the outcomes. Be it pipelines, plumbing pipes and tubes, air systems or any other structural applications, pipe cutting machines are very vital to these industries.
In simpler words, pipe cutting machine, also called pipe cutters, are used for cutting or slicing pipes and tube into desired sizes.
Pipe cutters are extensively used in the plumbing industry due to the accuracy and reliability they offer. Apart from offering neat and high-quality cuts, they are most sought after by workers due to their ease of use, convenient handling, and quick job finish time.
Hence pipe cutting machines are better than alternative machines like hacksaws.
Pipe cutting machines offer spotless and clear cuts with accuracy and require very less deburring. This makes pipe cutting machines more popular in industries that look for efficient and reliable ways to cut pipes and tubes.
It’s worth understanding that pipe cutting machines differ depending on the materials they specifically intended to cut.

Types Of Pipe Materials

Different varieties of pipe cutting machines are available depending on the pipe material it’s designed to cut. Some of the most common pipe materials cut by using pipe cutting machines are Steel Pipes, copper pipes, aluminum pipes and plastic pipes. 

How Do Pipe Cutting Machines Work?

The simple explanation of the working of a pipe cutter is that it consists of sharp wheels that cut through the pipe as and when it rotates.
To explain it further, the more rotations are done, the more the wheel penetrates the material. The number of rotations required to cut the pipe efficiently depends on a variety of factors such as the type of the material, size of the pipe as well as the pipe thickness.
The sharpness of the blade of the pipe cutting tool also plays a major factor in the pipe cutting process. These are the basic factors that contribute to the performance of pipe cutting machines even though each machine has its own working principle that differs slightly.

How To Use Pipe Cutting Machines?

Safety is of primary importance irrespective of any machine that you operate. Let’s check in to some of the guidelines to be adhered to for the safe usage of pipe cutting machines.

1. If you are performing the pipe cutting operation on a pipe that is part of any plumbing systems, it must be made sure that the water supply should be turned off before the work starts.

2. In case of pipe cutting machines that are adjustable, the pipe cutter is supposed to be placed over the pipe followed by adjusting the tool to fit it correctly. In the case of non-adjustable pipe cutters, just make sure the pipe is gripped securely.

3. To cut the pipe, the tool must rotate. But make sure the cutter is not moved because moving the tool can result in non -uniform cuts or even damage to the pipe. The point to be kept in mind is that the number of rotations required to slice the pipe completely will vary.

4. Upon completion of pipe cutting task, it’s required to make use of a deburring tool or machine to eliminate any form of razor sharp edges and also to make sure the cut edges are smooth and neat.

5. After completion of the pipe cutting job, it’s important to clean the pipe cutting machine so that it will remain in its best quality and further store it at a safe place.

Applications Of Pipe Cutting Machine

Pipe cutting machines are utilized for a wide range of applications due to their durable, versatile and flexible features. The most common application of pipe cutters is for cutting the pipes to adequate measurements before any installation.
These machines are also used for repairing pipes and also for removing, slicing or when a pipe replacement is required in case of damaged pipework.
As we discussed above, there are different types of pipe cutting machine available depending on the type of pipe to be cut.
Let’s take a quick look into those types. Plastic pipe cutting machines are mainly used for cutting or slicing very hard plastic pipes. When there is a requirement to cut hard copper pipes into desired length, copper pipe cutting machines are utilized.
In the event of cutting round metal pipes, it’s common to use steel pipe cutting machines. Last but not the least the other pipe materials that are to be cut are aluminum and brass for which aluminum cutting machines and brass pipe cutting machines are made use of.

Different Types Of Pipe Cutting Techniques

There are different types of pipe cutting techniques that can be employed depending on your requirements. Checking the characteristics of each cutting technique will help you choose the right method.

Abrasive Cutting
In this method, the cutting of pipes is done with the help of an abrasive saw and abrasive pipe cutting equipment.  Shearing and friction force will help the rotary abrasive saw cut the pipe or tube into desired length.
Bandsaw Cutting
In this cutting, pipes are cut using a perfect band blade with sharp teeth.
Cold Saw Cutting
In this method, pipes and tubes are cut with the help of rotating cold saws.  Here the cold saw is fixed at a place where the blade is rotating to cut the pipe or tube. This makes the pipes and tubes come in direct contact with the saw blade.
Laser Cutting
Laser cutting is one of the best ways of cutting pipes and tubes.  CNC laser cutting machines are employed in this type of cutting process. In this method, a focused laser beam helps to cut the pipes and tubes accordingly.
The focused laser beam produces heat to cut the material on the exact spot of the cut. This method is widely used for angular cutting, pipe through cutting and shape cutting.
Shearing Process
In this process, the metal cutting is done with the help of an upper and lower blade and the shearing force being applied in between.

Conclusion On Pipe Cutting Machines

We have looked into the basics of the pipe cutting process, the types of pipes that can be cut, the different pipe cutting techniques employed in recent times and the advantages.

We hope that you have got a good insight about pipe cutting machines. These details will help you in your job as well as when purchasing a pipe cutting machine. Also, with YES Machinery’s extensive experience in this field, we can help you choose the right machine for your requirements.