What gases used for Plasma Cutter | Choose the Right one
Cutting metal with plasma is fast and efficient. Every plasma cutter needs gas. When cutting metals such as carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum, it is necessary to use a suitable type of gas for cutting. Each gas has its advantages and disadvantages in a plasma cutter. We'll tell you which Gases used for plasma cutter. Which plasma gas gives the best results for cutting mild steel? Best gas for plasma cutting aluminum, and what gas is best for plasma cutters? Make recommendations for the best one based on your needs. Also, we'll cover how to use gas properly.
Categories of Gases used for plasma cutter
What kind of gas does a plasma cutter use? The following are typical gas types used in plasma-cutting operations when selecting a gas type for your plasma cutter.
• Control Fuel. To effectively use a plasma cutter, it is essential to have an ideal environment. Plasma cutters can abide by specific conditions so that a plasma torch can shoot a plasma jet faster. The control fuel also leads to the plasma head. It also regulates the intensity of the flame, which helps to ensure accuracy and quality during cutting.
• Plasma Cutter Fuel In plasma cutters, you use a mixture of gases to cut metal.The first stage of a plasma cutter involves an ignition, which is a low-level burn. The second stage involves more power, and several different gases are involved in this process.
• Swirl fuel is a liquid used to give fabrics a more fluid appearance. It can be applied when a fabricator is cutting materials. It will help keep them from bending or wrapping into different shapes due to intense heat.
Types and Benefits of Gases
1-Compressed Air
Air is the most flexible plasma gas. Applications involving plasma cutting can use it. It results in good cut quality, speed, and cleanliness on aluminum, mild steel, and stainless steel.
Air is dirty with contaminants like particulate moisture, matter, and oil mist. A sizable dedicated air compressor is the best option to keep an air plasma system operating efficiently.
Reason to Buy
• It is usually cost-effective
• It is also suitable for gouging
Reason to Avoid
• There is a need for a separate air compressor for it
• It leaves a weldable cut area that's oxidized
• When oxidation and nitriding occur on the cut surface, porosity in the weld can occur. To combat this, use high-quality weld wire that contains denitrifies and deoxidizers.
2-Oxygen
Oxygen is the fastest gas for plasma cutting. With it, You can cut mild steel clean and quickly. It is not suggested for stainless steel. It has the remarkable ability to cut mild steel. For industrial usage, it gives the best and cleanest cut. In Short, if you are looking at that, which plasma gas gives the best results for cutting mild steel? Then the answer is Oxygen.
Reason to Buy
• Fastest cutting speed
• It's best to cut mild steel
Reason to Avoid
• Oxygen gas is expensive
• The lifespan of the consumable parts is shorter. However, top-quality oxygen plasma torches use inert gases with oxygen plasma, like nitrogen, to get the same results.
3-Nitrogen
Nitrogen plasma has been a known gas for decades. It's excellent for aluminum and stainless steel cutting. Furthermore, it's great for cutting a lot of material at once. It is the best gas for plasma-cutting aluminum. The consumable life and cut quality are both worthwhile. But you need to use an argon-hydrogen mixture if you want to cut thicker material than ½" in thickness. With CO2 as a secondary gas, you can cut metals up to 20 times faster than air alone, and your parts will last longer.
Reason to Buy
• Excellent cut quality
• Enduring parts of life
Reason to Avoid
• Nitrogen gas is expensive.
• Using CO2 costs way more than air and means using multiple gas cylinders to deliver sufficient flow that suffices that kind of need.
4-Argon Hydrogen
Why is Argon the plasma of choice for cutting thick stainless steel and aluminum? Because it is hot.
The Argon is usually used to cut stainless steel and aluminum up to .5" thick. In addition to cutting copper, gold, and platinum, it's also great for cutting other metals. It is a gas of choice for water injection torches. The disadvantage of this setup is the cost Argon hydrogen is expensive.
Reason to Buy
• Produces the hottest plasma for cutting through materials
• It is suitable for plasma gouging on any material
Reason to Avoid
• Not economical due to the high-cost operation
• There's a chance that dross accumulations will happen at the bottom edge of the material
How To Choose The Right Gas For plasma Cutter
It's necessary to consider these things Plasma Cutting gas selection or combination.
1-which gas is used for metal cutting?
2-What kind of equipment are you using?
3- What are your performance goals?
Which Type of Plasma Cutter Gas is Best for You?
1- Which gas is best for your business depends on three things, quality of cut, productivity, and economy.
2- When looking for clean-cut quality, the lowest dross levels, minimal rework, and excellent weldability. You should use oxygen plasma gas and air shield gas.
3- Nitrogen plasma with air as a secondary source produces the best-cut quality on stainless, aluminum, and carbon steel. Use CO2 as the secondary for a little better and faster cut. If your system allows you to use a water shield, it will provide the best edge quality.
4- It's best for cutting thick stuff cleanly and smoothly. We use argon-hydrogen with nitrogen as a secondary to create an adequate cooling and cutting action. Make sure your system can handle argon hydrogen safely.
5- Clean, dry shop air provides the most economical Gas for Plasma cutter. Ideal for aluminum, mild steel, and stainless.
So what are plasma torch gases, and does a plasma cutter need gas? It's a resounding yes, as you just read.
