Every metal fabricator owns a plasma cutter, at least; it doesn’t matter whether it’s a 2T or 4T prototype; professionals use it preferably for gouging, cutting, piercing, and doing all sorts in the workshop.
It does an excellent job of making clean and severance cuts to get the desired result. Therefore, if you’re wondering about how potent a plasma cutter can be, then you’d really have to ask How Thick can Plasma Cutter Cut and get to know both the disparate and the correlation it has with other cutting machines.
You see, how a plasma cutter works are that it uses compressed gases to carry out its operations. Also, a plasma torch features the handle and the nozzle.
It’s the plasma torch that would suggest if a product is a 2T unit or a 4T unit. Operators often trigger a 2T plasma cutter steadfastly down to get the rings revolving as voltage and current sum up to yield the necessary amount of power per temperature.
A 4T unit, on the other way round, uses a pushbutton mechanism and starts functioning. The two can work on metals, both ferrous and non-ferrous, as it electrically ionizes the bonds of the metal to make an arc cut at a high temperature.
The question is this: how far can the two go on metals? Take a seat and catch up your breaths as we take you through the journey of knowledge.
5 Things To Consider About How Thick Can Plasma Cutter Cut:
1. Plasma Cutter Cutting Aluminum
Aluminum is a non-ferrous metal. That means it doesn’t comprise iron. Therefore, a plasma cutter does an explicit performance than oxyacetylene. So, in situations where the laser is struggling to cut a 25mm thick aluminum, a plasma cutter would give a clean cut on 160mm thick aluminum.
Aluminum is malleable; such a lustrous metal has a weak molecular bond that the plasma cutter can arc cut quickly. The electrovalent bond on it is prevalent and makes the metal conductive to electrical contacts.
Now, it doesn’t matter whether you’re using a handheld plasma cutter or an advanced type; the cut will be lucid.
2. Plasma Cutter Cutting Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is an alloy that has vast essence. Plasma cutters are highly required in cutting them also. However, the depth of the kerf your plasma can go depends on two factors.
Firstly, it’s the pressure, and the nature of gas (es) retains the second spot. 4T plasma cutters can give a slow performance if argon is used for the compressed air, while nitrogen would hasten the cutting time of the plasma cutter if it’s used.
2T plasma cutters will be slower than 4T plasma cutters’ if the gases are preferably used because they use handheld torches. Furthermore, the least thickness any plasma cutter of any dimension can cut is 25mm, while the most it can cut is 160mm.
The exclusion only comes when piercing molten stainless steel. Why? The reason is that roughness and viscous fluid could retard the smooth performance of a plasma cutter.
3. Plasma Cutter Cutting Steel
Steel is quite strong, stronger than the previous options because of the cohesiveness of the constituents, such as the carbon and iron it features. However, steel can comprise more elements than those.
Although there are some other fabricated ones, carbon and iron are the fundamental constituents. Because a plasma cutter works based on the melting point of the metal, a plasma cutter can therefore cut up to 100mm thickness of the steel.
Meanwhile, factors that predetermine the capacity of a plasma cutter are the circuitry feature and the wideness of the torch’s opening. These would factor the amount of temperature a plasma cutter can generate without getting the unit (plasma cutter) damaged.
For example, an industrial 4T plasma cutter should cut a steel plate of 100mm at the same rate a 2T handheld plasma cutter can output for 25mm thick steel, except if the 2T plasma cutter is extensively built.
4. Plasma Cutter: Alloy vs. Metal
Provided the workpiece can conduct electricity, then there won’t be the probability of using a plasma cutter for cutting the workpiece.
Plasma cutters cut with precisions at a clean rate. Manuals often give the metal thickness range a machine can cut in a metal or alloy. Nevertheless, plasma cutting machines often state the capacity of a plasma cutter per amperage.
The performances are now regulated by the constituents of the alloy, the type of compressed air used, the circuitry capacity’s output, and the level of the operator’s expertise. Plasma cutters cut metals faster than alloys in most cases under the same factors.
5. How To Cut with A Plasma Cutter
- Read the manual of the plasma cutter you’ve bought so that you can learn about the product. The manual would aid you in knowing how the plasma cutter can be used.
- Identify the compressed air you’ll be using and relate it with the thickness level and the workpiece type.
- You can make precut/markings to make your output superb at the end of the exercise. Meanwhile, do that after you’ve applied the ground clamp close to the workpiece on the table.
- Connect the plasma arc torch to the machine and connect the unit to the compressed air and a power outlet.
- Check where the circuitry functions are located and choose the most appropriate for the task you’re about to execute.
- Ignite the function of the plasma torch so that you can begin to cut by simply following the markings on the workpiece.
What Is The Purpose Of Plasma Cutting?
Plasma cutting has a whole lot of significance. It’s often used for industrial purposes, though some purchase them for their personal use. They are used for signage and designs. A good example is the poly-ethylene-coated stainless steel that’s used for canning foods in companies.
Plasma cutters are tools that design a whole lot of them to ease workers’ efforts and produce up-to-date cans. Moreover, plasma cutters can work on ferrous and non-ferrous, making them preferably reliable than welders.
How Thick Can A 30 amp Plasma Cutter Cut?
The type of metal you’re using, and the voltage supplied to the plasma cutter all contribute. A 30-amp plasma cutter is bound to cut 3/8-inch steel at 230V and cut 3/8-inch stainless steel at 115V.
However, it could cut a 0.5-inch thick aluminum at high pressure. Peradventure the compressed gas that one uses is nitrogen, the output tends to be faster, and black soot could be found on the surface of the compressed air is oxygen. Invariably, the gas that one uses could also determine the time consumed.
How Thick Can A 50 amp Plasma Cutter Cut?
While a 50-amp plasma cutter can make a 14mm clean-cut, it could also make a 20mm severance cut. However, this prescription works better when cutting stainless steel or copper. 50amp could maximize your efficiency on such a surface.
Meanwhile, provided you’re using a handheld plasma cutter, then prioritize the purchase of plasma cutters with air filters to replicate the same result on tougher surfaces such as steel and titanium. Nevertheless, this can make up to a 1-inch cut on aluminum and those metals with related futuristic.
How Thick Can AQ 60 amp Plasma Cutter Cut?
Using an industrial system to cut the workpiece will make the exercise hectic-free. The least it cuts is 1-inch on steel. Nonetheless, the maximum it cuts is 1.2-inch. The performance won’t dwindle as long as all dross is reduced before starting the operation. Units that can run 60amp have a relative speed, which is also proportionate to the pressure to ensure the efficiency is top-notch.
How Thick Can a 100 amp Plasma Cutter Cut?
This is the most efficient option for professionals when cutting an ample thick workpiece because it’s controllable. This can cut 2-inch steel or alloys of reinforced carbon. Products with such an option have long plasma torches that prevent huge heat intensity.
Final Words
Now that you’ve known how thick your plasma cutter can cut metal, you should have no difficulty using it at all. This has explained all that you need to know from the start to the end. You can use the information here to set your plasma cutter to get the best result. You won’t go wrong using this piece at all. All you have is to follow the prescriptions with regards.
