Increase Your Efficiency: Plasma Cutting vs Oxy-Fuel Gas Cutting
For generations, oxy-fuel gas torches have been the go to product for cutting metal in workshops. But as technology advances, a cooler, faster, and more versatile contender has emerged: plasma cutting. Whilst oxy-fuel gas torches still holds a place, for a vast majority of metalworking tasks, but Plasma cutting offers a clear set of advantages that can transform your workflow, and increase productivity.
In this blog, we’ll talk through the advantages of plasma cutting and discuss the reasons why plasma cutting is the superior choice for modern-day metalworking.
A Brief History of Plasma Cutting
To understand the advantages of plasma cutting, it’s important to know what it is and how it is made. Plasma is an ionized gas that conducts electricity, this is created by adding energy to an electrically neutral gas. The energy is electricity, and the gas is typically compressed air. Both elements are combined within a chamber between an electrode and nozzle which consequently create plasma gas.
The more energy added via the plasma cutter, the hotter the plasma arc becomes, providing greater cutting capacity and efficiency.
Although plasma cutting is now well established in the metalworking sector, the process described above was only invented in the mid-1950s.
What is Oxy-Fuel Cutting?
Oxy-Fuel gas cutting, is a process that uses a high-temperature (oxygen/fuel gas) gas flame that heats the steel to its ignition temperature. A high-powered oxygen jet is then directed at the metal, creating a chemical reaction between the oxygen and the metal to form iron oxide, also known as slag. The high-powered oxygen jet removes the slag creating the cut
Cut Through a Wider Range of Metals
One of the most significant limitations of oxy-fuel gas cutting is its primary focus on ferrous metals like mild steel. If you work with stainless steel, aluminium, copper, brass, or any other electrically conductive metal, plasma is your winner and go to product.
More Precise Cuts, Less Cleanup
Plasma cutting produces a significantly narrower kerf that helps to produce far less molten metal residue. This results in cleaner, and more precise cuts that often require minimal after work, saving you valuable time and effort on tidying up jagged edges or removing excess slag.
Time is Money and Plasma Cutting Delivers in Spades
Particularly on thinner gauge metals, plasma torches can achieve cutting speeds that are much faster than oxy/fuel gas processes’. This increases efficiency that translates to faster project completion, cost saving (time) and higher productivity in your workshop.
Instant Ignition, No Preheat Required
Unlike with oxy-fuel gas cutting, plasma cutting offers instant action. Preheating your metal to the right temperature before you can even begin cutting is not required with Plasma cutting. All that’s needed is to pull the trigger and you're ready to cut.
Safer Working Environment, A Less Hazardous Operation
Working with highly flammable gases such as acetylene or propane naturally carries much greater risks. Plasma cutting can help eliminate a lot of these risks, relying primarily on electricity and compressed air. The localised heat and the immediate extinguishing of the arc when the torch is removed will also contribute to a safer working environment.
Easier Working
While both methods require practice and experience, plasma cutting is generally considered easier to grasp than oxy-fuel gas cutting. Regulating and maintaining the correct flame with an oxy-fuel gas torch requires a certain amount of knowledge and expertise. Plasma cutting offers a more basic process, allowing lesser experienced operators to achieve good results relatively quickly.
Lower Long-Term Running Costs
While the initial investment in a plasma cutter may initially look to be higher, long-term operating costs are very much lower when compared with oxy/fuel gas cutting. You can eliminate the recurring expense of having to purchase oxygen and fuel gases through rented cylinder schemes. You are also no longer required to handle the gas cylinders which is always a safety concern and the Plasma cutting system does not require an annual CP 7gas inspection which requires some components to be replaced every five years. Plasma cutting primarily relys on electricity and compressed air, which can be more cost-effective in the long term.
Summary
While oxy/ fuel gas still serves its purpose and may be preferred for use on thicker steel and situations demanding portability without electricity, plasma cutting has firmly become the superior choice for a wide range of metalworking cutting applications.
The speed, precision, versatility, safety, and ease of use make it a valued tool for those in the Steel fabrication and Sheetmetal industries’
If you’re considering switching to plasma cutting, and would like to find out more, then why not get in touch with our experienced sales team on 03452 60 30 50 or email us at sales.mfs@dipt.co.uk to have a no-obligation consultation? It might just be the upgrade your workspace has been waiting for.
