PLASMA ARC MACHINING

(PAM)

1
 WORKING PRINCIPLE
• A gas molecule at room temperature consists of
two or more atoms. When such a gas is heated to a
high temperature of the order of 2000°C or so, the
molecules separate out as atoms.

• If the temperature is raised to 3000°C, the

electrons from some of the atoms dissociate and
the gas becomes ionized consisting of ions and
electrons. This state of gas is known as plasma.

2
Plasma Generation

3
4
• Thus, plasma is the glowing, ionized gas that results
from heating of a material to extremely high
temperature.

• It is composed of free electrons dissociated from the

main gas atoms.

• A gas in plasma state becomes electrically

conductive as well as responsive to magnetism.
Because of such behavior, plasma is also known as
a fourth state of matter.

5
• The temperature of plasma can be of the
order of 33,000°C.

• When such a high temperature source reacts with

work material, the work material melts out and
may even vaporize, and finally is cut into pieces.

• Many materials (say, aluminium, stainless steel,

etc) have high thermal conductivity, large heat
capacity, and/or good oxidation resistance. As a
result, such materials cannot be cut by
conventional techniques like oxy-fuel cutting.

• But these materials can be easily cut by plasma

arc cutting (PAC).
6
 PLASMA ARC CUTTING SYSTEM
• PAC system uses DC power source. PAC systems
operate either on non-transferred arc mode or
transferred arc mode (Fig. 9.1).

• In non-transferred arc mode, the thermal

efficiency is low (65-75%) and power is
transferred between the electrode and the nozzle.
This non-transferred arc ionizes a high velocity
gas that is streaming towards the work piece.

• The work piece may be electrically conductive or

non-conductive.

7
TRANSFERRED Fig. 9.1 NON- TRANSFERRED

8
• Fig. 9.1 Schematic diagram for non-transferred
and transferred arcs.

• In case of a transferred arc mode, the arc is

maintained between the electrode (negative
polarity) and the electrically conductive work
piece (positive polarity).

• Note that only electrically conductive work piece

can be machined or cut by transferred arc system.
The arc heats a co-axial flowing gas and maintains
it in a plasma state.

9
• The electro thermal efficiency is up to 85-90%.
PAC system can deliver up to 1000 A at about 200
V (DC).
• The flowing gas pressure may be up to 1.4 MPa
resulting in a plasma velocity of several hundred
metres/second. Higher the gas flow rate, more will
be momentum of the plasma jet.

• It will ease out removal of the molten material

from the machining zone.

• The plasma jet is constricted by the flowing gas

which acts as a cooling agent sandwiched between
the nozzle wall and the plasma jet.

10
• In case of PAC, the material may be removed
either by melting, or by melting and vaporization
both.

• In either case, the material (in molten state or

vaporized state) is blown off from the machining
zone by high velocity plasma jet.

11
 ELEMENTS OF PLASMA ARC CUTTING
SYSTEM
The important elements of a PAC system are
• Plasma torch.
• Power supply,
• Gas supply,
• Cooling water system,
• Control console

12
 Plasma torch

There are many torch designs which are practically

used, for example

 air plasma

 oxygen injected

 dual gas

 water injected plasma torch.

13
 Air plasma torch
 Air plasma torch uses compressed air as the gas that ionizes
and does cutting.

 The air to be used should be uncontaminated.

 The nozzle of this torch may result in prematured failure

because of double arcing i.e, arcing between the electrode
and the nozzle, and between the nozzle and the work piece.

 Zirconium or hafnium are used as electrode material

because of their higher resistance to oxidation.
14
 Coolant (Water)

Carrier Gas (Air)

Cathode
Sealing Cap

Nozzle

Standoff Height
Workpiece

15
 Oxygen injected
• To avoid oxidation of electrode (or to enhance the life of the
electrode), oxygen injected torch (Fig. 9.3) uses nitrogen as the
plasma gas.

• Oxygen is injected downstream of the electrode. However, it

lowers down the nozzle life. This torch gives high MRR and
poor squareness of the cut edges. It is commonly used for mild
steel plate cutting.

• The presence of oxygen in the air helps in increasing MRR in

case of oxidizable materials like steel.
16
Schematic diagram of oxygen-injected torch construction.

17
 Dual gas system
It uses one gas (nitrogen) as the plasma gas while another gas as
the shielding gas (02, C02, argon-hydrogen, etc). Secondary or
shielding gas is chosen according to the material to be cut.
Secondary gas system helps in maintaining sharp corners on the
top side of the cut edges.

18
Constructional details of dual gas plasma torch

19
 water injected torch
water (pressure =1.2 MPa) is injected (radially or swirling vertically)
to constrict the plasma. A small quantity (about 10%) of water
vaporizes. This thin layer of steam constricts the plasma and also
insulates the nozzle. Nitrogen at about 1 MPa is used as the plasma.

• To avoid double arcing, the lower part of the nozzle is made of

ceramic.

