In the modern industrial world, construction is simply impossible to imagine without metalworking, shaping or cutting metal. Metal structures are being built every day, to cover the industry demand millions of parts of various shapes and sizes are produced.
Out of all kinds of metal parts of different shapes and forms, plasma-cutting machines to finish spare parts are in the most demand at the moment. This can be simply explained by the fact that the method is used for processing various types of metals and alloys, cast iron, steel and has an impeccable quality of work performed.
Metal Cutting Equipment Principle of Work
The difference between plasma cutting and any others lies in the fact that instead of the usual cutter a jet of plasma is used, the temperature of which reaches 30,000 degrees. This air-plasma arc also produces a thermal effect on the metal.
Plasma is an ionized gas which, when heated, begins to conduct an electric current. The plasma arc is formed in the plasma torch, in which there is an arc chamber of a cylindrical shape, has an outlet channel.
Through this channel plasma under the influence of pressure in a few atmospheres comes out, and a compressed plasma arc is formed. There is an electrode on the back of the camera. The arc is formed between the electrode and the metal, after which the arc chamber is filled with a gas heated from the arc. It ionizes, increasing its volume by 100 times.
That is why its speed in the area of the nozzle reaches three kilometers per second. For efficiency and speed, this method is used by many metalworking industry specialists.
CNC Plasma Cutting Machines
The method of plasma cutting becomes even more effective and less energy-consuming when using special CNC machines (numerical program control). Do without plasma cutting with CNC is now almost impossible, software control allows you to cut the metal as accurately and quickly. With the help of such machines, doors, machinery for agriculture are made, any metal structures and technological equipment are cut.
Price of CNC Plasma Cutting Machines
Having carefully studied the market, which offers used plasma cutting machines, it can be noted that prices vary greatly. The cheapest and simplest devices cost from 10’000 EUR. Most of the proposed models are in the price range from 20 to 60 thousand EUR.
The most expensive of the presented – have a price over 90’000 EUR. Such prices are explained by the combination of plasma and gas cutting in one machine. These machines are considered the most universal, and an important indicator is the quality and condition of the machine.
Main Manufacturers of Plasma Cutting Machines
Consider the major suppliers of equipment for plasma metal cutting, similarly dividing the manufacturers into groups:
- 1 group. Durma, ESSAB, Messer, Kjellberg – are the most recognized manufacturers and suppliers of plasma cutting machines all over the world. They earned a reputation for more than a century old. The production of these companies is in many countries on several continents. Equipment is in demand with large corporations and organizations resulting in higher end prices.
- 2 group. MicroStep (Slovakia), Vanad (Czech Republic), Echert (Poland), AjanElektronik (Turkey), NT (Turkey), Stako (Netherlands) – similar to the first group of Russian producers. Robust machines, durable and efficient.
- 3 group. Plasma cutting machines from China. As the second group of domestic machine suppliers, they are a simpler and cheaper solution.
Of course, this is not all manufacturers, but the most common and well-known manufacturers are described here. Usually, the more famous the brand, the more qualitative and complex the equipment is, the more expensive is the price.
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