A CNC plasma cutter is a computer numerically controlled (CNC) machine that cuts through electrically conductive materials (such as steel, aluminium, brass and copper) by using a jet of hot plasma directed at the material to cut through it.
In general terms, it's a machine that carries a plasma torch in a path directed by a computer.
Not all CNC plasma cutters are the same, however. There are 3 main configurations of these machines, including 2D/2 axis, 3D/3+ axis and lastly, tube and section CNC plasma cutters. The first in this list is the most common, which produces flat profiles and cut edges are at 90-degrees to the material's surface. These machine configurations can generally cut metal plates up to 150mm thick.
3D/3+ axis CNC plasma cutters are ideal for flat profiles but can also rotate on a third axis, allowing the machine to cut edges at angles other than 90 degrees. Therefore these are ideal for cutting a profile that is going to be part of a welded fabrication.
The last in the list is the tube and section plasma cutter, which is used to process tube, pipe or other long sections of material. While the cutting head is usually stationary, in some configurations the cutting head can tilt and rotate to allow for more angles to be cut.
When it comes to CNC plasma cutters it's important to note the maximum plate size you need, the maximum plate thickness, how many sheets you need to cut, how much workspace you have to accommodate the machine, and what tooling you need to get the job. All these things will impact the type of CNC plasma cutter that will suit your projects now and in the future.
Another important aspect of the CNC plasma cutter is the software. Many of these machines have built-in programming capabilities, however you will still need to know (or hire someone who does know) how to create and edit the CAD files for the CNC to import.
As always, if you're not sure which CNC plasma cutter is the right one for your needs, speak to your local dealer.
