Business on plasma cutting of metal with CNC. What are the costs?

Plasma cutting of metal: features and advantages

Plasma cutting is a type of thermal cutting of metal. It is used when speed and low cost of the operation are important. Plasma cutting equipment is 6-7 times more powerful than conventional flame torches. Cutting is carried out no less efficiently than with a laser, but the price for plasma cutting is more affordable.

The working tool is a plasma stream of high-temperature ionized gas. Its temperature reaches 30 thousand degrees. Thanks to this, plasma cutting copes with cutting materials that a conventional propane-oxygen gas welding torch cannot cut.

Advantages of plasma cutting

• The versatility of the method. Plasma cutting equipment is suitable for cutting ferrous and non-ferrous metals, their alloys, and any types of steel. There are no restrictions on the type of metal product: it is suitable for processing sheet metal, rolled pipes, profiles, parts and workpieces.
• High speed. When processing products up to 50 mm thick, the cutting speed exceeds the gas-flame speed by 25 times.
• Cut quality. The cutting process is accompanied by blowing out excess melt, so no scale or deposits form on the cutting edge. Since the product is heated strictly locally, the areas around the cut line do not change shape under the influence of temperature.
• Accuracy. Plasma cutting allows you to produce cuts and holes of any shape and trajectory.
• Economical. Cost depends on the gas used, but regular air is suitable for most metal work.

Features of plasma cutting

The plasma flow is formed using a plasmatron - a plasma generator. First, the equipment creates a working electric arc (jet) with a temperature of about 5 thousand degrees. Next, gas is supplied to the nozzle of the machine. When it interacts with an arc or jet, it is charged with ions and turns into hot plasma. The speed of the plasma flow is from 500 to 1.5 thousand m per second, which allows cutting metal up to 200 mm thick.

Types of equipment for plasma cutting of metal

Depending on the principle of operation, plasma generators are classified into two main types:

• Direct arc plasma cutter. Creates an arc between its own electrode and a conductive metal product. Such equipment is the most productive, which makes it indispensable in industry.
• Indirect jet plasma cutter. Creates an arc between the electrode and the nozzle. The metal product is not included in the circuit, so the productivity of such equipment is lower. It is usually used for cutting thin metal products, insulators, and materials with low current conductivity.

Depending on the scope of application, generators are divided into the following types:

• Household. They weigh little and have small dimensions. The productivity of such devices is low and allows cutting parts with a thickness of 15–20 cm at an average speed of 6 m/min. You have to work while holding manual equipment suspended. This is inconvenient and affects the quality of the cut.
• Industrial. Powerful devices. Usually included in automatic lines complete with CNC machines. This allows you to set any cutting configuration for any product. Products produced on industrial machines comply with GOST standards.

If you need accurate, fast and high-quality cutting, you should entrust it to a company that has the necessary industrial equipment for this.

Nayada plasma cutting services

Nayada provides a range of professional services in the field of metal processing, including plasma cutting services. Our clients are enterprises from Moscow, the region and regions of the Russian Federation. We deliver finished products throughout Moscow and the Moscow region using our own fleet of vehicles. For delivery within Russia, we cooperate with a reliable transport company.

We work with any types of metals, alloys and steel and products up to 100 mm thick.

Cutting is carried out using a plasma cutter KEDR CUT-60G, which is suitable for cutting heavy-duty types of steel, perforated and mesh metal. This professional equipment does not require long breaks, which allows us to maintain a high pace of work. The plasma cutter operates in a CNC system.

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Plasma cutting

Posted by ilias Sun, 09/08/2013 — 21:18

Along with the rapid development of the modern metalworking industry, the issue of more efficient and cost-effective methods of metal processing and its thermal cutting is becoming increasingly relevant.

Plasma cutting, known since the 1960s, is a high-speed and high-tech metal processing method that involves the use of a plasma jet as a special cutting tool. Plasma cutting of metal is widely used in construction, car repair shops, manufacturing and the metalworking industry.

It is also gaining popularity in the artistic craft, thanks to the excellent quality of the cut, allowing the master to create a real work of art.

Advantages of plasma cutting

In addition to the fact that plasma metal cutting is being improved and rapidly developing technologically, and the highly efficient service is being used in new areas of activity, its other advantages can be highlighted: 1. Variety of processed materials - plasma cutting can be performed on non-ferrous and ferrous materials, as well as refractory materials and many others; 2.

Safety - in order to process metal using a plasma cutter, such bulky and dangerous devices as compressed oxygen cylinders or accompanying flammable gas are not required, which makes the process extremely convenient and safe;3.

