Plasma torch: how it works
A plasma cutter, also known as a torch or plasma torch, consisting of several elements, the quality of which will determine the level of product performance. This includes:
- nozzle;
- electrode (cathode);
- protective cap;
- nozzle;
- cable-hose.
Plus there is a cutter head, a roller fence and a handle.
Important! The nozzle parameters determine the size of the cut and the speed at which the treated area is cooled.
Video
Watch the video where the structure and operation of the burner are popularly explained:
Where to buy plasmatrons?
We deliver consumables for plasma cutting throughout Russia
. In the Krasnodar Territory, Rostov Region and the Republic of Crimea by courier in your own car. Delivery time in the Krasnodar Territory is the next day after placing the order; our car goes to the Rostov region and the Republic of Crimea once a week.
To other regions, the order is delivered using the transport companies SDEK and Business Lines, delivery time to the delivery points of the transport companies in the cities of the European part of Russia is 2 - 3 days after payment. Approximate delivery times for the Urals can be clarified when placing an order or by calling our toll-free number 8 800 50-50-021
.
Pickup is possible from retail stores in the cities of Krasnodar, Simferopol ,
Rostov-on-Don, Tuapse and Sochi.
What types of torches are there for plasma welding?
There are two main types of products:
- A plasma-water welding gun with a discharge chamber and a special steam-generating device connected together.
- A cutter consisting of a handle, head, mouthpiece and valves through which water, hydrogen, etc. is supplied. It has a more elongated shape.
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Torch for manual plasma welding
For manual plasma welding, a gun-shaped device is usually used, which is convenient to hold in your hands. What are its differences from the automatic type of product:
- possible to work in hard-to-reach places;
- the protective nozzle of the burner is insulated, which increases convenience and safety - there is no short circuit of the plasma torch to the product;
- more voluminous compared to automatic analogues.
Operating principle of the burner
The operation of a plasma welding and cutting apparatus (plasma cutter) is based on the use of plasma, the fourth state of matter, as a cutting or welding tool.
To obtain it, high temperature and gas under high pressure are required. When an electric arc is created between the anode and cathode of the burner, a temperature of several thousand degrees is maintained in it.
Plasma formation
If you pass a gas stream through an arc under such conditions, it will ionize, expand in volume several hundred times and heat up to a temperature of 20-30 thousand °C, turning into plasma. High temperature almost instantly melts any metal.
Unlike a cumulative projectile, the process of plasma formation in a plasmatron is adjustable.
The anode and cathode in a plasma cutter are located at a distance of several millimeters from each other. The oscillator generates a pulsed current of high magnitude and frequency, passes it between the anode and the cathode, which leads to the occurrence of an electric arc.
After this, gas is passed through the arc, which is ionized. Since everything happens in a closed chamber with one exit hole, the resulting plasma rushes out at tremendous speed.
At the output of the plasma cutter torch, it reaches a temperature of 30,000 ° and melts any metal. Before starting work, a ground wire is connected to the workpiece using a powerful clamp.
When the plasma reaches the workpiece, an electric current begins to flow through the mass cable and the plasma reaches maximum power. The current reaches 200-250 A. The anode-cathode circuit is broken using a relay.
cutting
When the main arc of the plasma cutter disappears, this circuit turns on again, preventing the plasma from disappearing.
Plasma plays the role of an electrode in electric arc welding; it conducts current and, due to its properties, creates an area of high temperature in the area of contact with the metal. The contact area between the plasma jet and the metal is small, the temperature is high, heating occurs very quickly, so there is virtually no stress or deformation of the workpiece.
The cut is smooth, thin and does not require further processing. Under the pressure of compressed air, which is used as a plasma working fluid, the liquid metal is blown out and a high-quality cut is obtained.
When using inert gases with a plasma cutter, you can carry out high-quality welding without the harmful effects of hydrogen.
Do-it-yourself plasma torch: is it really possible to make it?
If you have the necessary skills, anyone who needs a plasma torch can make it with their own hands. But the main feature is that almost all materials will need to be purchased from factory manufacturers. These are the handle, nozzle and supply elements.
Interesting: Installations for plasma welding, their functions and purpose
The result will be the usual assembly of a plasmatron from ready-made parts. However, even such a device, assembled with your own hands, will be much cheaper than a finished device. With the seller's markup and the assembly fee included in the price of the product, you will need to spend many times more money.
