Plasma is considered the fourth stage of matter because it happens when high heat is applied to a gas. The first stages of matter include ice, water and steam (gas); when you continue to heat the steam it turns into plasma. Plasma is used to cut metals that need a very high heat.

To do plasma cutting the welder must have a plasma torch and it is often used through a machine. Usually a plasma cutter is used when steel and other metals have to be cut. Within the plasma torch an inert gas is blown out of the nozzle at a very high speed. As this continues it forms an electrical arc that travels through the nozzle to the surface of the steel that the welder is cutting which turns the gas into plasma.

Because plasma is very hot it can easily cut through metal and because of the way the process works it blows any melted metal away from the cut. This makes it very convenient for the welder because they do not have to clear away metal the way they would in other types of welding.

There are two types of plasma cutting:

HF Contact — in some machines to cut overall cost you will find this kind of plasma cutter process. It uses a high voltage spark at a high frequency to ionize air. The process moves through the torch head and then when the torch comes in contact with the material it create an arc. This type of machine is limited and it will not cut any CNC application.

Pilot Arc–this type of plasma cutting uses two cycles that produce plasma for cutting. The body of the torch produces a high voltage, low current circuit that starts a high intensity spark. This generates a small pouch of plasma gas that is referred to as a pilot arc. The head of the torch has an electrical path return built in. With these two mechanisms the pilot arc is held back until it hits the metal to be cut. As the plasma and the metal come together the main plasma arc is ignited and the cutting is done.

New technology has created a plasma torch with a smaller nozzle which makes the plasma arc thinner. This gives the plasma the ability to make a cut that is comparable to a laser.

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Tags: plasma, plasma cutter, Plasma Cutters, plasma cutting, plasma torch, Welders