High speed - in comparison with oxy-acetylene, laser and other methods that are traditionally used for separating metals, it has the highest cutting speed, and in comparison with gas-flame cutting of metal of small and medium thicknesses, it exceeds it several times;4. Quality – after processing a metal sheet with a plasma cutter, it acquires high cut cleanliness, impeccable evenness and quality;5.

9. Automation - the process provides not only high productivity, but also a high degree of automation.

Plasma cutting, which provides for a small cut width and a minimal thermal effect zone, thereby protecting the metal from hardening and deformation, is carried out with a plasma cutter through targeted heating of the metal, which is local in nature.

To produce a plasma jet, it is customary to use gases, which, according to their properties, are divided into active and inactive. Active gases, including air and oxygen, are preferred for plasma cutting of ferrous metals.

Inactive gases nitrogen, water vapor, argon and hydrogen are used to work with non-ferrous metals and various alloys.

Stages of plasma cutting of metal

The plasma cutting process, carried out using plasma torches, involves the following stages: 1. An arc discharge occurs between the plasmatron electrode and the metal to be processed;2. The resulting discharge is formed into a high-temperature plasma flow using air or an inert gas, and the flow temperature reaches 20,000 °C;

3. Using air or inert gas, molten metal is blown out of the cutting area.

Plasma treatment increases productivity and work quality. It even involves cutting aluminum, which is very demanding in terms of processing methods. Of the most common types of work that plasma cutting of metal allows, the following can be listed: 1. High-quality cutting of pipes, profiles, rods;2. Clean metal edge processing;3. Fast cutting of various metal sheets of any type and alloy;4. Cutting out the necessary openings and openings;5. Artistic processing of metal surfaces;6. Processing of cast parts;

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Plasma cutting as a business

Since humanity learned to mine and melt metals, this material has become, without exaggeration, one of the most popular. It is used in mechanical engineering, construction, agriculture, transport and... anywhere - without metal products everything would collapse or stop today.

Plasma cutting business - pros without cons

Since metals are one of the most popular materials, therefore, a well-organized business for processing steels and non-ferrous metals was, is and will remain cost-effective and profitable.

All metal products are obtained from blanks. To do this, metal sheets and profile elements are cut into complex or simple (linear) shapes of varying thickness. And the more efficient the process, the more profitable the production. In this case, the cost of procurement is reduced due to:

• reducing metal waste during cutting;
• increasing cutting speed;
• purchasing rational (in terms of performance and price) equipment;
• cleanliness of the workpiece cut;
• reducing labor intensity.

Depending on the production capacity of the enterprise, it is necessary to select certain series of plasma cutting machines. The economists of our organization will help the customer buy the most suitable plasma cutting machines that promote the business. And ordering equipment from the manufacturer will cost you the least amount. For single, small-scale and even large-scale production of metal parts, we have developed the following modifications of plasma and combined (gas-plasma) installations:

Today, plasma cutting business is not only developing, but is also capable of raising it literally from ruins. Indeed, in comparison with manual cutting of sheet metal (on a guillotine, using a copier or using templates), the use of a CNC machine sometimes increases productivity even by an order of magnitude.

The high speed of movement of the torch (15 m/min), the absence of the influence of the human factor and the perfectly maintained dimensions and shapes of the parts will allow us to obtain workpieces whose cost is several times lower than those cut by other methods.

Moreover, today, when not only straight-line cutting of metals in the form of strips is in demand, but also monograms, intricate shapes and geometric shapes, the plasma cutting business promises significant profits.

Complex cutting types that advance business

Metal design products, forged interior and exterior elements are now in favor among wealthy people. But all these “metal masterpieces” are born from blanks, which can be cut using plasma cutting machines without any difficulty. Both the steel coat of arms of our state and the family heraldic sign made of bronze are easy to carve on such equipment, which pays off the costs of their acquisition, sometimes even within the first few months.

In addition to the highly artistic use of metal blanks, the use of plasma cutting in business will increase the profitability of an enterprise engaged in the production of ventilation equipment. Experienced carvers know that hand-cutting thin-sheet workpieces using ordinary metal shears leads to the appearance of nicks and warping of the workpieces.

At the same time, it is not always possible to achieve high accuracy of sizes and shapes. Anyone who has once tried to cut cardboard will understand that this is indeed the case (and cardboard is not thin sheet steel).

At the same time, a business using plasma cutting will make it possible to make absolutely flat thin workpieces of perfect shape with almost zero dimensional deviation, both linear and radial. Moreover, the ideal condition of the edges of the resulting workpieces, the absence of sagging, will reduce labor costs for subsequent cleaning (manual or tumbled).

