Plasma Cutting – The Better Option

You may have heard the term plasma cutting in all the leading metal fabrication magazines. What is plasma cutting, really? There are different technologies used in cutting mild steel but plasma cutting is becoming popular because of its fundamental advantages. Plasma cutting makes use of a plasma torch to cut through thick metals to achieve accurately sized parts. Metal fabrication is an industry fueled by skill and innovation, so it makes sense that plasma technology has been a big hit. Skilled fabricators work alongside highly advanced machines and tools to form metal to the right shape.

A great option for cutting stainless steel and aluminum metal parts is plasma cutting technology. Plasma cutting is a high precision process that works well with electrically conductive materials. It makes use of a gas that is usually nitrogen, hydrogen, or oxygen to heat a part to a very high temperature. The electrically conductive surface allows the electric arc to melt the work piece while the force of plasma and shielding gases is blowing on the molten metal in order to cut the work piece to the desired shape. Applications that require part nests and work pieces with multiple pierces are more suitable to plasma cutting because this method has the capability to pierce through a 1.25-inch thick steel in as fast as 1.5 seconds.

Modern metal fabrication shops in Toronto, Oshawa, and Ontario make use of plasma cutting because of the method’s dependability and accuracy. Slow cutting speeds can drive up the costs of the fabrication process, and that is why many shops are upgrading to high precision plasma cutting. A plasma system is an investment in quality and can be more expensive than an oxy fuel system, however the results pay off. A fabrication shop becomes more competitive due to increased cutting speed on materials with medium thickness. If the work piece needs multiple pierces, the plasma system is a more suitable choice.