• Water constriction helps in reducing smoke, enhancing nozzle life,

reducing HAZ, and limiting formation of oxides on the cut edges of
the workpiece.
20
• Water muffler (a device that produces a covering of water
around the plasma torch and extends down to the work
surface) helps in reducing smoke and noise.

• Water mixed with a dye also absorbs part of the ultraviolet

rays produced in PAC.

• In some cases, a water table is also used to reduce the level of

noise and extent of sparks. Water below the workpiece
quenches sparks and damps sound level.

• Underwater PAC systems are also available which effectively

reduce the noise and smoke levels.
21
(-)o-

Constructional details of water-injected plasma torch

22
 Mechanism of metal removal
 Heating of workpiece is as a result of anode heating, due to
the electron bombardment plus convection heating from
high temp plasma that accompanies the arc.

 Approx 45% of electrical power delivered to torch is used

to remove metal from workpiece.

 Arc heat is concentrated on a localized area of w.p and it

raised it to its melting pt.

23
 PAM Parameters
• 1. Design of DC plasma torches:

• 2 Physical Configuration

• 3. Work Environment

24
 Process Characteristics
• Cutting rates : 250-1700mm/min

• Accuracy on width of slot and diameter of holes is

ordinarily from

+_ 0.8mm on 6-30 mm thick plates and

+ _3.0 mm on 100-150mm thick plate.

• Depth of HAZ depends on work material, its thickness and

cutting speed.
25
 1. Gas for Plasma generation
 Gas that does not attack tungsten electrodes or workpiece
can be used as plasma gas.

 For cutting Carbon and alloy steels- a mixture of N and H

with compressed air.

 For cutting stainless steel, aluminium and other non-ferrous

metals- mixtures of argon-hydrogen or N-H are used.

 Typical gas flow rates are 2 to 10 m3/hr.

26
 2. Cutting Rates
 250-1700 mm/min. which depends on thickness of metal
being cut.

 Sometimes water is injected into the jet which helps in

confining the arc, in blasting away the scale and smoke
reduction.

 Water injected plasma can increase cutting rate by 40–50%

 A 5mm thick carbon steel plate can be cut at 6000mm/min.

27
• 3. Surface finish and accuracy:
 It gives better accuracy than oxy- acetylene gas cutting. Cut
edges are round, with corner radius of about 4mm. There is
also problem of taper (about 2-5 degree).

 cut width is around 2.5 to 8mm.

 Accuracy + _ 0.8mm on 5 to 30mm plates

+_ 3.0mm on 100 to 150mm thick plates.

28
 Advantages of PAM

1. Plasma Arc Cutting produces a high

quality, dust free cutting.
2. Straight as well as curved shapes can
be cut easily.
3. The corrosion resistance of the
stainless steel is not effected when it
is cut with plasma arc.
4. The plasma arc cutting is the fastest
of all cutting processes.
29
 Disadvantages of PAM

1. It needs more electrical equipments;

hence chances of electrical hazards
are more.
2. The plasma arc produce a high noise.
The use of ear plugs or ear muffs to
protect the operator is essential.
3. The initial cost of process equipments
are very high.

30
 Safety Precautions
• Machine the heat affected zone
(0.75-5 mm).
• Regulate gas pressure (approx. 1-
1.4 MPa).
• Maintain constant distance between
torch and work piece.
• High labor safety (i.e. goggles,
gloves, etc…).
• Proper training for operators.
• Protection against glare, spatter and
noise from the plasma.

31
 Gases Used
 Primary Gases:
Gases that are used to create the plasma arc.
Examples are nitrogen, argon, hydrogen,
hydrogen, or mixture of them

 Secondary Gases or Water:

Surrounds the electric arc to aid in confining it
and removing the molten material.

32
 System Components
 Torch
 Power Supply
 Arc Starting Circuit

www.twi.co.uk/j32k/servlet/ getFile/jk51.html

33
 System Components
A. The Torch:
 The torch is the
holder of the
consumable electrode
and nozzle.
 Responsible for
forming the arc and
maintain it in a vortex.
Groover 626

34
 System Components
B. Power Supply:
 Constant DC current
source.
 Speed and cut
thickness are
determine by the
amount of output
current.

35
 System Components
C. Arc Starting Circuit:
 High frequency
generator circuit that
produces a high AC
Current.
 To start the arc, the AC
current ionizes the
cutting gas, which
makes it conductive to
allow the DC current to
flow through it.
36
 Advantages - Disadvantages
• Cuts any metal. • Large heat affected
zone.
• 5 to 10 times faster
• Rough Surfaces
than oxy-fuel.
• Difficult to produce
• 150 mm thickness sharp corners.
ability. • Smoke and noise.
• Easy to automate. • Burr often results.

37
 Applications
• Pipe industry –
preparing pipe
edges for welding.

• industries for shape

cutting Cpam.engr.wesc.edu

38
 Other Plasma Uses
• Plasma Arc Welding (PAW)- plasma arc is
produced and aimed at the weld area to weld.

• Applications- Used for butt and lap joints

because of higher energy concentrations and
better arc stability.

39