Reduce waste and labor costs

A business with plasma cutting machines will allow you to cut sheet metal as efficiently as possible. In this case, the waste will be minimal, which will also reduce the cost of each individual workpiece. By ordering a suitable machine model, you will not have to employ a whole staff of workers: guillotine operators, gas cutters, adjusters, etc.

training to work on plasma machines

Reducing labor costs for a business with plasma cutting, you see, is another significant point in increasing production profitability. And if you consider that this equipment has automatic control, it is quite possible to use one operator to work on several mechanical machines. This will provide even greater savings on the salary fund, and the quality of the cut workpieces will remain impeccable.

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Business plan for organizing the production of attachments

Save the link in one of the networks:

Plasma cutting

MultiCam 3000 series is the best choice among plasma cutting equipment. Rigid, all-steel construction, support for a variety of plasma standards, user-friendly interface, quality and high level of service.

MultiCam offers a full range of options for the 3000 series:

• High speed cutting
• Full hardware and software compatibility between nodes
• Automatic initial material piercing system
• Friendly MultiCam controller
• Built-in materials database
• Automatic activation of pumping zones
• Pull-out trays for disposal of processing waste
• High positioning accuracy
• Relieving stress from heavily loaded steel structures
• 25mm bearings for maximum stability
• 12 MB of memory, work with files of any size
• Communication interface with computer - Ethernet or RS232

The advantages of the equipment are:

• The presence of a hand-held control panel allows you to quickly set all operating parameters, perform system tests and load work files from a remote computer system.

— Quick stop system for collision protection (optional)

The anti-collision torch holder with quick stop system makes it easy to replace consumables and protects equipment from serious damage. The quick stop system works as follows: if the burner touches any obstacle, the mount automatically releases the burner and it is retracted to the side. The machine pauses so the operator can correct the problem and then continue cutting.

Technical parameters of the 3000 series machine:

• Z-axis clearance (material thickness): 101 mm
• Z-axis travel: 152 mm
• Repeatability: +/- 0.025 mm
• Position offset accuracy: +/- 0.125mm at 3 meters
• Cutting speed: 423 mm/sec *
• Free movement speed: 720 mm/sec *
• X and Y axis drive system: Rack and pinion
• Z-axis drive system: Screw pair
• Standard working surface of the table: Table with downward pumping Table of overall dimensions of the MultiCam 3000 machine (Table 2.6).

Table 2.6

Controller

• Type: Single Processor CISC/IFPU System
• Interface: RS232 or Ethernet
• Memory: 12 MB
• Maximum file size: Unlimited
• File Type: M and G codes (EIA 274D), U-Cito and HPGL

ShopData Software - CAD/CAM

ShopData is a complete set of specialized CAD/CAM software from the world leader in the production of systems of this type. ShopData systems have been used in metal processing for more than 25 years. ShopData Systems makes the work of thousands and thousands of workers around the world easier through its continuous improvement and application of modern technical innovations.

— Free movement (X and Y axes): 720 mm/sec

PanasonicVR-G2

Control is carried out by a Panasonic with a 64-bit processor, control of up to 27 axes and the ability to store 20,000 points in 20,000 sequences of control programs. The controller has a digital interface for connecting welding sources and has the ability to connect to an internal Ethernet .

The control panel from which the controller is programmed has a perfect ergonomic design and a Windows interface. The 7 inch TFT-LCD display, Jog-Dial and graphical user interface, as well as a sophisticated and well-designed menu system make operating the robot pleasant and easy. An external keyboard, mouse, as well as PCMCIA and IrDA devices can be connected to the control panel.

VR-G2 series of robots has several models with different lifting capacities and coverage areas: VR-004 ,
VR-006 , VR-006L , VR-008 , VR-008L , VR-016 and VR-032 . Robots with a lifting capacity from 4 to 8 kg VR-004 - VR-008L . Models VR-016 and VR-032 are designed to perform auxiliary operations, such as loading/unloading, moving parts, etc.
The summary tables show the technical characteristics of the manipulator and controller of the welding robot (Tables 2.7 and 2.8)

Plasma cutting and its advantages

Plasma cutting is the process of cutting electrically conductive materials using a plasma electric arc at temperatures up to +30,000 °C.

The first advantage of using a plasma cutter is that there is no need to prepare the device before starting work, for example, heating the torch or the material that needs to be cut. The plasma cutter is ready to use immediately and provides high efficiency, achieving very high material processing speeds. For example, the productivity of a CNC plasma cutter compared to the oxygen-gas method is almost seven times higher, which dramatically affects work efficiency.

The cutter can be used to cut various materials and especially metals of varying thickness. The standard thickness range is from 0.5mm to 160mm. The plasma cutter is characterized, first of all, by high cutting accuracy and the ability to process material vertically and at an angle. The cutter has minimal effect on the structure of the material being cut, which is due to the extremely narrow cutting zone and low heating. The device penetrates the material very quickly, ensuring small tears and minimal loss of material, while the edges and surface remain smooth and without unnecessary defects.

