Plasma. Waterjet.
Laser. Wire EDM.
Cutting selection.
Different cutting processes for different needs. Plasma fastest for thick steel, laser cleanest for thin, waterjet any material/thickness, wire EDM precision.
Key principles.
Thick steel fast
Plasma 1-50 mm steel. Rough edge, fast. Inexpensive. Standard for structural.
Thin clean
Laser 0.5-25 mm metal. Clean edge, narrow kerf. Standard for sheet metal manufacturing.
Any material
High-pressure water + abrasive. Any material, any thickness. Slow. No heat affected zone.
Precision
Brass wire spark-erodes metal. Precision (±0.005 mm). Slow. Hardened steels OK.
Cavity / blind
Electrode shaped to cavity, sinks into part. For complex internal features in hardened materials.
Heavy steel
Oxygen + fuel cuts thick (50+ mm) steel. Industrial, foundry use.
FAQ
Process selection guidance?
Steel < 6 mm: laser. Steel 6-25 mm: laser or plasma. Steel > 25 mm: plasma or oxy-fuel. Specialty: waterjet or EDM.
Tolerance achievable?
Laser ±0.1 mm. Plasma ±0.5 mm. Waterjet ±0.1 mm. Wire EDM ±0.005 mm.
Heat affected zone?
Plasma significant HAZ. Laser smaller HAZ. Waterjet zero HAZ. EDM small HAZ.
Cost comparison?
Laser typical $50-200/hour. Plasma $30-100/hour. Waterjet $80-200/hour. EDM $80-200/hour.
Material compatibility?
Plasma + laser: conductive metals. Waterjet: anything (metal, plastic, ceramic, composite). EDM: conductive only.
Quality indicators?
Edge perpendicularity, surface roughness, kerf width consistency, dimensional accuracy. Specify per application.
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