Guides
Buying and care advice for plasma cutter owners
Written from AM.CO.ZA product data and the existing copy on this domain, to help you choose, set up and look after the right plasma cutter equipment.
Amperage and plate thickness
Pick the unit by the thickest plate you pierce often. Severance is the most it can part, with an edge that will need cleaning.
Single phase or three phase
Check the supply before you choose the cutter. MetalWise units ship without a power cable, and each one lists the cable and breaker it needs.
Getting the air supply right
Plasma uses compressed air as the cutting gas. Wet or oily air wears consumables early and spoils the edge.
Air-cooled or water-cooled torches
Up to 130A, MetalWise torches are cooled by the plasma air. From 200A the torch is water-cooled and the unit comes with a cooler.
Hand-held cutting or CNC
Most MetalWise units are set up for CNC tables. The 45A model ships with both a hand-held torch and a machine torch.
Warranty, service and repair
Each MetalWise unit carries a one year quality warranty, and AM.CO.ZA keeps the spares to repair earlier generations.
Duty cycle on a plasma cutter
Duty cycle is the share of time a unit can run at a given output without stopping to cool. MetalWise units are rated at 100%.
Cutting with nitrogen instead of air
Most MetalWise units from 130A up can use 99.995% pure nitrogen as the plasma gas, for a straighter and smoother cut.
IGBT inverter plasma cutters
Every MetalWise unit is built on IGBT inverter technology, which AM.CO.ZA lists for a faster, cleaner cut than the MOSFET type.
Power cable and breaker sizes
MetalWise units ship without a power cable. Each one lists the cable size and the breaker it needs.
Mechanised torches and torch height control
Every MetalWise unit comes with a mechanised torch, and sends an arc voltage signal to the table controller.
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