Plasma Cutting Machine

Listing ID #4262613

Plasma cutting is a process that is used to cut steel and other metals of different thicknesses (or sometimes other materials) using a plasma torch. In this process, an inert gas (in some units, compressed air) is blown at high speed out of a nozzle; at the same time an electrical arc is formed through that gas from the nozzle to the surface being cut, turning some of that gas to plasma. The plasma is sufficiently hot to melt the metal being cut and moves sufficiently fast to blow molten metal away from the cut.

Such a CNC should be similar to the ones controlling Laser Cutting processes. A modern CNC should have Response time less than 0.5 msec servo loop because it must be in a position to respond faster than the cutting process it controls. It should also have linear control over the current of the Source for it to be adjustable to the Feed Rate recommended.

High Definition Plasma is the same process as plasma cutting but the plasma beam is delivered through a much smaller nozzle orifice at higher velocity and results in more accurate profile cutting. A shield gas is also used to swirl around the plasma beam to constrict the beam and keep the cutting beam straight resulting in a square edge on the cut parts and better cut surface quality.

The cutting energy is controlled by being delivered in high-and-low-current pulses, enabling the reduction of the volume of metal melted. This way we avoid risking molten metal spattering over the nozzle and sensors and destroying them. Pulse piercing is an important tell-tale trial for CNC suitability for High Definition Plasma cutting.

Plasma Cutters are able to cut many conductive materials including Mild Steel, Aluminum, Copper and Stainless Steel. The most popular material cut in the industry is mild steel which also gives the best cutting results.