AUSTRALIA’S CNC PLASMA CUTTER SPECIALISTS

Plasma will cut any electrically-conductive materials, including steel, stainless-steel, aluminium and most metals. CNC plasma tables are used for a wide range of metalfab applications where versatility is critical, such as fabrication shops, manufacturing, automotive repair and restoration, training centres, and more.

In short, a plasma table is the main component in a CNC plasma system used for cutting shapes from flat sheets of steel or metal. To perform this task, a plasma table must be coupled with other machinery. The main components of a CNC plasma table system and their functions are as follows;

1. Table: Supports the sheet/plate metal and can include additional features such as water beds
2. Gantry: Part of the table, holds & moves the torch. Gantry position is controlled by the computer/software along it’s X-axis (across the table) and Y-axis (along the table)
3. Plasma Torch: Is attached to the gantry & does the actual cutting. Compressed air is forced through the torch nozzle and an electric arc is introduced to heat the metal and create ionized gas or plasma which then pierces the metal
4. Plasma Cutting Machine or power source: Powers the torch
5. Air Compressor / Air Supply: Feeds into the plasma cutter and torch
6. Computer System: normally a PC/computer, screen and associated accessories, this hosts the operating software
7. Software: Used to design the parts to be cut (CAD), Create & process cutting files (CAM), and operate the table (CNC). CAD drawings can also be imported from other computers / systems / files.

CNC Plasma tables are used in metal fabrication and manufacturing industries for cutting components from flat metal sheet or plate, including steel, stainless-steel, aluminium & other metals.

This depends on a few factors. First the design of the table; XT Series plasma tables are accurate to within 0.2mm, thanks to the direct rack & pinion drive mechanism. Next is the accuracy of the plasma arc, which will vary depending on the quality and condition of the plasma system, torch and consumable parts. We recommend allowing between 0.5-1.0mm for plasma arc deviation, noting that worn consumables and poor air quality will result in higher deviation. One of the reasons we use Hypertherm plasma machines is because they offer unmatched performance, accuracy and parts durability.

Great question! Each system has their place. For general metalfab applications with materials of up between 1mm & 30mm thickness, CNC Plasma offers the best combination of affordability, fast cutting (productivity), low running costs and versatility. For more information on this topic, visit our blog Plasma vs Waterjet vs Laser vs Oxy | How Economical is CNC Plasma?