Scribd
Upload
823 views3 pages

Plasma Cutting

Plasma cutting uses a high-velocity jet of ionized gas that conducts electricity from a torch to a workpiece, heating and melting the material. The jet then blows the molten metal away to sever it. Plasma cutting can cut any conductive metal, does not require preheating, and yields a cut with little heat effect and small width. It is faster than oxyfuel cutting for thinner materials but oxyfuel is preferred for thicker steel sections.

Uploaded by

amirhazwan
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
823 views3 pages

Plasma Cutting

Plasma cutting uses a high-velocity jet of ionized gas that conducts electricity from a torch to a workpiece, heating and melting the material. The jet then blows the molten metal away to sever it. Plasma cutting can cut any conductive metal, does not require preheating, and yields a cut with little heat effect and small width. It is faster than oxyfuel cutting for thinner materials but oxyfuel is preferred for thicker steel sections.

Uploaded by

amirhazwan
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Plasma Cutting

In simplest terms, plasma cutting is a process that uses a high velocity jet of
ionized gas that is delivered from a constricting orifice. The high velocity
ionized gas, that is, the plasma, conducts electricity from the torch of the
plasma cutter to the work piece. The plasma heats the work piece, melting the
material. The high velocity stream of ionized gas mechanically blows the
molten metal away, severing the material. Plasma cutting can improve
productivity and lower cutting costs. It does not require a preheat cycle, cuts
any metal that conducts electricity, permits portability around job sites,
minimizes the heat-affected zone (HAZ), and yields a cut with a small kerf.
Plasma units also can gouge, pierce, bevel, cut holes, and trace shapes.

Plasma Torch

Plasma Cutting Compare to Oxyfuel cutting

Plasma cutting can be performed on any type of conductive metal - mild steel,
aluminium and stainless are some examples. With mild steel, operators will
experience faster, thicker cuts than with alloys. Oxyfuel cuts by burning, or
oxidizing, the metal it is severing. It is therefore limited to steel and other
ferrous metals which support the oxidizing process. Metals like aluminium and
stainless steel form an oxide that inhibits further oxidization, making
conventional oxyfuel cutting impossible. Plasma cutting, however, does not
rely on oxidation to work, and thus it can cut aluminium, stainless and any
other conductive material. While different gasses can be used for plasma
cutting, most people today use compressed air for the plasma gas. In most
shops, compressed air is readily available, and thus plasma does not require
fuel gas and compressed oxygen for operation. Plasma cutting is typically
easier for the novice to master, and on thinner materials, plasma cutting is
much faster than oxyfuel cutting. However, for heavy sections of steel (1 inch
and greater), oxyfuel is still preferred since oxyfuel is typically faster and, for
heavier plate applications, very high capacity power supplies are required for
plasma cutting applications.

Plasma Cutter Principles

Plasma cutting is ideal for cutting steel and non-ferrous material less than 1
inch thick. Oxyfuel cutting requires that the operator carefully control the
cutting speed so as to maintain the oxidizing process. Plasma is more
forgiving in this regard. Plasma cutting really shines in some niche
applications, such as cutting expanded metal, something that is nearly
impossible with oxyfuel. And, compared to mechanical mean of cutting,
plasma cutting is typically much faster, and can easily make non-linear cuts.

Plasma Cutting limitations

The plasma cutting machines are typically more expensive than oxyacetylene,
and also, oxyacetylene does not require access to electrical power or
compressed air which may make it a more convenient method for some
users. Oxyfuel can cut thicker sections (>1 inch) of steel more quickly than
plasma.

Cutting Technique

Step 1: Place the drag shield on the edge of the base metal, or hold the
correct standoff distance (typically 1/8 inch). Direct the arc straight
down.

Step 2: Press the trigger. After two seconds of preflow air, the pilot arc
starts.

Step 3: Once the cutting arc starts, move the torch across the metal.

Step 4: Adjust speed so that the cutting sparks go through the metal
and out the bottom of the cut.

Step 5: At the end of a cut, angle the torch slightly toward the final
edge, or pause briefly to sever the metal completely.

Step 6: To cool the torch, postflow air continues for 20 to 30 seconds


after you release the trigger; pressing the trigger during postflow
instantly restarts the arc.
If the sparks are not visible at the bottom of the plate, the arc is not
penetrating the metal. This can be caused if we move the torch too quickly,
have insufficient amperage, or fail to direct the plasma stream straight into the
metal.

Travelling at the right speed produces a clean cut with less dross on the
bottom of the cut and little or no distortion of the metal. Slow travel speeds
can overheat the metal, causing dross to accumulate. To minimize dross,
increase travel speed or reduce amperage.

For an indication of how fast to move the torch, refer to the machine's cutting
speed graph or check the speed for a rated cut. Dross also accumulates when
we push a machine to cut a material at its maximum thickness. The only cure
for this is a bigger machine.

You might also like