Study on ceramic cutting by plasma arc

To reduce the kerf width and to improve the kerf quality, the hydro-magnetically confined plasma arc was used to cut engineering ceramic plates. By experiments and analyses, the characteristics of the hydro-magnetic confined plasma arc were explored and the effects of secondary confinement on cutting quality, arc properties, and optimal process parameters were determined. By using this new method, the authors achieved better cutting quality and higher cutting speeds. Also, the possibility to reduce the heat load of the nozzle and thus enhance its service life and process stability was studied. When the nozzle diameter is 3 mm, the kerf width of the Al2O3 ceramic plate of 6 mm thickness is less than 4.6 mm, while the cutting speed reaches to 0.9–1.2 m/min.