What are the Gases Used in CNC Plasma Cutter

Plasma cutting is the process of cutting metals like aluminum, steel, or copper while using a plasma arc. These arcs produce more heat, that melts the metal and cut into the desired shape. The materials which are being cut by these plasma cutters are electrically conductive. It is widely used in many industries for mass production, due to the repeating cutting patterns.

Do Plasma Cutters Use Gas?

Yes, all plasma cutters use gas. But depending on the metal when cutting, it may vary. The following are some recommended plasma cutting gases that are used while cutting.

Compressed air: Compressed air is commonly used in cutting for lower current plasma cutting. It produces top-quality cuts on mild steel, aluminum, as well as carbon steel. It works well on metals which are having thicknesses up to 1 inch.

Oxygen: Oxygen is a popular gas for cutting through mild steel. It provides clean cuts and works faster in cutting. It is not recommended for cutting aluminum or stainless steel. When it works with carbon steel, it produces a fine spray of melted metal which is easy to eject from the kerf.

Nitrogen: Nitrogen is used for high current plasma machines, and it cuts the material up to 3 inches in thickness. It gives excellent cuts in metals like mild and stainless steel or aluminum. Air is the second gas when using the nitrogen plasma, but sometimes carbon-di-oxide improves the cutting speed and improves the cut.

Argon-Hydrogen Mix: It is usually suitable for cutting stainless steel and aluminum. The combination mix of these gases is 65% argon and 35% hydrogen. It gives the best result in cutting and it can cut a metal thickness of more than 3 inches.

What Is the Difference Between Plasma Cutting and Water Jet Cutting?

The water jet and plasma cutting have the ability to cut the materials quickly and easily. Although they are performing the same function there are many differences between them.

How Plasma Cutting Works:

A plasma cutter uses gas for cutting the materials. A CNC gantry plasma cutter with a rotary axis can cut metal sheets along with bigger metal pipes together. Plasma cutting requires less operator and it is very easy to operate. It can cut metals like aluminum, copper, and steel of various thicknesses.

How Water Jet Cutting Works:

The water jet cutting system uses water to break down the material quickly. Water is sprayed out with the immense pressure of 50000 psi to form a fine cutting. The water jet uses the same tool for cutting different materials. However, it produces a high amount of cutting waste and requires high-level cleanup when compared with plasma cutting.

Conclusion

Every industry has its own unique needs, desires, and what they value the most. So, the above basics are used in getting some knowledge about cutting machines. It is their own decision to select the machine in order to cut the materials.