The Arc Plasma Cutting of Non-Metallic Materials,

The cuttig of textiles by means of a small arc plasma torch has been investigated. A linear relationship between the maximum cutting speed of the textile and the power rating of the arc torch used is derived. Various cutting mechanisms including melting, vaporizing and pyrolysis are postulated. The power requirements associated with these mechanisms are significantly different from one another and the corresponding maximum cutting speeds calculated therefrom are compared with experimentally determined values. Various chemical mechanisms are also suggested which could significantly reduce the power requirement for certain materials. Author