A machine or device used for Plasma Cutting.

To explain how a plasma cutter works, we need to answer the basic question “What is plasma?”. Plasma is the fourth state of matter. We commonly think of matter as having three states:: solid, liquid, and gas. Matter changes from one state to another through the introduction of energy, such as heat. For example, water will change from its being solid (ice) to being liquid when a certain amount of heat is applied. If the heat levels are increased more again, it will change from its liquid state to being a gas (steam). If the heat levels increase again, the gases that make up the steam will become ionized and electrically conductive, becoming plasma. Plasma cutters use this electrically conductive gas to transfer energy from a power supply to any conductive material, resulting in a cleaner, faster cutting process than with oxyfuel.

The plasma arc formation begins when a gas such as oxygen, nitrogen, argon, or even shop air is forced through a small nozzle orifice inside the torch. An electric arc generated from the external power supply is then introduced to this high pressured gas flow, resulting in what is commonly referred to as a “plasma jet”. The plasma jet immediately reaches temperatures up to 22000° Celsius, quickly piercing through the workpiece and blowing away the molten material.

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