Key Information about Plasma Cutters You Should Know

Blog | February 24th, 2022

Many industries would utilise different fabrication processes so they can generate their needed products. Some fabrication processes that they would typically carry out are cutting, folding, welding, machining, shearing, stamping, punching, and casting.

To make these fabrication processes come true, industries would have to invest in specialised tools. Punching, for instance, needs punch presses to effectively generate holes in the workpieces. Welding, alternatively, can be carried out by using different types of welding tools. As for cutting, industries can invest in plasma cutters to generate quality parts and products.

Cutting is conducted by generating fractures to workpieces. For metal workpieces, the fractured areas are known as chips, which are ultimately removed to produce the needed parts and products. Some variations of the cutting process are sawing, shaping, drilling, grinding, turning, milling, and broaching.

The Working Principles of Plasma Cutters

Plasma cutting is another variation of cutting that many manufacturers carry out. This specific cutting process can cut through materials by using hot plasma. Some materials that can be processed with plasma cutting are aluminium, brass, copper, and stainless steel.

Plasma cutters, which are used to carry out plasma cutting, work by maximising compressed air or other gases to generate plasma. As compressed air or other gases interact with the electrode, it is expected to ionise, creating more pressure. A plasma stream is then produced and sent to the cutting head once the pressure builds up. Subsequently, the cutting tip of the cutters regulates the streamflow of the plasma to ensure that the plasma cutting is done effectively.

As the plasma arc reaches the surface of the metal workpiece, the contact area melts. The high-speed gases, ultimately, knock off the molten pieces of metal.

Plasma Cutters’ Benefits and Drawbacks

Plasma cutters have been maximised by many industries due to their benefits.

One of the benefits of plasma cutters is they can cut through conductive materials. Plasma cutters can likewise process workpieces with thicknesses of 50 to 150 mm. These cutters are also used by many industries as they can cut even in water. Additionally, plasma cutters do not generate too much noise, making the worksites quiet. The cutting speed of plasma cutters is even faster than others. And once they are paired with computer numerical control machines, plasma cutters are expected to yield high precision and dependable repeatability.

Plasma cutters may provide many benefits, but they still have some drawbacks that must be considered.

For instance, plasma cutters cannot be effective in processing thinner sheets of metals. And when compared to laser cutters, plasma cutters have a larger heat-affected zone, more inconsistent tolerances, and wider kerf. Plasma cutters can also generate excess fumes and very blight flashes.

If you want to know more about plasma cutters, you can contact us at McKean’s Sheetmetal Fabricators.

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