What is plasma cutting. Advantages and disadvantages

Plasma – This is ionized material in a gaseous state. Due to its specific properties, it is called the fourth state of matter. Plasma consists of electrically charged, and from neutral particles. Ionized atoms and electrons coexist in plasma, But the whole volume, occupied by plasma, Electrically neutral.

Types of plasma

Due to the presence of a large number of ions of different charge and free electrons of plasma, electricity conducts electricity, But her resistance, Unlike metals, decreases with an increase in temperature.

Depending on the current strength, passing in plasma, There are three states:

• With very low current strength, the light is not visible (Black current);
• With a higher power current, the plasma begins to radiate light – We know this phenomenon by ordinary fluorescent lamps;
• when the current strength increases and exceeds a certain limit value, There is an electric arc – This property is used in cutting and welding plasma.

What is plasma cutting

Plasma cutting includes melting and pushing the metal from the cutting clearance using a highly concentrated plasma electric arc with high kinetic energy, luminous between non -melting electrode and workpiece . Plasma is created using a plasma cutter. Passing the stream of compressed gas through a burning electric arc causes its ionization, and due to a high concentration of energy, a plasma flow is generated. Nozzle, installed in the burner, Focusing a plasma arc. Cooling walls of the nozzle narrow the column of the arc.

The principle of operation of plasma cutting is based on the high temperature of the core of the plasma arc (10000 ÷ 30000K) and very high plasma flow rate, which leads to melting the material of cutting and blowing it out of the gap.

Functional features of the plasma cutting method

You can order plasma cutting services on On this site. The advantages of this type of cutting should be attributed:

• High speeds – v 5-7 Once faster, than with oxygen-gas cutting,
• Cutting without heating,
• narrow zone of exposure, low thermal deformation – relatively low temperature exposure to all material due to high speeds and highly concentrated temperature exposure,
• A small cutting gap;
• good quality cutting surface;
• the ability to cut without burning thin materials;
• wide range of cut thickness – from 0,5 mm to 160 mm;
• effective vertical cutting and removal of champs of structural steel thickness to 30 mm;
• easy automation of the cutting process.

Flaws:

• High noise level (does not apply to the underwater cutting process);
• Strong UV radiation;
• A large number of gas and vapor harmful to health;
• changes in the cutting zone;
• Difficulties with preserving the perpendicularity of the edges.

Methods and types of plasma cutting

Using plasmotron, You can produce various types of cutting. The most popular:

• Basic cutting– simple pruning of the workpiece from the edge,
• skashed – In this case, the cutter is tilted at right angles, So after cutting, the material gets a beveled edge,
• Cutting on the template – In the event of this type of cutting, the center of the workpiece is cut, and then direct the burner (As in the case of basic cutting) according to a pre -prepared template
• Cutting several sheets at the same time – You can cut several sheets at the same time, Putting them with a pile,
• Mechanized cutting– After installing the system on the CNC table.