Oxy-acetylene flame selection — where is a carburising (reducing) flame preferred? A carburising (reducing) flame is most appropriately used for welding or surfacing which of the following?

Introduction / Context:
Oxy-acetylene welding employs three basic flame types: neutral, carburising (reducing), and oxidising. Selecting the proper flame prevents defects such as porosity, oxidation, or alloy depletion. The question asks where a carburising flame is typically preferred.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Neutral flame (balanced oxygen and acetylene) is standard for steels, cast iron, and most general welding.
• Oxidising flame is often used for brass/bronze to suppress zinc loss and flux oxidation.
• Carburising flame has excess acetylene and a characteristic inner cone with a feathery envelope.

Concept / Approach:
A carburising flame provides a reducing atmosphere that protects certain hardfacing alloys and can enrich surfaces with carbon to some extent. For surfacing with cobalt- or high-alloy deposits such as stellite, a slightly reducing condition helps minimize oxidation and retain alloying elements in the deposit. In contrast, ordinary steel welding uses a neutral flame to avoid carbon pickup or oxidation, and brass/bronze generally benefits from a slightly oxidising flame to counteract zinc volatilization and to clean the joint.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify the standard flames for each material group.Map carburising flame to applications where a reducing atmosphere is beneficial: hardfacing (e.g., stellite overlays).Conclude that option “hard surfacing materials such as stellite” is the best match.

Verification / Alternative check:
Welding handbooks recommend neutral flame for steels and slightly oxidising for brasses; carburising is reserved for specific cases such as hardfacing or backhand welding of some nonferrous alloys.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• General steels/cast iron/copper/aluminium: neutral flame is preferred to avoid chemistry changes.
• Brass and bronze: an oxidising flame is typically used to prevent zinc fuming and porosity.
• All of these/stainless exclusively: overgeneralizations that ignore material-specific practice.

Common Pitfalls:
Assuming one flame type fits all; flame chemistry must align with metal and flux behavior.

Final Answer:
Hard surfacing materials such as stellite