Generally, the expected accuracy for the high definition plasma cutting process is approximately +/-.040” (material thickness dependent) and +/-.125” for oxy-fuel cutting of heavy plate.
How accurate is a CNC Plasma cutting machine?
Entry level CNC plasma systems are ideal for the serious hobbyist or small business owner. The accuracy of these systems will be impacted by the quality of the plasma system, the CNC, and the drives. Slight variations in cut angles are normal and you can expect a plus or minus .030 inch (.77 mm) tolerance.
How accurate is hand cutting with a plasma torch?
Hand plasma Hand-cutting is only as accurate as the operator’s comfort with the plasma torch. Torch motion, cut speed, and torch-to-work distance are all variables that affect accuracy. When cutting by hand - either using a guide or following a soapstone line - experienced operators can cut within 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) tolerance.
Why use automated plasma cutting in your business?
If you use automated plasma cutting in your business, it is crucial to consistently deliver accurate cut parts, with minimal bevel, and little or no dross. Automated plasma cutting systems can produce accurate cut parts with a variety of gas combinations, but it is what’s under the surface that will affect your final product quality.
What is plasma accuracy and why is it important?
So as you can see, plasma accuracy will relate specifically to the plasma system and how it is set up. When making your decision about which plasma system to purchase the accuracy is important, but also consider the importance of system reliability, consumable life, operating costs, and manufacturer support.
What is a disadvantage of plasma cutting?
Unfortunately, plasma cutting does have a few drawbacks. Most plasma cutters aren't useful for thicker or denser metals. The fleeting nature of plasma limits their range to a depth of about one inch.
How do you accurately cut with a plasma cutter?
3:475:08Tech Tips: Plasma Cutting Basics - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt actually cuts on an angle. As you get towards the end of your piece you actually want to angleMoreIt actually cuts on an angle. As you get towards the end of your piece you actually want to angle the torch back a little bit so you make sure you nip that edge up.
What are some common mistakes made with plasma cutting?
Avoid these common cutting mistakesUsing consumables until they "blow" ... Changing consumables too soon. ... Using the wrong parameters and parts for the job. ... Assembling the torch incorrectly. ... Neglecting routine maintenance. ... Not checking gas and coolant flow. ... Piercing too low. ... Cutting too fast or too slow.More items...•
What are three dangers of plasma cutting?
Like most tools on a worksite, working with a plasma cutter does pose its share of possible hazards. Noise, air quality, and electrocution are three of the most dangerous risks when working with a plasma cutter. Each of these risks can result in long-lasting health consequences.
How thick of metal can a 50 amp plasma cutter cut?
3/4 in.Designed for portable repair work and small business project use, CUT-50 Plasma Cutter cuts a thickness of 3/4 in., and the max severance thickness is 1.0 in. Type: DC Air Plasma Cutter.
How thick can plasma cutter cut?
Plasma cutters are used to perform cutting and gouging operations, with the average hand-held system capable of cutting a maximum metal thickness of about 1 inch.
How long do plasma cutters last?
Usually, in normal conditions, we can say that the electrode will wear out first during machine cutting. Typical life time of a set of consumable should last about 1 to 3 hours for about 120 A of mechanized cutting, it's in function of the job. Cutting at lower current may gets longer consumable life.
Why does my plasma cutter leave slag?
High-Speed Dross and Slag High-speed dross occurs, as its name implies, is when the cutting speed is too high. Higher speeds causes the CNC plasma arc to fall behind the torch, leaving hard globs of uncut metal on the bottom of the plate and requiring tenacious cleanup.
What air pressure is required for plasma cutting?
To be precise, the air pressure required for a plasma cutter is about 4-8 SCFM at 90-120 PSI. This plasma cutter air pressure is a generalization for cutting steel between 3/8" and 7/8" thick.
Can I plasma cut wet metal?
Plasma can cut any electrically conductive metal including stainless steel, mild steel, aluminum and more, without pre-heating. Plasma is also great at cutting painted, dirty or even rusted metal. JoAnn Bortles is the national automotive spokesperson for Hypertherm.
Is plasma cutter smoke toxic?
The fumes, dust and gases created during plasma cutting pose a number of risks to operatives if not adequately controlled including: Fume inhalation – Ailments will vary in severity dependant on the type of metal being cut but may include headaches, eye, nose and throat irritation, dizziness and nausea.
Do you need eye protection when using a plasma cutter?
Exposure to light from the plasma arc can easily cause macular degeneration, retinal detachment and permanent blindness. You absolutely need eye protection, and we'd go one step further and recommend full face protection.
What causes a plasma cutter to not work?
The compressor is short of air. The pressure adjustment of air conditioning valve of the plasma cutting machine is too low. There is oil pollution in the electromagnetic valve. The air channel is obstructed.
Where should a welder avoid using the plasma arc cutter?
