Plasma Cutting

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Plasma Cutting Process

Plasma cutting is the fastest cutting process on carbon steel, aluminum, or stainless steel.
Plasma cutting can be combined with waterjet or oxy fuel on the same part.
Plasma cutting can be use for precision cutting on gauge material up to 6” thick stainless.
 
ESAB invented plasma cutting in 1955, and have never stopped developing ways to make plasma cutters better and easier.  ESAB's latest innovations in the plasma cutting process automation increase production with more consistent cut quality every time... regardless of operator skill level.

 

    

Plasma Arc Characteristics

Plasma is defined in Websters as "collection of charged particles ... containing about equal numbers of positive ions and electrons and exhibiting some properties of a gas but differing from a gas in being a good conductor of electricity ..."

For arc cutting, plasma can also be defined as an electrically heated gas stream. The gas stream is heated to such high temperature that it becomes ionized. The ionized gas by definition can then freely exchange electrons between atoms. This electron movement is what allows the gas to carry the cutting amperage.

A plasma torch uses an alloy copper nozzle to constrict the ionized gas stream to focus the energy to a small cross section. The principle is the same as using a magnifying glass to concentrate the sun's energy to create intense heat.