Differences Between Waterjet Cutting vs Plasma Cutting
Waterjet cutting and plasma cutting aid in cutting and fabricating metal and other materials, but they differ considerably. These differences range …
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The extremely high level of precision needed within the aerospace industry makes CNC machining a suitable manufacturing process for the sector.
This article provides you with a complete guide to aerospace machining and its importance.
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If you want to produce high-quality machined parts with a sleek appearance, it’s essential to consider some critical factors related to CNC machining.
Here, we’ve gathered some basic information and important considerations to help you achieve the desired results.
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Plasma cutting is a production process involving the use of ionized gas at temperatures above 20,0000C to melt and remove material from a workpiece. The gasses used here include argon/hydrogen, argon, or nitrogen. Plasma cutting is ideal for making high-precision parts with both general and industry-specific applications. You could get numerous benefits from using RapidDirect’s custom plasma cutting service when making your product parts. Some of these advantages include:
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RapidDirect’s custom plasma cutting services can be used for various applications such as mold tooling, rapid prototyping, and custom manufacturing, and more.
Create prototypes with intricate details and fine features that might be difficult to achieve using other cutting methods. Allowing for quick turnaround times and reducing the overall production time.
Create quick and precise cuts for a variety of materials. This can include creating test pieces, evaluating designs, and producing small quantities of a product for testing and validation.
Create precise cuts for mass production. Our plasma cutting machines are available in various sizes and configurations, allowing them to be used for cutting thin and thick metals.
RapidDirect is committed to meeting and surpassing customer requirements and industry standards. Our high-precision plasma cutters cut with the highest accuracy and precision, regardless of the material type and design complexity.
Standards | Description |
Thickness | Aluminum≤40 mm, Steel≤50 mm, Stainless Steel≤50 mm |
Cutting Tolerance | The standard tolerance level for plasma cutting ranges between 0.1 to 0.2mm. This tolerance level depends majorly on the size of the part and general requirements. However, at RapidDirect, we adjust our tolerance levels to match our customer’s requirements. |
Cutting Area | The cutting area for thin sheet aluminum of up to 4mm thickness is 1000 x 2000mm, 1250 x 2500 mm, and 1500 x 3000mm.
While cutting area for thick sheets of steel over 4mm thickness is 1500 x 3000mm, 2000 x 3000mm, 1500 x 6000mm |
Lead time | 5 days or more |
RapidDirect’s CNC plasma cutting service is ideal for use on many materials. The hot gas emitted in this process can cut through conductive materials irrespective of thickness. Below are some plasma-cutting materials you could use for your next project.
Aluminum’s ability to reflect heat is one of the reasons why machinists favor this metal as a plasma-cutting material. It is also lightweight, non-corrosive, and highly malleable. Furthermore, aluminum is cost-effective, with a shorter plasma cutting time compared to other materials. Aluminum also has a high rate of recyclability, which helps reduce waste in the long term.
Subtypes: 2024, 5052, 5083, 6061, 6063, 6082, 7075
Steel is one of the most popular metals in machine shops due to its high machinability. Asides from machinability, steel has high tensile strength, ductility, and malleability. It is also very durable, with an aesthetically pleasing appearance. One major reason steel is ideal for plasma cutting is its high weldability, which allows it to withstand the stress caused by heat from the plasma cutter.
Subtypes: 1018, 1020, 1025, 1045, 1215, 4130, 4140, 4340, 5140,A36,ST37
Stainless steel is a metal alloy that contains at least 11% chromium. The chromium content of this metal gives it a glossy appearance. This metal is ideal for plasma cutting due to its strength at high temperatures, as it performs better than most metals. Stainless steel also has a high tensile strength and good plasticity. Besides, stainless steel is quite easy to machine.
Subtypes: 201, 303, 304, 316, 316L, 420, 430, 431, 304
Parts made using plasma cutting usually feature excellent finishes. At RapidDirect, we offer various custom finishing options that boost the produced part’s functionality, appearance, and durability.
