Thermal Lancing
When Standard Cutting Won't Work
Thermal lancing generates temperatures up to 4,500°C — hot enough to cut through virtually any material, including thick steel, cast iron, armor plate, and reinforced concrete. When every other method fails, this is the answer.
Thermal lancing is the cutting method of last resort — and the one that works when nothing else will. Mercury Hydraulics offers thermal lancing service for marine, defense, and heavy industrial customers who need to cut through materials that exceed the capacity of plasma, oxy-fuel, or mechanical cutting methods.
A thermal lance — also called an oxygen lance or thermic lance — is a hollow steel tube packed with alloy steel rods and fed with pressurized oxygen. When ignited, the rods burn in the oxygen stream, generating an exothermic reaction that produces temperatures between 2,730°C and 4,500°C (5,000–8,100°F). This is far beyond the melting point of any structural metal, including hardened steel, cast iron, and stainless steel.
Unlike plasma or oxy-fuel cutting, thermal lancing does not rely on the material's conductivity or its ability to oxidize cleanly. The lance overwhelms the material with raw heat — melting and burning through virtually anything in its path. This makes it uniquely effective for materials that resist conventional cutting: corroded assemblies, contaminated surfaces, composite materials, and extremely thick steel.
Thermal lance cutting through a heavy steel shaft — temperatures exceed 4,000°C at the cutting point
How Thermal Lancing Works
The thermal lance — a hollow steel tube packed with alloy steel rods — is connected to a pressurized oxygen supply. The lance is positioned at the cutting point.
The tip of the lance is ignited using an external heat source. Once the alloy rods begin burning in the oxygen stream, the lance sustains itself through the exothermic reaction.
The operator directs the lance along the cutting line. The extreme heat melts and burns through the target material, with molten material flowing away from the cut zone. The lance itself is consumed as it burns.
The operator controls the cut by managing lance angle, pressure, and advance rate. When the cut is complete, the oxygen supply is shut off and the lance extinguishes. The cut surface is then cleaned and prepared for the next operation.
Applications
Cutting through corroded hull sections, removing seized shafts and pins from marine hardware, cutting anchor chains, and dismantling heavy marine equipment that standard tools cannot touch.
Cutting through armor plate, heavy structural steel, and reinforced components where conventional cutting methods are inadequate or impractical.
When a corroded or seized pin, shaft, or fastener cannot be removed by any other means, thermal lancing melts it out without damaging surrounding components — a last resort that works.
Cutting through extremely thick steel plate, cast iron, reinforced concrete, and composite materials that exceed the capacity of plasma or oxy-fuel cutting.
Materials Thermal Lancing Can Cut
Because the heat is generated by the oxidation of the lance itself — not by the target material — thermal lancing can cut through virtually any material, regardless of its conductivity, hardness, or surface condition:
Thermal lancing produces extreme heat, molten metal, and significant sparks. All operations require proper fire suppression equipment, appropriate PPE, and a clear exclusion zone. Our technicians are trained in safe thermal lancing operations and assess site conditions before beginning any work. Call us to discuss your specific application and site requirements.
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When Nothing Else Works — We Can.
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