What is ARC Voltage Control and how does it work?
All plasma systems use an arc to heat the gas to a plasma condition. This arc goes from the cutting head to the metal being cut. The material must be conductive so plasma only works on metals however almost any metal including stainless steel, brass, copper, aluminum etc can be cut successfully with a plasma system. As a result, the plasma operates at a given current (amperage). Most systems allow setting the amperage for the material thickness being cut. As the head gets closer to the material, the voltage drops. As it moves away it goes up. Using this principle, an electronic system can watch this voltage and compare it to a known set voltage. The system then makes corresponding adjustments to maintain a close relationship or match between set voltage and cutting voltage.
