What physical state should the metal be in for effective oxyfuel cutting?

For effective oxyfuel cutting, the metal should be in a solid state. This is because the process of oxyfuel cutting involves the use of a flame generated from a mixture of oxygen and a fuel gas, which is ignited and directed towards the metal. When the flame reaches the solid metal, it raises its temperature to its ignition point, allowing the metal to oxidize and be oxidized away by the oxygen in the cutting process.

In the solid state, the metal has the necessary structural integrity to withstand the thermal and mechanical stresses that occur during cutting. The process is designed to effectively remove sections of solid metal, unlike in liquid or gaseous states, where the metal would not behave appropriately for a cutting operation. Liquid metal, for example, would not oxidize effectively in the same manner as solid metal because the flame would interact differently, and gaseous or plasma states do not exist as effective targets for a cutting torch under typical oxyfuel cutting conditions.