High-Precision Plasma Cutting of the Steel - Aluminum ”Bimetallic Composition

The current paper is devoted to technological improvements in high-precision plasma cutting of thin sheets on processing the steel St3 + aluminum A5M bimetallic composition. The composition obtained by explosion welding presents a compound of various materials which differ in such thermophysical characteristics as their melting point and their thermal conductivity. The principal difference in their thermophysical properties has predetermined the specific features of forming the cut edge of this bimetallic composition. Out of the variety of technologies for cutting this bimetallic composition, the Hi-Focusplus technology intended for carbon steel processing and the Hi-Focus technology for aluminum alloys are chosen. It is established that when cutting the bimetallic composition on the side of steel grade St3, the undercut filled with the products of melted steel grade St3 is formed on the aluminum portion in using both technologies. Switching the direction of the cut from steel to aluminum results in forming a taper on the aluminum portion. In so doing, high precision and superior quality of cutting on the steel grade St3 portion are provided.