Name | Description | Materials | Color | Texture | Link |
Anodizing | Anodizing improves corrosion resistance, enhancing wear resistance and hardness, and protecting the metal surface. Widely used in mechanical parts, aircraft, and automobile parts, precision instruments, etc. | Aluminum | Clear, black, grey, red, blue, gold. | Smooth, matte finish. | Learn More>> | |
Bead Blasting |
Bead blasting results in parts with a smooth surface with a matte texture. Used mainly for visual applications and can be followed by other surface treatments. |
ABS, Aluminum, Brass, Stainless Steel, Steel |
n/a | Matte | Learn More>> | |
Powder Coating | Powder coating is a type of coating that is applied as a free-flowing, dry powder. Unlike conventional liquid paint which is delivered via an evaporating solvent, powder coating is typically applied electrostatically and then cured under heat or with ultraviolet light. | Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Steel |
Black, any RAL code or Pantone number |
Gloss or semi-gloss |
||
Electroplating | Electroplating can be functional, decorative or corrosion-related. Many industries use the process, including the automotive sector, in which chrome-plating of steel automobile parts is common. |
Aluminum, steel, stainless steel |
n/a |
Smooth, glossy finish |
|
|
Polishing |
Polishing is the process of creating a smooth and shiny surface, either through physical rubbing of the part or by chemical interference. The process produces a surface with significant specular reflection, but in some materials is able to reduce diffuse reflection. |
Aluminum, Brass, Stainless Steel, Steel |
n/a |
Glossy |
||
Brushing |
Brushing is a surface treatment process in which abrasive belts are used to draw traces on the surface of a material, usually for aesthetic purposes. |
ABS, Aluminum, Brass, Stainless Steel, Steel |
n/a | satin |
Plasma cutting affords both machinists and industries extensive benefits—little wonder why it has become the go-to process for metal fabrication. Plasma cutting facilitates the high-precision production of prototypes and parts regardless of volume. Here are the industrial applications of plasma cut parts according to industries.
Nearly every industry requires precise parts, and the aerospace industry is no exception. This industry also requires parts with excellent dimensional stability and tolerance standards. Plasma cutting facilitates the production of parts that are exactly needed for the proper functioning of aircraft parts like turbine engines.
The automotive industry uses plasma metal cutting services to fabricate several metal parts found in automobiles. This industry uses plasma cutting for making parts like gears, pins, and shafts that require high precision and accuracy.
The construction industry is one industry that uses plasma cutting quite often for fabricating steel and aluminum parts used in building construction. It also facilitates the creation of metal shapes that serve as decoration on buildings.
At RapidDirect, we let our work speak for us. We produce plasma cutting parts for various industries with excellent tolerance, high precision, and dimensional stability. Here are some plasma-cutting projects we have worked on.
Utilizing our precision plasma cutting system alongside other advanced technologies, we deliver top-quality custom parts tailored to your exact specifications. Additionally, we offer efficient CNC plasma cutting services, leveraging our technical expertise to optimize production processes, minimize waste, and enhance cost-effectiveness.
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Hi, Andy. I want to express my gratitude to you and your team for all your efforts in completing the project. Working with RapidDirect on this metal fabrication project has been a great pleasure. I wish you a wonderful rest of your summer, and I am confident we will work together again in the future.
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RapidDirect is an essential part of our supply chain. They regularly deliver on schedule sheet metal parts and with top-notch quality. They are easy to work with and considerate of their client’s demands. Whether it is repeat orders for parts or one of our numerous last-minute orders, they always deliver.
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I am happy to say that RapidDirect is one of our top sources for fabricated metal parts. We have a 4-year relationship with them, and it all began with excellent customer service. They do a fantastic job of informing us about our order progress. We view RapidDirect more as a project partner than just a supplier for us in many ways.
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