WHAT MAKES A HIGH-PRECISION CUT?
What does “high precision” plasma mean? As the science of plasma evolves, the definition changes; what was “precision” decades ago wouldn’t be called the same today. But quality and speed do offer some objective benchmarks. Quality in plasma cutting entails several aspects. For one, a system should create cuts that are as square as possible, with a minimal bevel angle. What creates this bevel angle is, in part, how the plasma forming gas swirls around the arc. When cutting, a user can see one side that has a very slight bevel angle, 0 to 2 degrees, while the other side has a higher angle. This means that, when precision-cutting, the operator must note the cut direction to ensure the quality cut ends up on the part edge; most nesting programs account for this. The kerf represents another cut-quality aspect. The top and bottom of the kerf face should be very well-defined, a sharp edge without any rounding nor dross, and a smooth face. A “well-defined” arc describes, primarily, the diamet
