Melting Metal With Precision: The Benefits of Plasma Cutting

Madden Fabrication
Aug 27
5 min read

Updated: Aug 29

If you are working with metal, you know how important it is to get clean, accurate cuts without wasting time or material.

That’s where plasma cutting comes in — a faster, safer, and more precise solution than other cutting methods.

Let’s explore more about plasma cutting, including its benefits and the factors that can affect the process. With this information in hand, you can choose the most appropriate tool for your next metal fabrication project.

What Is Plasma Cutting?
8 Benefits of Plasma Cutting
What Are the Disadvantages of Using Plasma To Cut Metal?
Factors Affecting Plasma Cutting Quality
Madden Fabrication: Serving Your Plasma Cutting Needs in Portland, OR

What Is Plasma Cutting?

Plasma cutting is a process that uses a plasma torch to cut metal. Plasma gas is blown at high speeds while an electrical arc melts the metal. Simultaneously, compressed air is blown to remove the molten metal.

Plasma cutting allows you to cut:

Steel
Stainless steel
Aluminum

Madden Fabrication’s plasma cutter can make your project come to life.

To learn more about our plasma cutting capabilities, please contact us by completing our online form or calling us at (503) 226-3968. We can answer any questions and provide you with an easy quote. We are confident we can support any project you may have, due to our variety of tools that can customize your metal fabrication project.

Alternatives to Plasma Cutting

While plasma cutting can be an excellent option for cutting metal, other alternatives can be used, including:

Fiber lasers are fast, strong, and effective, but are often more expensive
Waterjet cutting is highly accurate and excellent for thicker plates
Oxyfuel cutting is cost-effective, versatile, and provides precision for thicker meta

8 Benefits of Plasma Cutting

There are many reasons why plasma cutting may be preferred for cutting metals. Let’s explore the benefits of plasma cutting and how it can benefit you, depending on your industry.

#1: Versatility

Plasma cutting is a versatile process that works well with a wide range of materials, allowing for various types of cuts. Some popular metals that are used with plasma cutting are:

Aluminum
Copper
Titanium
Steel
Iron
Alloys

Many industries can use a plasma cutter, including:

Construction
Locksmiths
Artists
Metal workers

#2: Ease of Use

Plasma cutters are portable, making them easy to move to the job, and are preferred by many industries. They also have a simple setup, straightforward operations, and require minimal training.

Because of these simple features, plasma cutters can be a dependable and safe solution for cutting metals.

#3: Speed and Efficiency

The speed and ease of use of a plasma cutter are far superior to those of other cutting products. Some benefits that help make plasma cutters highly efficient are:

No prep needed
No warm-up time needed
Its ability to automate cutting
Increased throughput
Precision

#4: Precision

Another benefit of plasma cutting is that it offers high cutting accuracy, excellent repeatability, and enables the creation of more intricate designs.

Precision enables cleaner, more accurate designs while also minimizing excess material waste.

#5: Safety

Plasma cutting is considered very safe in the world of metal cutting due to its distinct differences from traditional cutting methods.

The plasma cutter features:

A lower heat output
No open flame
Numerous safety measures

#6: Ability To Cut Different Thicknesses

Plasma cutting can cut metals up to 1/2 inch in thickness, making it a versatile option for working on a variety of projects. Industries that benefit from plasma cutting due to their need for thicker metals include:

Aerospace
Construction
Shipbuilding
Mining
Energy
Defense
And more

#7: Energy-Efficiency

Plasma cutters have several energy-efficient benefits, including:

Faster cutting speeds mean less energy per cut
Minimal preheating
Efficient material usage that results in less scrap metal
Direct use of electrical energy, since electricity is converted directly into a plasma arc

#8: Cost-Effectiveness

Plasma cutting equipment is less expensive and requires minimal maintenance, making it an excellent choice for cutting applications. Compared to laser cutting, plasma cutting is approximately one-sixteenth of the price, which is a helpful option for those with a tight budget.

In addition to being faster, it generates less waste and results in fewer on-the-job injuries, leading to reduced downtime.

What Are the Disadvantages of Using Plasma To Cut Metal?

While nothing is ever 100% perfect, plasma cutting is a reliable metal cutting source preferred by most in the metal cutting industry.

While preferred, it does have some disadvantages, such as:

Short-term and long-term consequences of the fumes
Bright, damaging lights that are produced while cutting

Larger Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) compared to other methods of cutting

Factors Affecting Plasma Cutting Quality

With plasma cutting, there are a few disadvantages, but these are inherent to the nature of the plasma cutting process. Let’s explore some of the factors that can impact plasma cutting quality.

Dross/Spatter

After the metal has been cut, the re-solidified metal creates a dross. The type of dross produced depends on whether it was made at high speed or low speed.

A high-speed dross is light and located at the top of the material edge, which can be challenging to remove and may require grinding.

A low-speed dross is thick and bubbly at the bottom edge of the material, but it is easily removable.

In addition to creating dross, a plasma cutter can also create splatter. Splatter results when molten material is ejected and lands on the piece of metal during the cutting process. Splatter is relatively easy to remove once it is cooled.

Bevel

A bevel is when a bottom (positive) edge is protruding or a top (negative) edge is protruding. To avoid bevels, ensure that the parameters are accurate and there are no problems with the plasma cutting system itself.

Kerf Width

During the cutting process, the gap of material that is removed is called a kerf. To minimize the kerf, it is essential to use a lower amperage (milliamperes or amps).

Lag Lines

Lag lines are small vertical ridges that appear on the cut line on the metal. Lag lines can vary depending on the use of air plasma, oxygen, nitrogen, or a mixture of argon/hydrogen. If the speed is too fast, an “s” lag line may appear.

Madden Fabrication: Serving Your Plasma Cutting Needs in Portland, OR

For over 30 years, Madden Fabrication has been supporting the Portland community's metal fabrication needs. We are here to partner with you on your upcoming metal fabrication project, offering cost-effective and efficient plasma cutting services.

If your project is more complex, consider exploring all our services to see how we can better support your project. We work in a variety of industries, including:

Commercial contractors
Historical restoration
OEM
Oil and gas
Power plants
Renewable energy
Agricultural industry
Waste treatment
Food processing
Hospitality
Chemical plants