Plasma and Thermal Cutting Glossary
What does "blow-back" mean? What are "lag lines"? The plasma cutting industry is full of unique
words and phrases. Forturnately, our plasma cutting glossary has answers to those questions and more. Read on to learn what they mean. Who knows, you may just shock your friends with your new found knowledge.
| AC: An electrical current that reverses its direction at regular intervals, such as 60 cycles alternating current (AC), or 60 hertz. Angularity: The measurement of the plasma cut angle. Auto-voltage™ circuit: Input sensing that allows the system to run on a variety of voltages with no rewiring. Blow-back: Patented technology provides a pilot arc Boost Conditioner™ circuit: Hypertherm technology that compensates for input voltage variations. CNC: Computer Numeric Control Coaxial-assist ™ jet: Patented jet design boosts cutting speed as much as 20% over conventional designs. Lag lines: Grooves in the cut surface that are the result of the plasma arc. Dross: Molten material which solidifies on the bottom or the top of the plate. Dual-threshold™ pilot circuit: Hypertherm technology that significantly reduces nozzle wear by increasing the pilot current precisely when needed. ETR™ (Easy Torch Removal): A unique connector design that provides easy switching between hand and machine torches. | FineCut™: A line of Hypertherm consumables that deliver significant improvements in cut quality on thin-plate metals by providing a narrower kerf width, reduction in dross and virtually no heat-affected zone. G3 Series™ : A family of Hypertherm systems (Powermax1000, 1250, 1650) with advanced technologies in both power supply and torch that cut faster and more economically than any system available today. Heat-affected zone: The area of the metal, around the cut, that has been discolored by the plasma arc. HyLife® Electrodes: that last longer than ordinary designs by using the same patented technologies developed for advanced Hypertherm mechanized systems. Kerf: The width of a cut made by the plasma arc. Plasma: The “fourth state of matter.” The addition of sufficient heat energy causes the gas to be ionized. This ionized gas with its current-carrying properties is the fundamental basis on which plasma systems operate. Plasma cutting: Process in which electrically conductive gas is harnessed and controlled. A torch holds consumable parts, which constrict and control the ionized gas stream or plasma arc for cutting most common metals. |