What is Plasma?
Plasma is popularly known as the 4th state of matter, the other three being SOLID, LIQUID & GAS. After the gas is heated or external energy is applied to the gas it gets ionized and plasma is formed. In other words, the ionized form of gas is Plasma. Plasma conducts electricity. It’s a very hot substance. Plasma exists in nature as well. The aura around the sun is plasma. The heat we receive on earth is due to plasma. Plasma is generated in a specially designed gun called plasma torch using electrical power for various engineering applications including metal cutting. The process is known as Plasma cutting. Plasma cutting is becoming increasingly popular these days due to its advantage over conventional methods of cutting metals.Plasma can cut all conducting metals such as SS, MS, AL, COPPER, BRASS, INCONEL and MONEL etc.
Plasma Cutting Machine
Plasma Cutting is the process by which all types of conducting materials can be cut. This is an economically commonly used process for steel cutting in the industry today. Plasma arc is generated in a device called Plasma Torch. Compressed air, Argon, Nitrogen , Argon + Hydrogen ( 65%+35%) gas is used as plasma gas based on metals and quality requirements. A pilot arc is generated in the torch which oozes out of the nozzle and is thrown on to the job to be cut. Plasma arc is established between the cathode in the torch and the job which is anode through a constricted hole in the nozzle. Plasma arc temperature is quite high ( in the range of 11000 degree C to 300000 degree C). The metal under cutting melts instantaneously and is thrown down by the kinetic energy of the Plasma arc. Electrical capacity of the power source decides the max. cutting capacity.
Plasma cutting is the most common process used for cutting thick stainless steel, Aluminum, Copper and a host of other alloys of steel. The cut quality is very sharp and most economical even for ferrous materials such as mild steel. Plasma cutting process is fast replacing the commonly used oxy fuel cutting for thicknesses in the range of 0.5mm to 50mm thicknesses.
Plasma is the fourth state of matter, others being solid, liquid and gas. Plasma is an ionized form of gas. Application of external energy such as heat or electricity on gas leads to eviction of electrons from the orbit creating free electrons and ions. This makes the gas conductive. Plasma cutting machines make use of this Plasma for cutting of steel and other metals.