Plasma Cutting Stainless Steel Sheet

When a plasma process engineered for cutting 304l is applied to another similar austenitic alloy for example 316l dross and a rough cut edge can result.

Plasma cutting stainless steel sheet.

It is suitable for conventional welding applications. With an edge start plasma can cut up to about 160mm. Then set the correct current for your cutter. First and foremost you will have to prepare your plasma cutter.

304l an austenitic stainless steel is the most commonly used grade worldwide. Precision plasma can pierce and cut stainless steel up to around 40mm and high amperage plasma systems can pierce and cut stainless steel up to around 100mm. The thickness of the resolidified layer generally is in the 10 to 30 m range less than 0 001 inch. Fabricators can process stainless steel with clean cut surfaces by using nitrogen or a blend of oxygen and nitrogen as a plasma gas.

The next consideration for successful stainless steel cutting with plasma is material type. However the precision of the cut is less than that of laser cuts. Plasma arc cutting of austenitic stainless steel alloys produces a haz characterized by a thin layer of resolidified metal adhered to the cut edge. The plasma cutter is best used for cutting through thick sheets of stainless steel.

Make sure to connect the cutter to an air compressor and switch on the air. Little or no solid state phase transformation is observed in the microstructure. Plasma cutting is ideal for larger thicknesses of stainless steel.