When you’re working on a construction site, there are a lot of tasks that you need to complete, with cutting and boring through thick materials being just one of the challenges that you face. You need to make sure that you have the right equipment for the task, or you risk working less efficiently and falling behind your goals. That’s where using a thermic lance comes in. Read on to find out more about what a thermic lance is, how a thermic lance works and some of the main benefits of using a thermic lance on site.
A thermic lance is a tool that is used on worksites to heat through a range of materials, heating up and melting objects on a site to cleanly cut through them. Where the majority of cutting or boring tools focus on using physical force such as direct impacts or friction, thermic lance concrete cutting has a focus on heat means that you can take a different approach to get through obstacles in your project.
How does a thermic lance work?
Thermic lances are relatively complex tools, but the science behind them is relatively simple. The end of the lance is like a heat source using extremely high temperatures, such as an oxy-acetylene torch, to give the reaction its initial energy. Iron within the lance’s steel interacts with the extremely high-temperature oxygen, splashing out of the end of the lance. Combustion reaches over 4000 degrees, easily exceeding the melting point of not only concrete but every metal on Earth. As the reaction relies heavily on oxygen rather than the air itself, thermic lances work as you’d expect underwater as well as on land.
Benefits of using a thermic lance
There are plenty of benefits of thermic lance cutting for concrete, with clear advantages to be found by using this method. Some of the most attractive factors towards thermic lances include:
Cut a range of materials
One of the issues that users of physical drills can suffer from is the way that they are highly specialised. Different drill bits are designed to get through different materials, making the work feel excessively tiresome when you need to swap bits on your drill, depending on what you’re doing at that moment. The simplicity of how a thermic lance works makes it appropriate for all construction materials, removing the need to chop and change parts as you’re working through a project. You can save a lot of time and money by using a lance.
Simple operations
Simplicity is at the core of an effective project. Thankfully, using a thermic lance is one of the simplest processes possible. After you have completed an initial training period with a thermic lance and know the basics, it’s just a matter of taking different amounts of time to cut through any given material. No need to train for unique challenges; just learn how to use a lance for the first time and get started.
Fast and effective
When you’re using any piece of equipment in the workplace, you want to make sure that it is quick and easy to use so you see results immediately. This is the case for using a thermic lance. Lighting the lance is a quick process as you simply use a high-temperature torch, and the intense heat of the lance has a near-immediate impact on the material that you are cutting. Workplaces move much more efficiently when tasks don’t bottleneck long processes, and a thermic lance eliminates the potential for excessively long physical drilling periods.
Low costs
When you’re running a business, one of the main principles that you might look to follow is that cutting costs is one of the most important parts of making a profit. However, that only works if you do so in a way that doesn’t put clients off your work. Thermic lances are more affordable tools for a variety of cutting tasks whilst still performing to an incredibly high standard. You’ve got an ideal opportunity to make savings in a way that improves the standard of your product rather than negatively affecting it.
Quieter than using a drill
One of the main complaints that people have when they use a drill is the sheer level of noise that they produce. Repeatedly pounding into the ground can not only be an irritant to people nearby but can lead to serious damage to your hearing over an extended period. Since a thermic lance relies on chemical interactions rather than physical ones, this sound is significantly reduced. Ear protection and other safety equipment are still recommended, but there are far lower risks to long-term health and the site is less of a noisy irritant for people in surrounding areas. It’s a win-win!
Where are thermic lances used?
There are several different use cases for thermic lances in a lot of different environments and industries. Some of the more common uses of thermic lances include:
– Cutting metal casts: Thermic lances cut through metals with ease, making them perfect for cutting through castings in order to separate components.
– Dealing with composites: Composite materials pose a unique challenge for drills, but thermic lances slice through both materials equally due to a focus on heat over physical impacts.
– Demolition tasks: Lances are perfect for slicing through major structural parts of a building without any difficulty.
– Concrete cancer removal: Concrete cancer can threaten the integrity of a structure, with mini lances being ideal for the precise movements necessary.
– Emergency situations: Thermic lances can be used to cut through obstructions when trying to get through collapsed buildings or train derailments to help casualties sooner.
Try Technical Concrete Cutting
If you’re interested in making the most of your site’s equipment and have complex cutting needs to address, get in touch with the Technical Concrete Cutting team today. We have a wealth of experience working with a variety of clients that have wildly varying needs, so give us a call today to find out more and get started with resolving your concrete cutting troubles.
