See brand/model comparison chart at bottom of page.
So you want to purchase a plasma cutter! It's kind of a
bewildering prospect to select a piece of equipment that is new to you with so many
manufacturers and models to choose from.
Let 's approach the problem logically. To start with, there are a number of
questions that you must answer for yourself, before you can go any further:
How many hours a day do you plan to use your plasma
cutter? In other words, what kind of duty cycle must it have?
What kind of electrical service do you have where you intend to use the machine. Is
it 50 amp 220 volt single phase, or perhaps 30 amp 110 volt single phase. What other
equipment will be running simultaneously on the same circuit?
What kind of portability must your plasma cutter have? Will you be using it
exclusively in your shop, or will you need to take it to the job? Do you have a
means of supplying the machine with compressed air in remote locations? How will you
do that, with a portable compressor or an air bottle? How will you supply electric
current at the site?
What kind of material do you plan to cut, and how thick is it likely to be?
Will you be doing manual cutting exclusively, or is there a possibility that you may want
to use your plasma cutter with a CNC cutting machine?
What are your budget limitations? |
Generally speaking, the higher the amperage output of
the plasma cutter, the greater the duty cycle is at lesser amperages. In other
words, if you plan to use the machine around the clock, you should consider a larger unit
than you would need to cut the material you will be working.
If you will be using your machine frequently, but not continuously, consider a unit that
is capable of cutting the thickest material you are likely to work. Most
manufacturers provide duty cycle information in their literature.
Many people make the mistake of thinking that the greater the capacity of the machine, the
better it is. In general, fabricators consider oxy-fuel to be superior to plasma for
cutting steel when thicknesses exceed about 1/2 inch. This is because of the slight
bevel (4 to 6 degrees) in the cut face that plasma produces. It is not noticeable in
thinner materials, but becomes more so as thicknesses increase. Also, at thicknesses
above 1/2 inch, plasma has no cutting speed advantage over oxy-fuel.
There is little point in buying a plasma cutter that will cut 1 1/2" plate, if you
are going to use acetylene for such work anyway. Unless you are planning to cut
non-ferrous metals such as stainless or aluminum, which cannot be cut by oxy-fuel,
consider sticking with a 50 to 80 amp. 220 volt plasma cutter.
If you plan to use your plasma cutter outside the shop occasionally, you should consider
one of the new breed of semi-portable machines. These units are little powerhouses
that weigh less than 100 lbs., yet are capable of cutting 3/4" to 1" in a pinch.
You will need a bottle of air or a compressor, and a hefty portable generator.
If you plan to purchase a Torchmate CNC system, you must select a
plasma cutter that does not use a high-frequency starting circuit. A high-frequency
start acts like a spark plug in a car. Rather than using a relatively lower voltage
pilot arc to initiate the plasma process, it uses a high voltage spark. This causes
electrical interference such as locking up the computer, destroying files, etc.
Like most other things in life, you get what you pay for. Imported plasma cutters
can be found on the market for $800 or less. However, that is money that could be
put toward a modern inverter type unit costing more initially, but less over time when the
cost of replacement parts and consumables is factored in.
The following chart is based upon information published by the manufacturers
in their literature. Final confirmation of the data presented here should be made
before making a purchase. Where blanks occur, we were unable to determine
the missing information from the literature we reviewed.
It should be noted that the capacities presented below are for manual cutting.
As a rule of thumb, the piercing capacity is reduced approximately 50% in machine
cutting due to the inability to tilt the torch head. Starting at a drilled hole or
an edge
generally provides the same capacity as in manual cutting.
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