While plasma cutting demonstrates some advantages over these other cutting processes, its use in some manufacturing applications can be problematic, such as cutting non-conductive material. The plasma cutting process is often presented as an alternative solution to laser cutting, waterjet cutting, and oxy-fuel cutting, and offers certain advantages over these options, including faster cutting times and lower initial investment and operational costs. This process is suitable for a wide range of metal materials, including structural steel, alloy steel, aluminum, and copper, and can cut through material thicknesses ranging between 0.5 mm to 180 mm.
Plasma arc cutting, also referred to as plasma fusion cutting or plasma cutting, is a fabrication process which employs superheated, ionized gas funneled through a plasma torch to heat, melt and, ultimately, cut electrically conductive material into custom shapes and designs. Image credit: Portrait Images Asia by Nonwarit/ A plasma arc cutting machine cutting the internal sections of a metal part.
