Table of Contents
The 8 Best Plasma Cutters: Hypertherm Powermax30 Plasma Cutter – Best Overall. Hobart Airforce 40i 240V Plasma Cutter. Lotos LTP5000D Plasma Cutter – Best Value. Miller Spectrum 625 X-treme Plasma Cutter. Forney Easy Weld 251 Plasma Cutter. PRIMEWELD CUT50 Portable Plasma Cutter. SUNGOLDPOWER 50A Plasma Cutter.
How do I choose a good plasma cutter?
Most plasma cutting power sources are rated on their cutting ability and amperage. Therefore, if you most often cut ¼” thick material, you should consider a lower amperage plasma cutter. If you most frequently cut metal that is ½” in thickness look for a higher amperage machine.
Are plasma cutters worth it?
Plasma cutters also cut quickly and efficiently. Plasma equipment is considered to be better value for money, as well. Plasma torches are low-maintenance, rarely requiring replacement. Plasma cutting also relies on inert gases, making it much safer to use than oxygen-based cutting.
What CFM does a plasma cutter need?
All plasma manufacturers include minimum air flow and pressure requirements for an air compressor in the owner’s manual. These requirements differ between systems, but as an example, an air compressor for a plasma cutter like the Hypertherm Powermax45® requires 6 cubic feet per minute (cfm) at 90 psi.
How thick of metal will a 110v plasma cutter cut?
The plasma cutter can easily cut up to 0.55”(14 mm) metal under maximum output.
Can you cut stainless with a plasma cutter?
The plasma cutting process may be used to cut any conductive material, including carbon steels, stainless steels, aluminum, copper, brass, cast metals, and exotic alloys.
Can plasma cut through steel?
Plasma cutting is a process that cuts through electrically conductive materials by means of an accelerated jet of hot plasma. Typical materials cut with a plasma torch include steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass and copper, although other conductive metals may be cut as well.
Is it expensive to run a plasma cutter?
Low Operating Costs CNC Plasma cutters tend to cost around $15/hour to maintain. CNC Lasers are just slightly higher at $20/hour. And CNC waterjets usually come in at the most expensive – $30/hour.
Is a plasma cutter better than a torch?
Plasma does not require the metal to be preheated before cutting, which saves time, and plasma cutters also outperform oxy-fuel torches when cutting stacked metals. Faster speeds can be achieved on thinner metals with plasma, with minimal or no metal distortion.
Does plasma cutter need gas?
Gas is needed for a plasma cutter in order for it to work and create the plasma. As mentioned, the most popular gases to use are oxygen, nitrogen or argon. Nitrogen is the best choice when it comes to cutting aluminium and stainless steel and it can provide an excellent cut quality.
Do you need a air compressor for a plasma cutter?
But if you do a lot of cutting, or plan to cut thick plate, we recommend using a compressor that is 1.5 to 2 times the plasma system requirement. Beyond choosing the right size air compressor for your plasma cutter, it is critical that you ensure the air that reaches your plasma cutter is high quality air.
Do all plasma cutters require an air compressor?
Plasma cutters need air pressure to cut in a two-stage process. Therefore, all plasma cutters need an air compressor to generate enough air pressure for the task. If you buy a plasma cutter without a built-in source of air, you’ll need a separate air compressor.
How much PSI does a plasma cutter need?
For the majority of the Everlast product line, air pressure required to operate the torches is anywhere between 55 to 70 psi. Low amperage cuts will require less air pressure for more stable operation, sometimes down to 45 psi or so, or the arc will be blown out.
What is needed for plasma cutting?
Plasma cutting requires two basic elements — air and electricity — so the next question to ask is what type of input power is available. Several 30-amp plasma cutters, such as the Spectrum® 375 X-TREME™, operate using 120- or 240-volt power.
Can you plasma cut galvanized steel?
Cutting any metal produces fumes and gases, and breathing them can create health hazards. When cutting coated metals – such as galvanized steel, lead- or cadmium-plated steel – remove the coating from the cutting area if possible.
What are the two types of plasma cutters?
What Are the Different Types of Plasma Cutters Used on CNC Tables? Air Plasma. Air plasma tables are ideal for low-volume manufacturing and are often used on entry level steel fabrication machines. Oxygen Plasma. High-Definition Plasma. CNC Plasma Cutters. The Leader in Automated CNC Plasma Cutting Machines.
What metals Cannot be cut with plasma cutter?
Because the material must be electrically conductive to react to the ionized gas coming from the torch, non-conductive materials cannot be processed with plasma cutting. For instance, plasma cutters cannot cut wood, glass, and plastics, or poorly conductive metals like manganese, lead, tungsten, and tin.
Can you plasma cut aluminum?
Plasma cutting can be performed on any type of conductive metal – mild steel, aluminum and stainless are some examples. Plasma cutting, however, does not rely on oxidation to work, and thus it can cut aluminum, stainless and any other conductive material.
What metal can a plasma cutter cut?
So that means that plasma cutting is only used for materials that are conductive, primarily mild steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. But lots of other metals and alloys are conductive too, such as copper, brass, titanium, monel, inconel, cast iron, etc.
Can you plasma cut brass?
Virtually any metal can be plasma cut including steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, etc. Any thickness from 30 gauge through 1 inch can be cut, depending on the plasma cutter used.
Can a plasma cutter cut concrete?
An experimental investigation of heat propagation in the case of plasma cutting of concrete is reported. For a mean power level of 11.2 kW and a nitrogen gas flow rate of 25 Nl/min, the torch is able to cut a concrete plate of 52 mm in thickness with a speed of 20 mm/min and a whole efficiency of about 30%.
