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Author Topic: Plasma cutting with a MIG welder  (Read 2806 times)

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Plasma cutting with a MIG welder
« on: October 16, 2012, 05:43:38 AM »
Hello everyone, as I know very little about the electronics and principles involved etc. I need to ask you experts, is it possible to use a MIG welder for cutting in place of a plasma cutter? In other words make some kind of conversion to achieve this.
Thanks,
Tony

Offline Jeff_Birt

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Re: Plasma cutting with a MIG welder
« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2012, 10:22:22 AM »
You can't do that. A plasma cutter uses a high voltage to initiate the arc (about 300V open circuit voltage) and delivers a constant current. A MIG welder has a much lower open circuit voltage and is a constant voltage power supply.
Happy machining , Jeff Birt
 
Re: Plasma cutting with a MIG welder
« Reply #2 on: October 16, 2012, 10:26:35 AM »
Thanks Jeff, I just wondered because I have seen 3 in 1 machines advertised where you can change over at the flick of a switch.
Never mind I will just have to bite the bullet and buy a plasma machine.

Offline Jeff_Birt

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Re: Plasma cutting with a MIG welder
« Reply #3 on: October 16, 2012, 03:03:42 PM »
I thought your question was "can I take a MIG welder I have now and use it for a plasma cutter", which can't be done. There are welding power supplies out there that can run in both CC and CV mode (constant current for TIG/Stick and Constant Voltage for MIG). I've not seen one of the 3-in-1 power supplies in person so I cannot comment on how they work.
Happy machining , Jeff Birt