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What is plasma cutting?

Computer Numerical Control: What are the drawbacks/advantages of choosing water jet cutting over plasma cutting and mechanical cuts?

  • I am interested in a cost/performance comparison of cutting methods.

  • Answer:

    From what I can see there are two succinct differentiators from Water Jet cutting and Plasma. The first is Heat and the second is Cut quality. The Water Jet or Abrasive Water Jet cutting process uses a mixture of Garnet (Sand), Water and Compressed air. Furthermore, this process requires no heat and is the reason that this cutting process is referred to as Cold-Cutting. In addition, this leaves no HAZ or Heat Affected Zone. Conversely, Plasma does use heat in its application. A Plasma cutting process heats an area of the material and it is this is what leaves a HAZ. Also the cut quality is less accurate than Water Jet and mostly requires secondary operations to maintain a smooth finish. This is a contrast for Water Jet as a well serviced machine can give you a superior cut quality over Plasma and sometimes Laser.

Richard Mazurkiewicz at Quora Visit the source

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Water cutting with garnets can cut basically *anything*, which is awesome.  For instance, window manufacturers commonly use water cutting to cut complex shapes out of laminated glass panels.  The surface finish is excellent and the process is very quick.  I've had parts water cut from wood, metal, glass, solid and foam rubber sheet... the possibilities are endless, as long as you don't want to cut diamonds.

Spencer Wright

water jets are awesome but expensive. plasma cnc are 1/10 the cost, but the cut quality is not quite as good, the plasma cutter tips are consumables (although not expensive), you can only cut electrically conductive materials, it is faster, but the kerf drifts over time as the cutting tip wears down. If your plasma cutter goes out, its a $1000 expense to fix it. If your water pump goes out.... your going to have a bad day.

Taj Bennit

Waterjet and plasma are not the only options to consider.  Laser, wire EDM and photochemical machining are also alternatives.  Photo etching is less well known, but offers some distinct advantages in a range of applications.  For a whitepaper that includes a cost study, visit http://www.conardcorp.com

Kathy Stillman

When you decided you have to use water jet cutting machine for your work, you have to consider few points like material type, thickness of material, requirements of speed. In Water jet cutting process, there is no heat affected zone. Water jet cutter can cut virtually any type material, including ceramic, plastic, glass. This technology cuts slower than plasma cutter. Water jet has high entry cost than the plasma cutter.

Nik Mak

Water jet cutting technology principle : high pressure water jet Mixed the garnet with the high speed water jet in hybrid tube, then shoot out at the speed of 305M/S to the material needed to be processed. This is actually the grinding cutting. The power is generated by the action and water.As far as I can see, it depends on the material you need to cut. The water jet cutting is used in glass, marble,stainless steel etc. Usually water jet cutting is choosing garnet as the material, because of the  fast cutting speed, lower cost and health harzard.

Sandy Zhang

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