Restricting the heat-affected zone during the plasma cutting of high-alloy steels

摘要

The chosen method and equipment of the investigation enabled the determination of the properties of the heat-affected zone in the plasma cutting of 1H18N9T steel to be made for a range of cutting conditions and for a variety of process parameters. The width of the HAZ in plasma cutting depends on the medium (air or water) and on the selected process parameters (a combination of current intensity and rate of cutting). By choosing the correct process parameters, the width of the HAZ can be restricted. For the given current intensity, and increase in the rate of cutting by some 25 to 50 percent above that regarded as the best, reduces the width of the HAZ by 20 to 50 percent. No significant deterioration in the quality of the cut is produced in this way, but it makes it possible to achieve the standard of the class required for this cutting method.