www.thefabricator.com: Can using plasma to cut your tube and pipe be a better option for your operation than a saw or laser? Quite possibly, but using plasma cutting technology well means knowing what the guardrails are and the latest measures being taken to mitigate one of plasma’s inherent trouble spots.
3 comments:
This article made an interesting point about using a tool that had the right degree of precision for the job being done. This feels like an important point to bring up in theatre where the precision of any given piece of scenery is somewhat larger than something like a space shuttle. There are definitely times when precision is important, but sometimes it's probably okay to go with a cheaper option if it means saving money, much like a plasma cutter for cutting pipes is. I also find it interesting that this plasma pipe cutter is able to correct for kerf despite where the cutter is cutting and the thickness of the walls and such. I do wonder what their cad software looks like if they claim it's as easy as jotting something down on a napkin. I also wonder if this plasma pipe cutter can be used for cutting other things, or if it's specifically for pipes and nothing else.
I was just in Carpentry class today learning about bits. The theme throughout each of the tools we looked at was that, in theatre, we are expected to create set pieces from every discipline. We could be required to run tubing to run water to a sink, build an heirloom cabinet, or make intricate metal machinery. Because of this, we need a lot of different tools, “stolen” from a lot of different industries. One google search told me that plasma cutting is used in the aircraft industry, the automobile industry, in construction, and in the business of locks! It definitely seems useful in the arts as well. The article mentioned that the plasma cutter software can accept different softwares on the customer’s side, which is also great for us! Its also great that you can design on the software screen for quick cutting scenarios.
It was interesting to read about the drawbacks of cutting tubes. I can’t say I’m always in the shop cutting tubing, so I’m not familiar with the issues. I have been learning about deburring tools, and understand that can be annoying. I’m sure that could be a reason to use plasma. But, as the article admits, cutting with plasma sprays “dross” on the ID of the tube.
Plasma cutting is not something I have experience with, but it looks like a lot of fun. I will also say, it was really interesting to learn about the disadvantages of plasma cutting. Ben has brought up Plasma cutting before, both in Welding and in Advanced Fabrication, however he never really went into detail about the advantages and disadvantages of the process. I was particularly surprised at the fact that they can only cut material that is up to 1" thick. While that's not really something to scoff at, it is still good to know where the limitation lies. I am also intrigued by the dross that is created when plasma cutting, and how the coolant mitigates its effects. I would also be curious to see the process in person, as there seems to be a lot of coolant flowing through the pipe in the photo on the article. I am curious to know if I could look at the plasma cutter with the naked eye, or if I would need some kind of protection like a welding mask. I'm pretty sure I would, but do not know for sure.
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