We recommend that you read the material about making a burner with your own hands on our website.
Attention! The nozzle wears out the fastest, so it is highly undesirable to do it yourself.
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Universal welding machine
Laser equipment is very expensive, and a plasma cutter is also not cheap. Plasma cutting and welding of thin metal has excellent characteristics that are unattainable when using electric welding. At the same time, the power unit of a plasma cutter and a welding machine for electric arc welding have largely the same characteristics.
There is a desire to save money and, with a little modification, use it for plasma cutting. It turned out that this is possible, and you can find many ways to convert welding machines, including inverter ones, into plasma cutters.
A plasma cutting machine is the same welding inverter with an oscillator and a plasma torch, a work cable with a clamp and an external or internal compressor. Often the compressor is used externally and is not included in the package.
If the owner of a welding inverter also has a compressor, then you can get a homemade plasma cutter by purchasing a plasma torch and making an oscillator. The result is a universal welding machine.
Burner Gorynych
Photo from the manufacturer's website as-pp.ru/gorynych
This element of the welding device of the same name is a gun connected to the power supply with a connecting cord with a connector. Its design includes:
- nozzle;
- start button;
- battery;
- neck for refilling working fluid;
- evaporator;
- rotary handle;
- moisture-absorbing rings.
The burner body is made of metal and contains a battery inside. The latter is made of high quality stainless steel. Inside there is a material that absorbs moisture - quartz dispersion fibers. The product itself is housed in a strong plastic case.
The following features speak in favor of this device:
- The material does not deform during processing and therefore does not shrink as much as with other conventional welding devices.
- High quality of the seam and creation of an oxide film at the work site.
Design of a plasma cutter and recommendations for its manufacture
The first thing that needs to be done before manufacturing a plasma torch is to select the appropriate electrode for it. The most common materials used to make electrodes for plasma cutting are beryllium, thorium, zirconium and hafnium. When heated, refractory oxide films are formed on the surface of these materials, which prevent the active destruction of the electrodes.
Replacement nozzles for plasmatron
Some of the above materials, when heated, can emit compounds hazardous to human health, which should be taken into account when choosing the type of electrode. Thus, when beryllium is used, radioactive oxides are formed, and thorium vapors, when combined with oxygen, form dangerous toxic substances. The completely safe material from which electrodes for plasmatrons are made is hafnium.
The nozzle is responsible for the formation of the plasma jet, thanks to which cutting is performed. Its manufacture should be given serious attention, since the quality of the work flow depends on the characteristics of this element.
Plasma torch nozzle structure
The most optimal is a nozzle with a diameter of 30 mm. The accuracy and quality of the cut depends on the length of this element. However, you should also not make the nozzle too long, since this contributes to its destruction too quickly.
As mentioned above, the design of a plasma cutter necessarily includes a compressor that forms and supplies an air flow to the nozzle. The latter is necessary not only for the formation of a jet of high-temperature plasma, but also for cooling the elements of the apparatus. The use of compressed air as a working and cooling medium, as well as an inverter that generates an operating current of 200 A, allows you to effectively cut metal parts whose thickness does not exceed 50 mm.
Choosing gas for plasma cutting of metal
In order to prepare the plasma cutting machine for operation, it is necessary to connect the plasma torch with an inverter and an air compressor. To solve this problem, a cable-hose package is used, which is used as follows.
- The cable through which electric current will be supplied connects the inverter and the plasma cutter electrode.
- A hose for supplying compressed air connects the compressor outlet and the plasmatron, in which a plasma jet will be formed from the incoming air flow.
Payment methods for plasma cutter torches:
- Cash payment upon receipt of goods - this method of payment is possible only in the Krasnodar Territory, Stavropol Territory, Rostov Region and the Republic of Crimea when delivered by our vehicle, or in case of pickup from a retail store when paying at the checkout. You can also pay for goods with a bank card at the store's checkout.
- By Visa or MasterCard
bank card online when placing an order without any additional fees. - Cashless payment on an account (the invoice can be printed in your personal account or from a letter that will be sent to your email after placing an order) at the cash desk of any bank. The bill can be paid through any online bank.
