Plasmacutting is a process that cuts through electricallyconductive materials by means of an accelerated jet of hot plasma. Typicalmaterials cut by this process include steel, aluminum, brass and copper thoughother conductive metals may be cut as well. Plasma cutting is often used infabrication and welding shops, automotive repair and restoration, industrialconstruction, salvage and scrapping operations. Due to the high speed,precision cuts, combined with low cost of operation, plasma cutting sees awidespread usage from large scale industrial CNC applications down to smallhobbyist shops.

he basic plasma cutting process involvescreating an electrical channel of superheated, electrically ionized gas i.e.plasma from the plasma cutter itself, through the work piece to be cut, thusforming a completed electric circuit back to the plasma cutter via a groundingclamp. This is accomplished by a compressed gas (oxygen, air, inert and othersdepending on material being cut) which is blown through a focused nozzle at highspeed toward the work piece. An electrical arc is then formed within the gas,between an electrode near or integrated into the gas nozzle and the work pieceitself. The electrical arc ionizes some of the gas, thereby creating anelectrically conductive channel of plasma. As electricity from the cutter torchtravels down this plasma it delivers sufficient heat to melt through the workpiece. At the same time, much of the high velocity plasma and compressed gasblow the hot molten metal away, thereby separating i.e. cutting through thework piece.

Plasma cutting is an effective means ofcutting thin and thick materials alike. Hand-held torches can usually cut up to38mm thick steel plate, and stronger computer-controlled torches can cut steelup to 150 mm thick. Since plasma cutters produce a very hot and very localized"cone" to cut with, they are extremely useful for cutting sheet metalin curved or angled shapes.