Comparison of advantages and disadvantages of CNC flame and plasma cutting

Metal cutting is a necessary process for most metal processing. For example, in sheet metal processing, we need to cut the steel plate into the rough shape we need, and then finish it into the required parts. CNC flame/plasma cutting uses a digital motion control system to realize motion by writing a processing program in the system or transferring processing files or graphics, combined with a stepper or servo motor driver, and driving the stepper or servo motor to control the machining axis of the machine tool to achieve movement. It can realize the processing technology of flame/plasma cutting, and cut the required metal shape by combustible gas or plasma arc.

CNC flame cutting

CNC flame cutting is a cutting method in which CNC machine tools use gas with oxygen or gasoline with oxygen to cut metal materials.

  advantage:

1. It can cut very thick carbon steel, its cutting range is very wide, and it can cut 6mm-200mm thick steel plate;

2. The price of flame cutting machine is relatively low, and the initial investment cost is also low.

  shortcoming:

1. The preheating and perforation time required for cutting is long, and the cutting speed is slow;

2. The thermal deformation during cutting is large, especially when cutting (0.5-6mm) thin plates, the cutting accuracy is not high.

3. Non-ferrous metals such as copper, aluminum and stainless steel cannot be cut.

4. The way of burning fuel has serious environmental pollution and is not environmentally friendly.

CNC flame cutting of thin plates (0.5-6mm) has been gradually replaced by plasma cutting in the cutting field, but in terms of cutting thick and medium plates, CNC flame cutting is still irreplaceable, and flame cutting is still in thin plate cutting due to its price advantage. occupy a certain market share.

CNC plasma cutting:

CNC plasma arc cutting is a processing method in which CNC machine tools use the heat of high-temperature plasma arc to partially melt (and evaporate) the metal part at the incision of the workpiece, and use the momentum of high-speed plasma to remove the molten metal to form an incision.

  advantage:

1. The cutting area is wide and can cut all metal plates;

2. The cutting speed is fast and the efficiency is high, and the cutting speed can reach more than 10m/min;

3. The cutting precision is higher than that of flame cutting, underwater cutting has no deformation, and fine plasma cutting has higher precision.

  shortcoming:

1. It is difficult to cut steel plates above 20mm, requiring a high-power plasma power supply, and the cost is high.

2. When cutting thick plates, the incision is V-shaped.

Plasma cutting under water can eliminate the noise, dust, harmful gas and arc pollution caused by cutting, and effectively improve the working environment. The use of fine plasma cutting has made the cutting quality close to the level of laser cutting. At present, with the maturity of high-power plasma cutting technology, the cutting thickness has exceeded 150mm, which has broadened the cutting range of CNC plasma cutting machines.