What is plasma cutting?
Related Terms
Laser Cutting
Laser cutting uses a focused, high-powered laser beam to cut metal with extreme precision. Fiber lasers are the current standard for cutting steel, aluminum, and stainless with tight tolerances and clean edges.
Waterjet Cutting
Waterjet cutting uses a high-pressure stream of water mixed with abrasive to cut metal without heat. It produces no heat-affected zone and can cut thick materials with tight tolerances.
Metal Blank
A metal blank is a flat piece of metal cut to a specific size or shape, ready to be formed, stamped, machined, or processed further. It's the starting material before a part is finished.
Nest Blank
A nest blank is a blank cut from a sheet using an optimized nesting layout, where multiple part shapes are arranged to minimize scrap. Common in laser and plasma cutting shops.