Metal cutting is a material removal and forming method in the metal forming process. The raw materials are cut or separated by shape to obtain blanks. Common metal cutting services include abrasive wheel cutting, saw cutting, flame cutting, plasma cutting, and laser cutting.
Abrasive wheel cutting
Using high-speed rotating abrasive wheels to cut metal is a common metal-cutting service. Abrasive wheel cutters are light, flexible, simple, and convenient to use, and are widely used on various occasions, especially in construction sites and interior decoration. They are used primarily to cut small-diameter square tubes, round tubes, special-shaped tubes, etc.
Saw cutting
The method of cutting the workpiece by cutting a narrow groove with a saw blade is called sawing cutting. Sawing cutting is carried out by a metal band saw. Cutting the material is the most basic requirement of metal processing, so the sawing machine is a standard in the machining industry. When using the sawing machine, it is necessary to select the appropriate saw blade according to the hardness of the material and adjust the optimal sawing speed.
Flame cutting
The flame-cutting process is to heat the metal through the chemical reaction between oxygen and metal workpiece, soften it, and then melt it. Acetylene or natural gas is often used as the heating gas. Flame cutting can only cut carbon plates, and is not suitable for other types of metals, such as stainless steel, copper, and aluminum. The advantages of flame cutting are low cost and the maximum cutting thickness can reach two meters. The disadvantages are that the heat-affected zone and thermal deformation are large.
plasma cutting
The plasma is a processing method that uses the high-temperature plasma arc to melt the metal at the cut of the workpiece and then uses the momentum of super-speed plasma to get rid of the molten metal to form a cut. Plasma is generally used to cut materials with a thickness of less than 100 mm. Unlike flame metal cutting service, plasma cutting is fast, especially when cutting thin carbon steel plates, the cutting surface of plasma cutting is smooth, and the thermal deformation and heat-affected zone is small. Plasma cutting is not limited to cutting carbon plates, but also cutting stainless steel, copper and aluminum materials, nickel and titanium metals, etc.
Laser cutting
Laser cutting uses a high-energy laser beam to heat partially melt, and vaporize metal to complete the metal cutting service. It is usually used for efficient and precise cutting of thin steel plates (<30mm). The cutting quality of the laser is very excellent. Not only is the cutting speed fast, but the dimensional accuracy is also very high. Moreover, since the laser beam acts on a very small area, the heat-affected zone is very small and the workpiece is almost not deformed.
In terms of cutting quality, laser cutting is better than plasma cutting; in terms of cutting speed, plasma cutting is faster than laser cutting.
How to choose the suitable metal cutting service:
It is crucial to choose the right metal-cutting service for your project. This will not only save time and improve efficiency but also achieve good cutting results. Here are some tips for choosing the right metal-cutting service.
Step 1: Assess project needs
Step 2: Evaluate available resources
Step 3: Compare different metal cutting processes according to standards
Cutting metal requires expertise and the right tools to achieve the results. Each metal cutting service mentioned in this guide has its advantages, depending on the requirements and needs of the project, and choosing the best metal cutting service. For the best results, it is recommended that you consider seeking out professional metal fabrication services to meet your metal-cutting techniques and needs. Proper cutting techniques can give metal material excellent performance and multiple advantages for a variety of applications in construction, manufacturing, and more. If you are still confused and looking for the best metal-cutting service, then DMTC can provide you with the best help in this regard. Just leave us a message and we will help you to make the correct choice.
