Microgeometry formation of the cut during high-precision plasma cutting of aluminum and copper alloys

The problems of the cut microgeometry formation during aluminum and copper alloys high-precision plasma cutting, which is a promising technology for blank production, are considered. Experimental studies were conducted on samples of aluminum A5M and copper M1 made of a sheet metal with a thickness of 3 mm and 2 mm, respectively. As technological scheme for cutting aluminum alloy a Hi-Focus mode with current I = 35 A at the processing speed V = 1.2 m / min is used. To study the characteristics of cutting copper alloy the Hi-Focus technological scheme, designed for cutting carbon steels, mode with current I = 35 A at a processing speed V = 1.5 m / min. The formation of the surface morphology of the aluminum cutting process is defined as the interaction of the plasma arc column with the material being treated, and the deposition portion of the melt at the bottom of the cut. This is explained by a lack of efficiency of gasdynamic flows to completely remove the product of melt from the channel the cut due to the high kinematic viscosity of the material being processed. It is shown that the deposition of the melt on the cut surface deteriorates the microgeometry forming roughness Ra = 12.1 microns. High kinematic viscosity of aluminum does not exclude burr formation on the edges of the cut. When high-precision plasma cutting copper surface morphology of the cut is uniform in character without any traces of deposition of melt. With regular character of the surface topography of cut it reaches its roughness values Ra = 5.98 microns. Formation of the channel cut copper is not accompanied by the formation of burr at its edges.

high-precision plasma cutting, aluminum and copper alloys, cut surface microgeometry, burr, technological schemes