63 Innovation Drive, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L9H 7L8

Phone: 905-689-7771 Fax: 905-689-7773

Plasma cut holes for bolted connections are acceptable by the American Institute of Steel Construction
(AISC) as clearly specified in their 2005 and newer AISC Specifications.

Supporting documentation

1. a page directly from the AISC web site where a questions was asked Is it now permissible to use
plasma or flame cutting methods to make bolt holes?

The answer was a clear yes, see attached printout (page 2 of this document).

Feel free to visit the AISC website directly at

http://www.modernsteel.com/steelinterchange_details.php?id=93

2. Also attached is the title page from The 2005 AISC Specification along with section M2.5 which
comments on thermally cut bolt holes in the AISC specification (pages 4 and 5 of this document).

It says that that thermally cut holes shall be permitted with a surface roughness profile not
exceeding 1,000 mirco inches as defined in ASME B46.1. Gouges shall not exceed a depth of
1/16 in.

Test results performed by an independent testing lab on Bolt Holes produced by the PythonX
show the PythonX meets the above requirements.

All testing was done in accordance with ASME B46.1-2002 which is specified in the 2005 AISC
specification, Section M2.5 Bolted Construction.

The spec allows 1000 microinches surface roughness we averaged 75 microinches on our
PythonX produced holes which is on average 13 times better than required.

For reference we also tested a punched hole (Hole 4 on the report) which averaged 170
microinches. Our PythonX holes were over 2 times better than the punched holes.

Testing Lab Report Attached (page 3 of this document).

The bolt hole quality specifications are quite generous compared to the PythonXs capabilities.

3. There are numerous fabricators that use the PythonX in the United States, Canada and other
parts of the world. They have done some high profile jobs including:
Power generating stations, Automotive assembly plants for Toyota, Ford, 70+ floor high rise
buildings and numerous schools, hospitals, wal-marts, government buildings.

No beam has ever been sent back from site due to hole quality.
AISC | Steel Interchange

Thermal Cutting
Question
07/01/2006

Is it now permissible to use plasma or flame cutting methods to make bolt

holes?

Question sent to AISC's Steel Solution Center

Answer(s)
Although previous specifications limited the methods that can be used, the
2005 AISC specification, Section M2.5, allows the use of any hole-making
method that results in a surface roughness not exceeding 1,000 microinches.
Most methods can be used to achieve this, including punching, drilling, and
thermal cutting with flame and plasma equipment.

Charlie Carter, S.E., P.E.

American Institute of Steel Construction

Please feel free to submit a question/answer to [email protected]

http://www.aisc.org/PrinterTemplate.cfm?Section=Steel_Interchange2&Template=/Custo... 16/04/2008
 TESTING GROUP
www.bodycote.com
www.bodycotetesting.com

Surface Roughness Report

Date: 01 February 2008 Lab #: 70728

Sample # 128252-128254
Customer: Burlington Automation Material and Form: Structural steel
5041 Fairview Street
Burlington, Ontario
L7L 4W6

Attention to: Paul Kwiatkowski # of Pieces: 4

1.0 PYTHONX PLASMA CUT BOLT HOLE SURFACE ROUGHNESS EVALUATION

The subject samples produced by the PythonX Plasma Structural Fabrication System were prepared for surface
roughness testing. All roughness testing was performed using a Mitutoyo Surftest (MII#: B06662) surface
roughness tester in the scale of Ra All testing was based on and performed in accordance with ASME B46.1-2002,
Surface Texture (Surface Roughness, Waviness, and Lay). The following results were obtained (refer to table);

Roughness Average (Ra)

1 2
Reading #
(in) (in)
Hole 1: 0.8610, cut in 0.5thick web of W24
46 65
x 104 wide flange beam
Hole 2: 0.8280, cut in 0.44 thick flange of a
92 129
W16x31 wide flange beam
Hole 3: 1.0900, cut in 0.75 thick leg of a
63 59
6x4x3/4 angle
Hole 4: 0.875, punched in 0.5
89 251
plate

Note: The test was done on the internal surface of cut holes. Two readings were taken at one hole per structural steel
section. The results are listed in the above tables.

