How do I determine cutting speed for a given thickness of metal?
Miller provides a chart that shows the cutting speed of every machine. Miller also qualifies cutting capacity with three standards: rated cut, quality cut and sever cut. “Rated” means you can manually cut mild steel at 10 IPM. With a “quality” cut, you can cut thicker material, but at a slower rate. The edge of the cut is still smooth enough so that cut pieces can be welded together with little, if any, grinding. A “sever” cut rating pushes the machine to its maximum. Cutting speeds will be very slow and the cut requires significant clean-up. Cutting speed varies greatly between brands. Tests on a mechanized cutting table show that the Spectrum 2050 can cut 1/2 in. steel at 38 IPM with an extended tip and at 30 IPM with a drag shield. Some competitive units of the same amperage only cut at 24 or 28 IPM. Q: Can I run a plasma cutter off 115 V primary service? A: Yes – Miller recognizes that many job sites, particularly with HVAC and maintenance, only have 115 V outlets. The Spectrum Thu
