Are you in the market for a new plasma steel cutting machine? The right choice will give you clean, accurate cuts and the flexibility to handle more work. However, choosing the wrong machine could slow down production, create costly waste, or limit the types of jobs you can take on.
With so much at stake, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the options. That’s why we’ve created this guide. Below, you’ll find 3 critical considerations for choosing the right plasma steel cutting machine. Keeping these in mind, you’ll be able to find the best option for your operation.
Want to talk through your plasma steel cutting machine options? Our team is always here to help. Contact us today.
Material Thickness
The first step to choosing the right plasma steel cutting machine is to evaluate the thickness of the material you’ll be cutting. If you’re cutting thicker materials, you’ll need a more rugged machine. At AKS Cutting Systems, we offer a range of plasma cutting machines that can achieve your desired cut.
The PLASMATIC Pro, for example, is one of our production-level plasma cutting machines. It can cut up to 3 inches on mild steel and stainless steel, depending on your power supply and gas console. It can also cut down to gauge thicknesses on stainless steel, aluminum, and mild steel. With this machine, you can customize your gas console and power supply options, which allows you to cut different materials and thicknesses.
Curious to know what thickness you can achieve with our machines? Explore the “Power and Gas Options” section on any of our plasma machinery pages.
We also offer heavier-duty plasma cutting machines, like the accu-kut. This machine can achieve cutting thicknesses on stainless steel from gauge thicknesses to 12 inches, depending on the power supply and gas console. Additionally, it can cut mild steel from gauge materials to 12 inches.
In essence, you’ll need to first evaluate the material thickness, then cross-reference that with the gas and power supplies to ensure the right fit for your operation.
AKS Cutting Systems offers five different plasma cutting machines to choose from. Explore their material thickness capabilities today.
Machine Construction
The construction of your machine can greatly impact the overall cut quality. Some machines on the market can easily move when bumped into. This can affect the position of the CNC machinery, resulting in lower-quality cuts. At AKS Cutting Systems, all of our machines are heavy-duty. Many of them weigh over 8,000 pounds, which ensures they don’t move. As a result, you get higher-quality, reliable cuts.
Added Features
It’s also important to consider additional features that can help move your business forward. Some additional equipment to keep in mind includes:
Self-Cleaning Systems
Cleaning out a plasma cutting machine is a time-consuming and dangerous process. With a self-cleaning system, you can avoid it completely. It runs while the plasma cutting machine is in operation, moving all the debris into a refuse drawer located at the end of the machine. The refuse drawer only has to be dumped after 10-15 hours of cutting, which is a major improvement over past processes.
Once the drawer is full, one person can remove it using a forklift. Now, the cleaning process takes only about 10 minutes compared to several hours of manual labor. If you’d like to learn more about our self-cleaning system, view our in-depth blog here.
Tube Cutting Add-Ons
With a tube cutting add-on, you can save space and money on tube cutting operations. The AKS tube-kut can handle both flat plate cutting and tube/pipe cutting. It’s much smaller and costs less than a dedicated pipe and tube cutting system. With an integrated servo-controlled sixth-axis rotary drive, it automatically rotates and indexes the tube/pipe, via a headstock chuck, as the plasma torch cuts shapes and profiles in the tube wall.
5-Axis Bevel Heads
A 5-axis bevel head can help keep your operations moving. The AKS robo-kut is the most powerful plasma cutting 5-axis bevel head in the industry. It’s capable of achieving +/- 45 degrees for A, V, K, X, top-Y, and bottom-Y style bevel cuts for weld prep applications, countersinks, and chamfers. Additionally, it’s capable of precision taper compensation or back-beveling. This technology can achieve a 0.5:1 ratio for hole diameter: thickness. Competitive machines are limited to a traditional 1:1 ratio.
Other Add-Ons
You might also consider adding an imperial dust collector and HEPA filter to your downdraft tables for improved air quality. Or, you might upgrade to a water table for improved smoke and fume control, and reduced noise levels. Lastly, riser spacer blocks can help improve pierce height adjustment and protect consumables.
Want to Explore Plasma Steel Cutting Machines? Get High-Quality Results with AKS Cutting Systems
AKS Cutting Systems provides top-quality plasma and waterjet machinery to help you get the most out of your operations. For over 100 years, AKS Cutting Systems and our parent company, Kiffer Industries, have been at the forefront of machine tool design and building from our headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio. We are a fourth-generation, family-owned and operated company, providing Made-in-the-USA machines for a variety of industries. If you’re ready to learn more about what we can do for you, contact our team today.