The automotive top 10
Here it is. The top ten reasons every automotive professional or hobbyist needs a plasma cutting system in their garage.
1. Plasma can cut just about any metal and is especially well suited for cutting the thicknesses auto professionals and hobbyists encounter most from gauge up to an inch thick. This includes carbon steel, aluminum, stainless steel, and cast iron—even if it’s rusted, painted, or dirty.
2. Plasma is great for gouging. This is especially useful for removing welds crushed during collisions, for example, without disturbing the original parts.
3. Hypertherm plasma systems can cut rusted or expanded metal. This makes it easy to get rid of rusted metal panels, rivet heads, rusted on bolt heads and welded brackets.
4. You can drag-cut and use templates. Operators can drag the tip of the torch directly along the work piece and use pre-cut templates, like a metal ruler or template to create a straight line, or a circle cutting guide to create holes—all without damaging your consumables.
5. Plasma produces a much smaller heat affected zone than oxyfuel so you don’t have to worry about warping, disturbing, or weakening nearby metal.
6. Hypertherm plasma systems work on CNC tables. Most systems are easily added onto a small CNC cutting table, turning your handheld system into a mechanized system.
7. Hypertherm’s plasma systems use standard shop air, not flammable gas, so you don’t have to worry about renting and storing gas cylinders.
8. Plasma is fast. Fast cut speeds, superior cut quality, little or no secondary cleanup operations, and no pre-heating help you do more in less time.
9. Plasma is a much safer option in the shop. It produces smaller and finer sparks which help prevent fires and damage to other nearby components.
10. Plasma is easy. Even a first-time plasma operator can achieve good quality results within minutes of first picking up a plasma torch. You simply plug in the machine in, connect your air, attached your ground clamp, pull the trigger and go.
What do you think? Are we missing anything?