Never use the plasma arc cutter in areas where combustible or explosive gases or materials are located. 9. Chlorinated solvents and cleaner vapors in the presence of plasma arc cutter generates a toxic phosgene gas.
What is the tolerance of a plasma cutting table?
Entry-level plasma cutting tables, typically used by small shops and amateur hobbyists, can process materials within a plus or minus .77 millimeter tolerance. Light-industrial CNC burn tables are more durable than entry-level models and used for low-level to moderate processing. These plasma cutters produce edge tolerances within the .38 to .64 millimeter range.
What is the axis of a plasma cutter?
All CNC plasma cutting tables have an x and y axis, but light- and heavy-industrial machines have a third, z axis. The movement of the torch on the vertical z axis allows the plasma cutter to automatically adjust to the wear of the material. For instance, aluminum is thin and tends to bow while being processed. Automatic torch height control can react to the changing shape of the material and move the torch out of its way, preventing negative and positive cut angles that would then need to be grinded down.
How does plasma torches work?
Plasma torches produce clean and smooth edges. However, because the ionized air swirls out of the torch in an arcing motion, a small bevel is created on the cut face. This makes the surface edge of the cut slightly more accurate than the bottom. The swirling appearance of the cut face is hardly noticeable on materials thinner than 3 millimeters but is more pronounced on materials 6 millimeters or thicker.
How much tolerance does a torch cut?
Backed by years of experience, these professionals can produce cuts within 1.6 millimeter tolerance. Superb hand control is a hallmark trait of a skilled fabricator, but no matter how good they are, there is just no comparing to the accuracy produced by a computer-controlled machine.
Is plasma cutting accurate?
Plasma cutters have a reputation in the industry for producing clean and accurate cuts. While this is certainly true, the accuracy of plasma cutting largely depends on the setup of the system. For instance, a handheld torch will never produce cuts as accurate as those made by an automated computer numerical control (CNC) plasma cutting machine. But even under the vast umbrella of CNC plasma cutting technology, there are variables that can affect accuracy.
How much does a plasma cutting machine cost?
Today’s automated precision plasma cutting systems are priced between $40,000 (130 amp) and $75,000 (400 amp). Please note that these prices are for a plasma cutting power supply, gas console and torch only – not a complete CNC cutting machine. They are configured with liquid cooled dual gas torches, computer-controlled switch-mode power supplies and sophisticated automatic gas delivery systems. Cut charts embedded into today’s CNC controls automatically adjust cutting parameters and select the required gases based on the material and thickness selected. Also, most precision plasma systems include technology which ramps amperage and gas flow at the start and stop of every cut. This technology significantly extends consumable life and ensures extremely consistent cutting performance over the life of consumables
What plasma to use for cutting aluminum?
For general purpose cutting, most manufacturers of automated precision plasma cutting systems suggest cutting aluminum from thin gage to 1.5” using either shop compressed air or nitrogen plasma. Either nitrogen or shop compressed air is used as the shield gas. The cut should be free of top and bottom dross, have a relatively smooth cut surface with minimal bevel. However, the cut face will be heavily oxidized, rough and quite “grainy”. Grinding will be required if weld metal is to be applied directly to the cut face surface.
How does a plasma torch work?
Plasma torches are either a single gas or dual gas design. Typically, single gas design torches operate at up to 125 amps and are cooled by the gas flowing through them. The single gas input is split inside the torch into the plasma and shield flows. Over 125 amps, the increased heat of the arc requires that the torch is liquid cooled. Virtually all liquid cooled torches are the dual gas type. Dual gas torches have separate pathways for the plasma and shield gases allowing the torch leads to deliver the gases to the torch head through two separate hoses. The plasma and shield gases can therefore be different and delivery pressures and flows can be different as well.
What plasma is used to cut stainless steel?
For general purpose cutting, most manufacturers of automated precision plasma systems suggest cutting stainless from thin gage to 1.5” with nitrogen plasma. Either nitrogen or shop compressed air is used as the shield gas. The cut should be free of top and bottom dross, have a relatively smooth cut surface and minimal bevel. If weld metal will be applied directly to the cut face surface grinding is required.
What gases can be used in a plasma torch?
Cylinder gases such as nitrogen or nitrogen-hydrogen (N 2 95% – H 2 5%) can be used with some single gas torch systems in an effort to improve the cut surface quality of non-ferrous metals. However, the required total flow rate for a 125 amp single gas plasma torch is as much as 550 CFH. This will increase gas costs because a cylinder with a 330 cubic foot capacity will be empty in 36 minutes.
What is the cut chart for every cutting process?
The cut chart for every cutting process contains a range of possible thicknesses. Process engineers work to optimize a range of thicknesses (usually in the middle of the overall range of thicknesses). This optimized range is called the process core thicknesses (PCT). Thicknesses greater and less than the PCT can have varied results relative to cut quality, cut speed, and piercing capability.
What gas is used to cut metal?
