In the world of industrial cutting the landscape has changed considerably in recent years. From the pioneering days of oxy-acetylene through the futuristic new dawn of lasers to the plasma revolution, it has been onwards and upwards and the result for the engineering and machining industry in general has been excellent: improved speed, greater precision and the ability to tackle more complex jobs not just in practical engineering but moving into the art world.
That says a lot about how technology has developed, but it leaves those in the engineering field wondering which iteration to go for. In addition to CNC plasma cutters, which use computers to handle the fine details where once we relied purely on manual skills, there are now high-definition plasma cutters offering still more sophistication.
But if these are the answer to the most demanding of projects, does everyone need one, bearing in mind that they are more expensive than a standard CNC plasma cutter?
What High Definition Means Technically
The term high definition has moved into the field of industrial cutting from other areas such as television and computer screens, where it is all about the user experience. Working on something on a laptop or watching a movie on a high-definition TV screen is part of the relentless quest to get closer to reality, but in truth it is not a matter of sheer practicality. Nor is it about getting a job done faster or more accurately without the need to go back over it, making refinements, but in engineering that can be exactly what it involves.
And yes, perfection is, by definition, ideal, but in many cases, functionality is the aim and anything better is almost a luxury, which must be offset against the cost of the equipment.
A Hypertherm XPR plasma system is an automated, high-definition system giving superior cut quality at impressive speeds. An entry level plasma cutter operated manually can give superb results when judged against the requirements of the particular application. In other words, it can be all you need.
In such instances it is not actually necessary to agonise over matters such as arc constriction, swirl ring design, shielded consumables, gas control, and why systems like XPR behave differently from entry-level plasma. If your less expensive machine is doing a great job so that you and your customers are happy, then surely the job is done.
It can be difficult to quantify the difference in cut angle and dross formation between standard and HD systems, and if it’s that hard to tell, surely you must be doing something right.
Balancing Quality of Work Against Price
Are you concerned with less grinding, faster assembly, better hole quality, reduced rework, the impact on labour cost per tonne processed and if the job you can do with a standard CNC plasma cutter is noticeably inferior in those terms to what you and your customer want and expect? Then you’re going to want to pay the extra cost of getting a high-definition machine.
Or if you are happy with a manual machine or a standard CNC cutter and you have found your niche locally or nationally, then value for money may well be one of your important selling points.
Insist on Evidence as Well as Assurances
When discussing the high-definition models available, it is important to ask for concrete proof of what they can do. You may even want to insist on a demonstration by Plazmax along with guaranteed figures detailing cut accuracy and precision of movement in complex shapes.