Profile cutting machines enable you to make all straight, contoured, and intermediate cuts with a bevel on a large variety of stiffeners. All profile cutting is delivered when the workpiece is ready to be assembled or machined with any slag eradicated to shorten the production times. Profile cutting machines can be used to cut metals of different thicknesses delivering accurate, cost-efficient, swift, and clean cuts.
Types of Profile Cutting Machines
Plasma Profile Cutting
This is a cutting process in which an ionized gas at temperatures of more than 20,000 °C is used to melt and get rid of the material from the cut. During this process, an electric arc is placed between an electrode (cathode) and the piece being worked on (anode). The process is ideal for cutting stainless steel and carbon profiles of different grades and thicknesses. It creates less distortion since it uses less heat and pressurized gas as well as producing a desirable edge.
Oxy Profile Cutting
This low-cost method is utilized when you want to cut two-dimensional profiles from a steel sheet and plate. These machines are CNC controlled, and they utilize Oxy-Acetylene,or more often Oxy-Propane, flame to profile cut through metals. They are ideal when cutting thick plates of up to 12" thick and when cutting metals that are not distorted by heat (heavy steel plate). They deliver efficient cutting that displays low operation cost but typically requires further processing for a clean edge or welding.
Water Jet Profile Cutting
This process involves machines that use pressurized water passed through a jet to cut through various materials. Water jet cutting machines deliver water that is pressurized at 20,000psi to 100,000 PSI (60,000 PSI is most common) through a fine nozzle where it is mixed with an abrasive additive (Garnet usually) delivering precise cuts without inflicting any thermal damage to the material. This type of profile cutting is ideal for a vast array of materials, including ceramic, titanium, steel, stone, granite, fabric, and brass, among others.
Laser Profile Cutting
Laser profile cutting is the most common type of profile cutter in the market. It comes with several benefits over the other types of profile cutting as it is efficient, very fast (within 1” and under thicknesses ), cost-effective, and uses less power. It boasts minimal distortion and is ideal for thinner metals of between 30 Gage and 1”. It delivers accurate and fine cuts, and it allows for close nesting and narrow cutting.