ABSTRACT
Thermal cutting technologies are the standard for cutting struts of tubular structures. They are economic, flexible and provide sufficient accuracy. The thermal treatment while cutting produces changes of the mechanical properties of the material at the cutting flanks and within the heat affected zone regarding its hardness, toughness and stability. For lower steel grades (S235, S355) these changes are tolerable and will be eliminated after proper welding. The situation is different for parts made of fine grained steel. Fine grained steel is widely used for cranes and increasingly used for mobile constructions and provides high toughness at high stability. Thermal influences of the cutting process can lead to microcracks caused by local softening and grain growth. So the material will lose its defining properties. The article describes alternatives for cutting using non-thermal processes.
