Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 405 Curricular Connections 1. Language Arts. Write an essay describing the appropriate protective clothing to be worn while performing an oxyfuel cutting procedure. Pay close attention to paragraph structure, and organize the essay in a logical manner. Be sure to defi ne any terms you use that may be unfamiliar to someone who does not know much about the subject. 2. Critical Thinking. One important aspect of oxyfuel cutting is preheating the metal to be cut. However, too much heat can reduce the quality of the cut. Explain why even the smallest tip size available may produce too much heat for a quality cut on metal that is less than 1/16″ (1.5 mm) thick. 3. Social Science. From an economic perspective, explain why computer-controlled, motor- driven cutting systems are often used instead of manual cutting procedures in large production jobs. What are the practical advantages of this? Communicating about Welding 1. Speaking and Writing. Working in a group of three or four students, recall when you learned about plasma arc cutting. What were some of the steps involved in performing a perfect plasma arc cut? What were some of the diffi culties you faced trying to perfect the procedure? Create a list with your teammates of parts of the oxyfuel cutting process, from this chapter, that you think may be challenging. Use your previous experience with plasma arc cutting to inform your decisions. Research the parts of the process that you and your team have agreed may be the most diffi cult. 2. Reading and Writing. Using the information in this chapter and additional research as needed, compare and contrast the benefi ts and pitfalls of manual cutting versus using a cutting machine. Specify when it is best to manually cut and when it is appropriate to use a cutting machine. Write a paper on your fi ndings.