Plasma Cutting

Thick plate.
Fast cutting.
Cost effective.

Q: Plasma vs laser — when to choose?

Thin material ( 20 mm): plasma is faster, much cheaper. Very thick (> 25 mm steel): plasma is the right answer — laser can't practically cut this thick. For sheet metal enclosure fabrication: laser. For structural steel: plasma.

CNC plasma cutting for thick steel and aluminum plate up to 50 mm. Faster and cheaper than laser for heavy plate work. Standard for structural steel components, industrial fabrication, heavy equipment, shipbuilding hardware.

Plasma Cutting Quote Sheet metal process

Up to 50 mm ±0.5 mm Steel + Al + SS < $2/linear m

01 · What it is

How Plasma Cutting works.

Plasma cutting uses a high-temperature ionized gas (plasma) jet to melt and blow away metal from a conductive workpiece. An electrical arc passes through compressed gas (air, nitrogen, or argon) inside a constricted nozzle, creating plasma at 20,000–30,000 °C that cuts through metal like a hot knife through butter.

CNC plasma combines the plasma torch with computer-controlled XY motion, enabling precise cutting of complex 2D profiles from thick plate. Modern high-definition plasma systems achieve ±0.5 mm precision — approaching laser cut quality at a fraction of the cost.

Primary advantages over laser: much thicker material capability (50 mm+ steel vs 20 mm laser limit), lower equipment cost, faster on heavy plate, accepts rusty or painted material. Primary disadvantages: wider kerf, larger heat-affected zone, rougher edge finish. Use plasma for structural steel and heavy plate; use laser for thin sheet and precision work.

02 · Specifications

Capability specs.

50 mm

Max steel thickness

High-definition plasma cuts carbon steel up to 50 mm. Stainless up to 40 mm. Aluminum up to 35 mm.

±0.5 mm

Precision (HD plasma)

High-definition plasma achieves ±0.5 mm typical. Standard plasma: ±1.0 mm. Not as precise as laser

1 mm

Kerf width

Typical plasma kerf. Wider than laser (0.2 mm) but narrower than waterjet (1.5 mm)

Ra 12 µm

Surface finish

Cut edge is rough with some dross. Requires deburring for downstream assembly

3–5 mm

HAZ width

Heat-affected zone visible near cut. May require grinding if that area is functional

$1–3

Per linear meter

Cost per linear meter of cut — much cheaper than laser or waterjet for thick material

Any conductive

Material compatibility

Steel, stainless, aluminum, copper, brass — any electrically conductive metal

Fast

Cutting speed

10,000 mm/min on thin steel, 500 mm/min on 50 mm steel — faster than waterjet on thick

03 · Applications

Where Plasma Cutting excels.

Structural steel

I-beams, channels, plate for structural frames — typical steel fab shop work

Heavy equipment

Construction equipment plate components — bucket walls, mining wear plates, agricultural

Shipbuilding hardware

Ship hull plate, structural plates, bulkheads — thick steel marine construction

Pressure vessel plates

Plate for pressure vessel walls, storage tanks — cut and then welded

Industrial fabrication

Welded frames, weldments for industrial machinery — cost-effective plate work

Trailer & truck

Flatbed trailer frames, dump truck beds, heavy-duty vehicle structural

Equipment brackets

Heavy equipment mounting brackets, structural gussets

Pre-rough cuts

Roughing cuts before final CNC machining — save machining time on large parts

Steel artwork

Decorative steel art, architectural steel features — cost-effective thick-plate cutting

04 · When not to use it

Not suitable for:

Every process has its limits. Being honest about where Plasma Cutting isn\'t the right answer saves time and money.

Thin sheet metal below 2 mm — laser is cleaner and more precise
Precision parts with tolerances tighter than ±0.5 mm
Non-conductive materials (stone, glass, composites) — use waterjet
Applications requiring smooth clean edges without secondary processing
Small parts (below 50 mm) where kerf width is significant relative to feature size
Parts with heat-sensitive hardening that would be affected by HAZ

FAQ

Plasma Cutting questions.

Thin material (< 8 mm): laser is faster, cleaner, more precise. Medium material (8–20 mm): laser and plasma compete, laser usually wins on quality. Thick material (> 20 mm): plasma is faster, much cheaper. Very thick (> 25 mm steel): plasma is the right answer — laser can't practically cut this thick. For sheet metal enclosure fabrication: laser. For structural steel: plasma.

Both cut thick material. Plasma: faster, cheaper, heat-affected zone. Waterjet: slower, more expensive, no heat, can cut any material. For thick steel where HAZ doesn't matter: plasma wins. For thick material where HAZ is problematic (aerospace aluminum, heat-sensitive alloys): waterjet is the safer choice.

Plasma leaves some dross (melted metal beads) on the exit side of cut. High-definition plasma minimizes dross. For welded applications, minimal cleanup needed — welding fills the HAZ. For painted or coated applications, light grinding removes dross. For exposed finished edges, post-grinding or oxide removal typically required.

Yes — plasma is tolerant of surface conditions. Can cut rusty steel, painted steel, galvanized steel (though galvanize creates zinc fumes requiring ventilation). This tolerance is a practical advantage for field repair and recycled material work. Laser requires clean surfaces; plasma doesn't.

Standard plasma table: 2000 × 6000 mm. Large-format: up to 3000 × 12000 mm. This makes plasma ideal for shipbuilding and structural work where material size is large. Laser tables typically smaller (2000 × 4000 mm max), limiting laser's reach on structural work.

Plasma cutting: 3–7 business days typical. For cut-only orders (no additional processing): 2–3 days. Welded assemblies starting from plasma-cut plates: 7–14 days. Powder coating or painting adds 3–5 days. For structural and industrial work, plasma is a fast process — plate material and welding typically drive lead time, not the cutting step.