More welding shops are turning to innovative cutting technologies such as plasma to improve productivity.

Plasma cutting is faster than most other cutting methods and can produce a higher quality cut. Its speed reduces the time needed to cut metals, and the quality cut that it provides can eliminate secondary operations that often are required after the cut when other processes are used.

Plasma cutting has evolved over the years to become the cutting method of choice for a variety of applications. Today's plasma systems are portable and are more high-powered than ever before.

Peter Twarog, an engineer with Hypertherm (www.hypertherm.com), said his company uses a two-pronged approach to develop its plasma technology advancements.

“The drivers of Hypertherm's plasma technology development are internal and external. Internally, we get input from engineers and technologists who specialize in plasma cutting processes, equipment and methods.

“Externally, through our Voice-of-the-Customer program, we make a concerted effort to find out what our customers want by sending teams of engineers and marketing professionals into the field to talk with them,” Twarog said.

Plasma is, for the most part, Hypertherm's sole focus, Twarog said.

The company's program to listen to its customers leads to many of its innovations and to next-generation technologies, Twarog said. The innovations are developed to overcome challenges its customers face in plasma cutting.

As an example, Twarog cited the development of the company's T30v torch that was a response to customer requests for equipment that could be used to access hard-to-reach areas. The solution was to make the torch for its Powermax30 more tapered so that it would reach into narrow spots and enable quality cutting.

Plasma cutting can cut 3/8-in.-thick steel at a rate of 75 ipm, nearly twice as fast as oxyfuel cutting, according to Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. (www.millerwelds.com).

As an example of the technology's speed, Miller cites an example on its website of Patrick Brinkerhoff, director of ride engineering for the Stratosphere Casino in Las Vegas. Brinkerhoff conducted his own cutting speed test prior to demolishing the High Roller rollercoaster on top of the Stratosphere Tower and found that a cut that took three minutes 10 seconds with the plasma cutter took nearly eight minutes with an oxyfuel torch.

Developments in plasma cutting are being driven by the increasing number of applications that the technology is being used for.

“There are more applications than you can dream of,” Twarog said, noting that plasma cutting is being used by metal artists, auto body and farm workers and to produce heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems.

“We design equipment that meets a variety of needs for a broad range of applications, and often, more applications are discovered when a new development is put into the market,” Twarog said.

For example, the company's FineCut consumables were developed in response to feedback from customers in a wide range of industries who pointed out a clear and consistent need for cleaner cuts on thin gauge sheets of mild and stainless steels. Standard cutting torches were not getting the job done at the time. Hypertherm introduced its FineCut line to address that issue and has seen the applications for that line grow.

Hypertherm has developed mechanized systems for applications on cutting tables, and has seen that business increase.

Separately, the development of portable and versatile manual plasma units also led to strong growth. New units are designed to be light weight and to be able to cut a wide range of materials under a variety of situations.

Portability is in demand, Twarog said, but it is based on technological developments.

Hypertherm's new PowerMax 30 weighs only 20 lb., whereas its predecessor was 50 lb. “Through innovation of components and architecture of the power supply, we've cut the weight by more than half,” Twarog said.