Variations of the Plasma Cutting Process

Conventional Plasma Cutting

• Generally uses a single gas (usually air or nitrogen) that both cools and produces the plasma
• Most of these systems are rated at 100 Amps or less for cutting materials up to 5/8” thick

Dual Gas Plasma Cutting

• Process uses two gases; one for plasma and one as shield gas
• Shield gas used to guard cut area from atmosphere, giving a cleaner cut edge.
• Most widely used variation as many different gas combinations can be used to produce optimal cut quality

Water Shield Plasma Cutting

• Variation of dual gas process where water is substituted for shield gas
• Produces improved nozzle and work piece cooling along with improved cut quality on stainless steel
• Process is for mechanized applications only

Water Injection Plasma Cutting

• Uses single gas for plasma and water (either radially or swirl-injected directly into arc) to improve arc constriction; arc density and temperatures increase
• Process used for 260-750 amps achieving optimal edge quality for many materials and thicknesses
• Process is for mechanized applications only

Precision Plasma Cutting

• Process yields superior cut quality on thinner materials (less than ½”) at slower speeds. Improved quality results from using the latest technology to further constrict the arc, drastically increasing energy density
• Slower speeds needed to allow the motion device to contour more accurately
• Process is for mechanized applications only

For more information from Hypertherm on Plasma cutting, click here.