Plasma cutting in any type of conductive metal - steel, aluminum and stainless are just some examples. With mild steel, operators learn faster than thicker cuts with alloys.
Oxyfuel cuts by burning or oxidizing, the metal is separation. It is therefore limited to steel and other nonferrous metals, the oxidizing. Metals like aluminum and stainless steel form an oxide, that further inhibits oxidization, so that conventional oxyfuel cutting impossible. Plasma cutting, but not on the oxidation to work, and thus it can cut aluminum, stainless steel and other conductive material.
Plasma cutting |
Plasma cutting is usually easier for the beginner to master, and on thinner materials, plasma cutting is much faster than oxyfuel cutting. But for heavy steel profiles (1 inch or larger), oxyfuel is still preferred because oxyfuel is usually faster and heavier plate applications, very high-capacity power supplies are required for plasma cutting applications.