During World War II, in an effort to improve the joining of aircraft materials, a method of welding was developed that used a barrier of inert gas around an electric arc to protect the weld from oxidation. This new welding method became known as plasma-arc.

Over the next few decades, this new technology underwent refinements, including the restriction of the opening through which the inert gas passed so as to greatly increase the heat produced. It was discovered that the smaller opening dramatically sped up the flow of gas and blew out a channel in the material affected, which resulted in a safer and simpler process for cutting iron and other metals.

Limited commercial use of the expensive plasma-arc cutting technology in the early 1960s eventually gave way to popularity as the units became more compact and affordable even for small businesses. Today, many manufacturers sell portable plasma cutters with built-in air compressors that can be carried easily on a truck to the job site.