Table 2.7, Technical characteristics of the manipulator

What can you cut with a plasma cutter for your home?

The development of plasma cutting technology and specialized equipment has made it possible to expand the scope of plasma cutting. Initially, the technology was used mainly for cutting materials such as black and stainless steel, aluminum, but over time it began to be used for harder metals - alloy steel and titanium. Using a plasma cutter in your own small business, you can produce:

1. Elements of decorative or loaded metal structures (for example: gates, fences, balconies).
2. Barbecues and fireplaces.
3. Garden furniture.
4. Metal furniture, fittings and interior elements for modern home or office designs.
5. Interfloor stairs for the house.
6. Signs and outdoor advertising.
7. Spare parts for attachments for industrial and agricultural machinery, as well as parts for agricultural machines and industrial equipment.

CNC-controlled plasma cutting technology on a computer has a wide range of applications and makes it possible to produce a wide variety of products, in particular high-precision products.

Table2.8, Controller specifications

Profitability

According to our conservative estimates, with an average investment of 750 to 850 thousand rubles, the monthly profit will be about 130,000 rubles. Such prospects may be of interest mainly to small enterprises and novice businessmen. Large companies engaged in the sale of rolled metal, both ferrous and non-ferrous, stamping sheet aluminum and cutting large batches of metal, think in completely different numbers. But we will carry out calculations specifically for novice businessmen who consider plasma cutting of metal as a business.

Expenses

Salary

1 employee for an 8-hour working day: 1000 rubles/day
Rental
of premises with an area of ​​40 m2 * 200 rubles/m2 = 8000 rubles = 270 rubles/day

in search engines: 1000 rub./day

Electricity

— Plasma source power: 9 kW/hour — Compressor power: 3 kW/hour — Machine power: 4 kW/hour — Room ventilation: 3 kW/hour — Unaccounted-for electricity consumers: 2 kW/hour
Total
: 21 kW/hour * 0 .7 (efficiency) * 6 rub/kW * 8 h = 705 rub.

Consumables

— Nozzle for plasma cutting machine: 3 pcs. * 250 rub. — Electrodes: 3 pcs. * 350 rub. — Total: 1800 rub.

Total costs

: 4775 rub/day

Costs are calculated based on the full load of the machine, which is very difficult to achieve when starting a business. Well, only if you don’t push it and throw another couple of thousand rubles a day into the advertising campaign budget. Practice shows that such costs are unreasonable.

CNC printed circuit boards

Craftsmen who have already become familiar with the machine are happy to make printed circuit boards (PCBs) using CNC. And they sell well. Boards made privately (homemade) are cheaper. Moreover, the necessary functionality can be provided.

Their production is complex, multi-stage, and is tied to software control of technological processes.

The master must be the owner of a programmable milling machine or engraving devices. It is desirable to have machines for drilling holes on boards and capable of contour cutting the board.

The target audience

CNC machines, which are designed for plasma cutting of metal, are mainly used to fulfill shape cutting orders. The main consumers are individuals, as well as companies involved in landscaping. Metal coats of arms, drawings, address plates, signs, elements for decorating fences and fencing for private houses - this is who will be the main consumers of the products of your activity.

Often such services are used by citizens who design fences at the cemetery. The market is quite saturated, but large companies involved in the sale and cutting of metal often do not take small orders or take a long time to complete them. It is this niche that small enterprises occupy in large cities.

How much can you earn by cutting metal with plasma?

Here you need to proceed from the capabilities of your existing machine and the needs of your customers. The thicker the metal, the more expensive cutting services will cost the customer. The more complex the order is in terms of execution (shaped cutting), the higher, again, the cost of services will be. We will give average prices for cutting metal of different thicknesses and the planned possible profit when the machine is fully loaded.

As already mentioned, it will not be possible to achieve 100% machine utilization even if ideal working conditions are created. Feeding sheets to the machine, surface maintenance, setting cutting patterns and other operator actions will take about 40% of the working time.

Her Majesty's furniture

It is made from valuable wood or MDF boards. This material is close in composition to natural wood, is easy to process and is inexpensive, it is more moisture-resistant and resistant to microorganisms. This is why CNC milling of MDF facades is in great demand.

They are easy to process, they can be cut and drilled, painted, laminated and veneered.

It is possible to make from an MDF panel:

• linings for armored doors;
• wall panels, with the help of which interior decoration is carried out;
• acoustic system housings;
• elements of cabinet furniture; countertops, wardrobes;
• the finished product for furniture makers (small decor) is then covered with film on a vacuum press.