What is plasma welding? An Introduction

Plasma welding, first introduced as a welding process in the early 1960s, was used in special lowcurrent applications (microplasma) from 0.5 amp or lower, or up to 500-amp applications for heavy industry. In this article by Steve Milner, you will be able to examine the art of plasma welding.

Plasma is a hot, ionized gas consisting of approximately equal numbers of positively charged ions and negatively charged electrons. The characteristics of plasma are significantly different from those of ordinary neutral gases, which is why it is considered a distinct fourth state of matter.

Simply put, plasma is a gas that has been superheated to a point where it becomes highly conductive. In welding and cutting processes, this allows for the transfer of electrical current. A plasma arc’s temperature can reach as high as 30,000 degrees F.

Plasma welding, first introduced as a welding process in the early 1960s, was used in special lowcurrent applications (microplasma) from 0.5 amp or lower, or up to 500-amp applications for heavy industry.

Although it’s considered to be an exotic welding process in today’s manufacturing environment, plasma welding is still used across a range of industries where production volume, consistency, and minimal downtime are key. Here are some basic facts about plasma welding and how it’s different from more conventional, mainstream processes.

Read more of this article in The Welder.