Plasma Cutters

Typically used to cut steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper and other conductive metals, a plasma cutter blows compressed oxygen, air, inert or other gases (depending on the metal being cut) through a focused nozzle at high speed toward the metal, forming an electrical arc within the gas between an electrode near the gas nozzle and the metal itself. This electrical arc ionizes some of the gas to create an electrically-conductive channel of plasma. As electricity from the cutter torch travels down this plasma, it delivers enough heat to melt through the metal as the high velocity plasma and compressed gas blow the hot molten metal away, separating (cutting through) the metal.