Plasma cutters made it easy to cut metals in various industries. It replaced the traditional torch in the welding industry. Let’s look at how plasma works and its advantages.
How Plasma Cutting Works
Plasma cutting happens when a material is cut with a high-speed jet of hot plasma. The materials you can cut are all conductive metals like steel, aluminum, stainless steel, brass, copper, etc.
You’ll find plasma cutting uses in firms, salvage and scrapping, motorized repair, and industrial construction.
Plasma cutting produces quality cuts at a low cost. Thus, it is popular from industrial CNC to small firms.
Plasma cutting conductive has heated to up to 300000 degrees celsius. Creating overheated plasma is the basic process in plasma cutting. Then the plasma is directed on a metal. The circuit completes when the plasma cutter connects with the metal piece through an earth terminal.
The plasma jet forms an arc at the electrodes located near the gas nozzle and your workpiece. The arc is electric, and it ionizes the surface, thus creating a plasma channel. The current flowing through the plasma from the nozzle produces enough heat to melt through metal. Then the high-speed of the compressed gas blows away the molten metal. The process helps to separate the metal.
Advantages of Plasma Cutting
You will reap many benefits with plasma cutting. The list below consists of the benefits of plasma cutting.
Various Sizes
Plasma cutters exist in various sizes. Thus, you can use the cutters in small-scale and large-scale industries. Handheld cutters are available in many online stores. They cut up to half an inch.
But plasma cutting machines cut varying widths up to 6 inches. You can get a custom machine from creators to cut thicker metals. However, the cutting speed is slower in thick metals than in thin metals.
Portability
Plasma cutting has advanced. Many cutters are handheld, and you can move them around your workshop. You can also work outside your workshop with ease.
Power Consumption
Plasma cutters use less power than other meta cutters in the welding industry. It explains why plasma tech is more popular than other tools.
Precision
Plasma cutters are known for their accuracy and precision. You can use the cutters in small-scale and large-scale industries to get desired results. It helps you in the next stages of using the cut metal.
Smooth Edges
It is tough to work with metals with rough edges. The high speed of the plasma cutter helps you to achieve smooth edges. It also adds to precision and accuracy.
The smooth advantage helps in artistic pieces, metal manufacturing, etc. You can get the smooth edges with a plasma cutter than manual cutters.
Workpiece Remains Cool
A plasma cutter uses a jet of compressed ionized gas. The jet creates wind as it flows to the workpiece. Thus. It blows away all the molten metal out of the workpiece. Besides leaving the surface smooth, it also cools the metal. Thus, your metal does not heat up, giving you an easy time handling your workpieces.
Convenient
The portability and ease of use make a plasma cutter a convenient tool to use—modern technology allows one person to operate a plasma cutter. Thus, you can continue working in the workshop even when your assistance is absent. You can also get a robotic plasma cutter that will ease your work.
Cuts Complex Shapes
Plasma cutting tools give you smooth edges. It also keeps the metal cool; hence you can handle the metal without the fear of burns. Thus, you can concentrate on following the outline of a complex shape. Due to the advanced tech, you can set the shape and process on a screen and wait for an excellent outcome.
Cuts Thick Metals
Large plasma cutters can cut up to 6 inches. However, you can cut thicker metals of up to 8 inches. The only challenge you will get is that it will cut a slower speed. Also, the cut quality reduces with the thickness of the metal. However, you can get a custom plasma cutter from the manufacturer.
Increased Cutting Speed
Plasma cutters have evolved to be the best cutting tools in the industry. They have high speeds that cut the metal with precision. This enables you to work on many pieces in a day. It, in turn, results in increased yields in the welding industry.
Eliminates Plate Warping
Plate warping is common in welding, especially where heat is involved. It happens when the heat remains on the metal surface longer than needed. When you use a plasma cutter, the plasma jet, and on-demand-fan work fast to cool the metal surface; So, you get smooth surfaces with no warping.
Conclusion
The above advantages of plasma cutting result in high quality of cut quality. Plasma cutter helps to increase productivity. You can get any size that is convenient for your use.
