Hypertherm plasma

[jimcolt]

In 1974 it would have taken a 400 to 600 amp plasma to cut 3/4" stainless.....today you can do 3/4" stainless with an 85 amp plasma that operates on single phase power and regular shop compressed air.


Jim Colt

First plasma I ever used was around 1974 in a Shell Oil refinery. I was cutting 8-inch dia. circles in 3/4-inch stainless steel plate. For the life of me I can not remember anything about the plasma it's self. I do remember how little effort it took to cut that thick of stainless tho.

 

[tbearnla]

I own a Hypertherm power max 45 and I love it. no regrets at all.:thumbsup:

 

[grsthegreat]

i have a powermax 1000. have had it about 6+ years, and have never had any faults with it.... cept sometimes it does seem to eat consumables.

 

[Shield Arc]

In 1974 it would have taken a 400 to 600 amp plasma to cut 3/4" stainless.....today you can do 3/4" stainless with an 85 amp plasma that operates on single phase power and regular shop compressed air.


Jim Colt

Shell Oil could afford something like that, look at all the money they made off of us the year before! Been so long now hard to remember every detail, seems as the shop foreman warned me not to lay the torch down on the plate like the last guy did, I think he said the torch cost $600.00.

 

[Cooldmax]

I have a hypertherm power max 45 and it's great. I'm just starting to get proficient at using it but it's done everything I've asked it it. I've cut through 1 inch plate steel to make front weights. It was slow going but did the job.

 

[tonylumps]

I own a PowerMax 30. My Torches, Hacksaw. Chopsaw,Portaband,are for the most part collecting dust.Except for a few cutting jobs, The powermax is set up on a cart and is very easy to plug and cut. To bad it will not cut wood. I could sell a lot of saws then.

 

[Ken45101]

I own a PowerMax 30. My Torches, Hacksaw. Chopsaw,Portaband,are for the most part collecting dust.Except for a few cutting jobs, The powermax is set up on a cart and is very easy to plug and cut. To bad it will not cut wood. I could sell a lot of saws then.

I have been debating, wanting something better than the chop saw or the angle grinder for cutting. Can you (or someone else) give a comparison of the different cutting tools and where they fit in and if plasma really takes care of it all? Is it a waste to consider a bandsaw or torches for cutting?

Ken

 

[hodge]

I have been debating, wanting something better than the chop saw or the angle grinder for cutting. Can you (or someone else) give a comparison of the different cutting tools and where they fit in and if plasma really takes care of it all? Is it a waste to consider a bandsaw or torches for cutting?

Ken

While I can't completely answer your question- someone who has worked in a fab shop their whole life is a much more experienced voice than me- I can say this from my experience and applied to my needs- there is no one tool that does it all. It takes a number of tools, each meeting a certain need, to get a complete job done. Perhaps you are repeatedly doing the same process- then, maybe one tool will do what you need, because you aren't changing your parameters. But, in most cases, you have variables that demand different means of working with metal.
I recently bought a plasma cutter, and while I don't regret it (great price, I can always make my money back on it, and it opens other doors), it is not the answer to all of my metal working needs. I cut a lot of rectangular tubing- it will cut it, but not nearly as sweet and clean as a cutoff saw. That is just one example.
So, while I wouldn't say don't get a plasma cutter, don't throw all your other tools away- you will want them back.

 

[deereman75]

I own a PowerMax 30. My Torches, Hacksaw. Chopsaw,Portaband,are for the most part collecting dust.Except for a few cutting jobs, The powermax is set up on a cart and is very easy to plug and cut. To bad it will not cut wood. I could sell a lot of saws then.

I remember hearing if you put some thin sheet, or even foil over wood, the plasma will cut it. Not pratical, but kind of cool. Same thing works with glass.

 

[jimcolt]

Well.....it sort of burns/melts its way through these materials.

Plasma cutters come in a wide variety of process capability, sizes and of course price. Most people talk of portable...hand held air plasma systems....which start at 12 amps output and can cut (realistically) thin gagge metals up to about 1/8"....using 120 volt power and about 3.5 cfm of compressed air (some of these low power units even have a built in compressor. There also are 30 amp air plasma systems ....very popular as they use your shop compressor and either 120 or 240 volt power....and some can cut 1/4" very well....with severance capability to about 1/2". Air plasma systems go up to about 200 amps (large industrial units) for cutting to about 2". Many air plasma systems have torches and electrical interfaces designed for machine cutting.....such as with cnc cutting machines....straight line "track" burners and pipe cutting machines.

Then there are industrial plasma systems that are strictly for high volume, high accuracy metal cutting applications with power levels from 130 amps through 1000 amps......these systems cut with extremely high speed, and high quality....often with up to 4 torches running simultaneously. Look on any compact tractor and you will find plasma cuts on the machine and the implements.

Air plasma systems have come a long way over the years.....early systems were know for poor cut quality, reliability issues as well as having short consumable parts life (nozzles, electrodes that produce the cutting arc)....today's best systems from the major manufacturers (the big three that started the plasma industry are Esab, Thermal Dynamics and Hypertherm) are compact, use very little power and compressed air....cut with very nice quality, have excellent consumable life....and are extremely reliable.

There is some great educational info on the Hypertherm | Plasma Cutters | Plasma Cutting Equipment | Metal Cutting Equipment | CAM Software | Fiber Laser Cutting Equipment site.....it is non commercial and is designed to educate the public about the process and its capability....click on the education tab on the site. Hypertherm has developed a vocational school curriculum package that is endorsed by the AWS (American Welding Society) to help train welders regarding the plasma cutting process....much of that training info is available on the Hypertherm site.

Jim Colt

I remember hearing if you put some thin sheet, or even foil over wood, the plasma will cut it. Not pratical, but kind of cool. Same thing works with glass.