Plasma arc cutting (PAC) is an erosion process that utilizes a constricted arc in the form of a high-velocity jet of ionized gas to melt and sever metal in a narrow, localized area. This article discusses the process description, equipment, gases, operating sequence, process considerations, and applications of PAC. It concludes with a discussion on the safety measures associated with the PAC process.

This article describes the principles of operation, operating techniques, equipment selection, and important process variables of air-carbon arc cutting. It also provides information on the safety practices to be followed during the air-carbon arc cutting process.

Mechanical cutting methods are widely used by the metal fabrication industry. This article introduces the welding fabricator to some of the mechanical equipment used to shape or prepare metals for welding. The most prevalent equipment used for mechanical cutting includes shears, iron workers, nibblers, and band saws. The article provides details on each of these.

Oxyfuel gas cutting (OFC) includes a group of cutting processes that use controlled chemical reactions to remove preheated metal by rapid oxidation in a stream of pure oxygen. This article provides a detailed discussion on the principles of operation and the process capabilities of OFC. In addition to providing information on the equipment used, the article describes the properties of fuel gases (acetylene, natural gas). It also presents an overview of the effect of OFC on base metal and explains the application of OFC in cutting thin, medium, and thick sections, bars, and structural and close-tolerance shapes.