_________________________
For and on behalf of Bodycote Materials Testing Canada Inc.: Matthew Hogan, Metallurgist

O:\Reports\Metallography\2008\70728 Burlington Automation.doc Page 1 of 1

P1: GIG
GRBT055-FM AISC-Sample (LRFD) June 20, 2005 12:16 Char Count= 0

ANSI/AISC 360-05
An American National Standard

Specification
for Structural Steel Buildings
March 9, 2005

Supersedes the Load and Resistance Factor Design Specification for Structural Steel
Buildings dated December 27, 1999, the Specification for Structural Steel Buldings
Allowable Stress Design and Plastic Design dated June 1, 1989, including Supplement
No. 1, the Specification for Allowable Stress Design of Single-Angle Members
dated June 1, 1989, the Load and Resistance Factor Design Specification for Single-
Angle Members dated November 10, 2000, and the Load and Resistance Factor
Design Specification for the Design of Steel Hollow Structural Sections
dated November 10, 2000, and all previous versions of these specifications.

Approved by the AISC Committee on Specifications and issued by the

AISC Board of Directors

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION, INC.

One East Wacker Drive, Suite 700
Chicago, Illinois 60601-1802
P1: GIG
GRBT055-M AISC-Sample (LRFD) June 17, 2005 16:26 Char Count= 0

16.1-146 FABRICATION [Sect. M2.

Reentrant corners, except reentrant corners of beam copes and weld access holes,
shall meet the requirements of AWS D1.1, Section A5.16. If another specified
contour is required it must be shown on the contract documents.
Beam copes and weld access holes shall meet the geometrical requirements of
Section J1.6. Beam copes and weld access holes in shapes that are to be galvanized
shall be ground. For shapes with a flange thickness not exceeding 2 in. (50 mm)
the roughness of thermally cut surfaces of copes shall be no greater than a surface
roughness value of 2,000
in. (50
m) as defined in ASME B46.1 Surface Texture
(Surface Roughness, Waviness, and Lay). For beam copes and weld access holes
in which the curved part of the access hole is thermally cut in ASTM A6/A6M hot-
rolled shapes with a flange thickness exceeding 2 in. (50 mm) and welded built-up
shapes with material thickness greater than 2 in. (50 mm), a preheat temperature
of not less than 150 F (66 C) shall be applied prior to thermal cutting. The
thermally cut surface of access holes in ASTM A6/A6M hot-rolled shapes with
a flange thickness exceeding 2 in. (50 mm) and built-up shapes with a material
thickness greater than 2 in. (50 mm) shall be ground and inspected for cracks
using magnetic particle inspection in accordance with ASTM E709. Any crack is
unacceptable regardless of size or location.

User Note: The AWS Surface Roughness Guide for Oxygen Cutting (AWS
C4.1-77) sample 3 may be used as a guide for evaluating the surface roughness
of copes in shapes with flanges not exceeding 2 in. (50 mm) thick.

3. Planing of Edges
Planing or finishing of sheared or thermally cut edges of plates or shapes is not
required unless specifically called for in the contract documents or included in a
stipulated edge preparation for welding.

4. Welded Construction
The technique of welding, the workmanship, appearance and quality of welds,
and the methods used in correcting nonconforming work shall be in accordance
with AWS D1.1 except as modified in Section J2.

5. Bolted Construction
Parts of bolted members shall be pinned or bolted and rigidly held together during
assembly. Use of a drift pin in bolt holes during assembly shall not distort the
metal or enlarge the holes. Poor matching of holes shall be cause for rejection.
Bolt holes shall comply with the provisions of the RCSC Specification for Struc-
tural Joints Using ASTM A325 or A490 Bolts, Section 3.3 except that thermally cut
holes shall be permitted with a surface roughness profile not exceeding 1,000
in.
(25
m) as defined in ASME B46.1. Gouges shall not exceed a depth of 1 / 16 in.
(2 mm).
Specification for Structural Steel Buildings, March 9, 2005
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION, INC.