Plasma cutting is a thermal subtractive manufacturing process in which a metallic workpiece is severed by a directed jet of high-temperature ionized gas – plasma.
Plasma cutting is a thermal subtractive manufacturing process in which a metallic workpiece is severed by a directed jet of high-temperature ionized gas – plasma. Plasma is defined as the fourth state of matter, where a gas is partially or fully ionized, consisting of free electrons, positively charged ions, and neutral atoms.
The physical principle of the process relies on passing an electric current through a highly constricted gas medium. The sequence of operation is as follows:
The kinematics of CNC plasma cutting systems are governed by a Cartesian coordinate coordinate system according to ISO 841. Standard industrial systems feature a gantry layout moving along two primary linear axes ( and ), complemented by a vertical -axis for torch positioning.
Axes and Motion Configurations:
In plasma arc cutting, the "tool" refers to the aligned stack of consumables secured within the torch body. Because there is no mechanical contact with the material, the cutting geometry is determined by the aerodynamics of the gas vortex and the electrical constriction of the arc.
| Category | Subtractive Manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Library | CNC machining |
Engineer, author of The Big Book of 3D Printing and additive manufacturing expert