If weld metal will be applied directly to the cut surfaces from thin gage to ½”, consider gases such as F5 (95% N 2 and 5% H 2) plasma and N 2 shield to produce weldable cuts. Some plasma systems include a gas delivery system with the ability to blend argon, hydrogen, and nitrogen for customized plasma gas mixtures based on thickness and cutting amperage. For plate from ½” to 1.5”, Ar-H 2 -N 2 blended plasma gas mixtures with N 2 shield produce premium results. Edges cut with these combinations are typically very smooth, very square and often a golden color. A few manufacturers offer the ability to use nitrogen plasma and tap water as the shield. The N 2 /water process produces a very square and weldable edge at a very low cost from thin gage to 1.5” plate.
What is high precision plasma cutting?
Today’s high-precision plasma cutting means faster cutting, high-quality edges, and longer-lived consumables when compared to the first generation of precision plasma cutting technology that emerged in the 1990s in the U.S. We all know the old sales joke: You can have it good, fast, or cheap, so pick two.
What should a metal fabricator use for plasma cutting?
At a minimum, a fabricator should use a controller with functions for pierce height control, pierce delay, and pierce retract. These functions extend consumable life by reducing electrode wear during arc starts and stops, as well as by minimizing the amount of molten metal that splashes up during arc start.
Why did plasma cutting systems use only a single inert gas as the plasma gas?
At the time plasma cutting systems used only a single inert gas as the plasma gas because the tungsten electrode eroded rapidly in the presence of oxygen. Without the ability to use oxygen to support oxidation and the associated self-sustaining exothermic reaction, the process had little advantage for cutting steel.
How fast can a 0.25 inch steel cut?
Today fabricators enjoy the best of all worlds (see Figure 1 ). On 0.25-in. steel, top cutting speeds reach 100 inches per minute. (Speeds can reach 150 IPM or more if cuts are on long, straight edges or cut quality is not critical.) A high-precision system can achieve a cut accuracy of ±0.01 to 0.05 in. and kerf widths as narrow as 0.05 in. Consumables can last from 1,300 to more than 3,700 arc starts, and systems can cut any conductive material from 10 gauge up to 2 in. thick.
What gas was used in the Browning plasma shield?
In dual-flow steel applications, the plasma/shield gas combinations were usually nitrogen/air or nitrogen/O 2. Dual-flow cutting increased speed on mild steel, reduced top rounding, drove the arc deeper into the cut, and minimized dross on the bottom of the cut. Figure 3 provides a look at plasma/shield gas combinations used in today’s high-precision plasma cutting applications.
What is hole/process optimization?
Hole/process optimization technology. After a cutting program is loaded (or even just a DXF file into a controller from a USB flash drive), the CNC examines the file and determines which parameters need to be optimized. After these are identified, the controller recalculates the optimal parameter and cut paths. Similar technologies optimize cutting order and pierce methods, as well as locations for complicated nests.
What is a quality cut?
Cut surface. A quality cut produces a part that is ready for the next fabrication step. Characteristics include a smooth surface free of dross and nitride contamination.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of plasma cutting?
For plasma cutting, it also has its advantages and disadvantages: In the process of cutting a medium thick plate, it can achieve very high cutting speed, much higher than laser cutting and flame cutting.
Which is faster, plasma or laser cutting?
Laser cutting machine has faster-cutting speed: the speed can reach 10m/min of laser cutter which is much faster than the plasma cutter. The cutting surface of the laser cutting machine is smooth, without burr, with good cutting quality, is a non-contact cutting.
What is the difference between a laser and a plasma cutting machine?
According to our previous experience, laser cutting machine and plasma cutting machine are compared as follows: The laser cutting machine does not damage the workpiece, while the plasma cutting machine has damage to the plate.
Why is laser cutting used for plate?
In general, for the plate under 8mm, the laser cutting machine is been used for blanking of the workpiece which requires high precision, because the blanking cost is higher, and the cleanliness of the plate is also required.
How does a laser cutting machine work?
The working principle of the laser cutting machine: The laser beam which generated by laser device transmitted through a series of the reflector, then focus on the workpiece surface by focus lens and produce local heat at the focal point, to cause the hot spot of the workpiece to melt or vaporize to form a slot.
Why is laser cutting so fast?
Because the laser has the characteristics of high direction, high brightness and high intensity, the laser cutting speed is fast, the machining precision is high, and the cutting seam is very narrow, and there is no need for subsequent processing. To sum up,
What is the accuracy of a laser cutter?
The laser cutter has high precision: the positioning accuracy of the laser cutting machine is 0.05mm, and the re-positioning accuracy is 0.02mm, but require higher the working environment condition. Although the machining accuracy of plasma cutting machine is not equal to that of the laser cutting machine, it has a low requirement for the working environment and strong mobility, and it has a wide range of cutting and requires lower skills for operators than that of the laser cutting machine.