How Plasma Cutters Work

A plasma cutter is one of the easiest and best tools to use when
cutting metal. It’s very effective, and, thanks to the newest technology,
they can now cut metal with great precision, almost as precise as a laser.

A plasma cutter is different than a welding torch. The welding torch
uses a flame produced from a burning gas. However, a plasma cutter uses a
stream of compressed air, or any other inert gas, and applies a high
voltage charge. This electric charge arcs through the stream of air and
ionizes the gas. This ionized gas reaches temperatures around 15,000
degrees Celsius and turns into, what is now known as, plasma. This high
temperature, jet of plasma is capable of melting through metal on
contact, without having an impact on the surrounding metal.

Plasma cutters are an ideal solution when it comes to small jobs where
metal is cut in order to make a body patch for a vehicle. One important
aspect, that makes plasma cutting safe, is the fact that plasma
cutters use an inert gas. This means the user wouldn’t have to worry about
using an explosive gas, or worry about storing volatile.

Over the past years, plasma cutters have been imprecise, using a large
“flame” to cut through the metal. Thanks to the advances in technology
and materials, plasma cutters are now capable of producing a much more
pronounced, focused flame. This means the cutter can get a neater and
more exact cut, and they are able to do it with a much lower power.

Plasma cutters can now be available or under $1,000. You can purchase a
Firepower 12 amp plasma cutter, which has its own compressor which
uses compressed air to create the plasma torch for $998.75. This tool is
ideal for any small jobs in a work shop, and is flexible enough to carry
out a variety of tasks. Like this cutter, there are two different
torch settings. Ideal for burning off paint is a lower setting for the
torch. If the temperature is turned up, the cutter will slice through an
eighth of an inch of steel at nine inches per minute.

By spending more money, $1,350, there is a more powerful and flexible
cutter. The Lincoln Electric Welder’s Century 25 Plasma Cutter is
designed for auto body repair jobs. It provides an earthed cutting arc that
can remove high frequency harmonics that can damage complex electronics
in a vehicle. The Century 25 Plasma Cutter has a built in compressor
which has a regulator, that is adjustable that controls the size of the
plasma stream. This will vary the intensity of the tool’s cutting edge,
and can deal with metals of different thicknesses. At a very acceptable
cutting rate, it can cut through up to 3/16”.

At the very expensive end of the plasma cutter market, there are
powerful and complex tools, such as the Miller Auto Arc 4500 Plasma cutter.
This tool retails for about $2,500, is much more powerful and flexible
than most other cutting models. It has a 27 amp supply, and is coupled
with a very strong compressor that delivers a flame that’s hot enough to
cut through half an inch of steel, at a fast rate, and goes through
body panel metal like a knife through a stick of butter.

It’s very important to pick a plasma cutter that fits best with the
business and budget of the consumer. An entry level cutter is the ideal
choice if the job simply involves occasional jobs in a workshop. However,
if the job calls for regular work on an everyday basis, the smarter
buy would be a more robust model. This model will pay for itself because
of its reliability and its ability to cut much faster, to get projects
moving faster.