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Tube Plasma Cutting

Tube plasma cutting is a profile cutting process that uses advanced technology and hot plasma to effectively and efficiently cut through a material. When a plasma torch expels a stream of high-speed gas like nitrogen, argon, or oxygen from its nozzle, a high-voltage electrical arc ionizes the gas flowing through a confined electrode. The gas transfers energy from the electrode to the tube workpiece’s surface, with some of the gas changing to plasma. The heat of the plasma melts through the metal in the precise location the operator wishes to cut, and the high-velocity gas blows away the melted material.

As part of our custom manufacturing and fabrication capabilities, E Tube and Wire utilizes plasma cutters backed by CNC press brakes to provide precision forming and high-quality tube, wire, and sheet metal products. Read on to learn more about plasma cutting for tubes and how our turnkey services can support your business.

Tube Plasma Cutting Applications

Plasma cutting is ideal for tube processing. It works well for large or long parts and as a secondary operation on a pre-cut component. Plasma cutters have applications across diverse industries, with uses in the following:

  • Metal fabrication shops
  • Manufacturing facilities
  • Construction sites
  • Salvage and scrap yards
  • Automotive shops
  • Signage shops
  • Designer, artist, and sculptor studios

Tube Plasma Cutting Capabilities

The capabilities of plasma cutters make them highly advantageous for tubes, regardless of their application. Well-suited to small- and large-scale use by everyone from hobbyists to industry workers, plasma is capable of rapidly cutting:

  • A range of materials. This technique can cut through steel, copper, brass, titanium, and other electrically conductive metals and non-ferrous alloys. It can also cut aluminum and stainless steel, but their low melting points and torch reflection make them better materials for other cutting processes.
  • Thick or thin metals in various shapes. Able to cut materials that are as much as 6″ thick, plasma cutting can also handle thin materials with reduced risk of distortion. The process is ideal for shaped metal products like tubes and works on round, square, and other tube shapes.
  • High-quality, precision cuts. Plasma cutters are capable of cutting both quickly and accurately. Plasma torches are safer than saws when cutting metal, and they cut evenly around a tube’s circumference.

Plasma cutting is a versatile technique. Even at high speeds, plasma cutters are capable of cutting anything from simple and complex profiles to bevel edges, holes, piercings, and other markings in tubes and related products. Its torches are lightweight, portable, and easy to use, making them simple to transport from the shop to a job site for manual tasks. Also, users can incorporate automation into plasma cutting operations, enhancing efficiency, speed, output, and repeatable accuracy. Operators have the option of rotating a tube around a stationary cutting head or utilizing 3D plasma cutting with a rotating head. The process costs less than other alternatives like water jet and laser cutting because of low operating expenditures.

Tube Plasma Cutters From E Tube and Wire

Tube plasma cutters provide a fast, accurate cut at an affordable price, and the team at E Tube and Wire can help with your tubing needs. Since 1978, we’ve become a one-stop shop for CNC bent wire and tube products and more. Our 86,000-sqft. facility located in Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania, is capable of handling high-volume production with ease through plasma cutting stations and incorporated automation.

E Tube and Wire offers a range of comprehensive services, including CNC precision machining, mandrel tube bending, and wire forming, as well as laser cutting, custom metal fabrication, and equipment design. Contact us for more information on our capabilities or request a free quote today.