Metal Misconceptions: Aluminum and Plasma Cutting

In any discussion about how to cut metal, plasma cutting is right up there with laser cutting and waterjet cutting. Plasma gets a bad rap, however, when the discussion turns to cutting aluminum. There are five preconceptions that many fabricators have about turning to plasma to cut aluminum. But according to industry experts, new plasma cutting systems produce good results on aluminum.

Misconception No. 1 – Aluminum is not a good candidate to be plasma-cut because the material can't stand up to the flame; for example, porosity is evident on the cut edge.

This is an issue of gas selection, said Bob Fernicola, business manager, plasma cutting, for ESAB Welding & Cutting Products, of Florence, SC. Cutting aluminum with air produces a rough edge coated with aluminum oxide. Different gases (usually an argon/hydrogen mix) make more sense for aluminum. "With the proper selection of gases, you can get a very nice edge on aluminum with plasma," Fernicola adds.

Aaron Brandt, engineering manager for Hypertherm's Mechanized Systems Division in Hanover, NH agrees. "In terms of issues of porosity, [fabricators can] cut aluminum with many different gas combinations," Brandt says. "For very thin material, people will often use air/air, and certainly they'll want to look at their edge for welding concerns, but [they also can cut] with fuel gases, which avoid oxidation. And in those cases, you get weld-ready edges."

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Editor's Note: This article appeared originally on thefabricator.com, a Web publication of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl. (FMA).