People who are working with different materials can easily get used to the operation of plasma cutters. However, modern cutting tools can not only perform the traditional metal cutting. With their help, you can whittle, mark, or remove welds and much more. To get the maximum of your cutting device — follow the tips given below.

The Functionality

Today, the cutters became more portable, versatile tools that not only cut metal but also made precision gouging and marking tasks. Additionally, the latest systems set records for removing welds, labeling, making holes for drilling. These tools have become assistants:

• they can be used to make works of art;
• they have become an indispensable tool in production;
• they know how to prepare for welding, clean the seam and remove it.

Workers can do all these processes with only one cutter — manual or CNC machine, a cutting robot or automated one.

For such tasks, special machines are no longer needed, therefore operators from various industries, from shipbuilding and metallurgy to modern artists and car dealership owners, are allowed to work with cutting machines. The best items you can easily find at these plasma cutter reviews.

Ultra-Precise Surface Cutting

The new generation of tools is equipped with special consumables — they give the plasma arc involved in various tasks the desired shape and size. The power supply provides a stable output current of a wide range.

An automatic gas flow controller optimizes plasma flow and pressure for various operations. The new design of consumables increased the reliability and stability of the arc, improved control over the height of the arc during cutting. Besides, the parameters became better when stretching the arc.

A modern power supply provides a stable output current in a wide range; this is achieved through the use of higher inverter switching frequencies. When working with thick metals, the current output mechanism “narrows” the ion flow to eliminate fluctuations affecting the quality of cutting. In the opposite case, using current with a low force (from 10 to 25 A), for marking and precision gouging, the power source will require a faster current response to maintain a stable arc. A stable output current with low electrical currents is very important for the accuracy of these complex operations.

Spot Weld Removal

Some might think that removing a spot weld is a simple task for a portable cutting system, says jons guide. This is only true if you do not care about saving the base metal. However, for those who still need to preserve the material, to separate the damaged parts from those not touched is not an easy task (especially if you need to do this quickly and cheaply).

To separate the panel from the main structure, the operator needs to remove dozens of small seams. Before the appearance of improved surface plasma cutters, workers relied on special drills and nails, grinders, belt grinders, a chisel, and a hammer.

Using ultra-precise cutters, the operator can use it with a special nozzle, on which the current strength ranges from 10 to 25 A. Thanks to this, as well as the so-called “flushing technique”, it is possible to very carefully remove metal around a seam.

By removing a point seam with gouging, the probability of cutting a hole in the base metal increases to some extent. To avoid this, the operator places the end of the torch at an angle of 40 – 450 to the metal. At this angle, the heat from the cutter does not harm the base material.

After that, the operator begins to move the cutter, using low current values ​​for the plasma arc. Then, after the arc hits the metal, the worker lifts the cutter, stretching the arc to about 1.27 cm above the working area. He makes an L-shaped notch around half of the spot weld, making sure that he removes only the top layer of metal. After that, the operator repeats it with the opposite part of the seam and connects the two L-shaped recesses together. Then the removed seams are washed off with water.

Have you already tried this method? If yes — tell us about the results in comments.