Plasma vs Oxy-Fuel Cutting: Which Process Should You Use?
Short answer: Use plasma for thin and medium plate, for stainless steel and aluminum, and whenever speed matters. Use oxy-fuel for carbon steel thicker than about 40–50 mm, where it is cheaper to buy and run. Many shops fit both torches on one machine.
Side-by-side comparison
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.
| Plasma | Oxy-fuel | |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | Any conductive metal: mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper | Carbon and low-alloy steel only |
| Thickness sweet spot | 0.5–50 mm | From about 25 mm up to 200 mm and more |
| Speed on 10–25 mm plate | Several times faster | Slow; needs preheating before each pierce |
| Edge | Slight bevel on standard plasma; nearly square with HD plasma | Square edge on thick plate, some top-edge rounding |
| Heat-affected zone | Narrow | Wide; more distortion on thin plate |
| Running cost | Electricity, compressed air, consumables | Oxygen and fuel gas (acetylene, propane or natural gas) |
| Several torches at once | Possible but expensive | Easy and cheap on a gantry |
| Equipment price | Rises steeply with amperage | Torch and gas control are low cost |
Where plasma wins
- Sheet and plate up to about 30 mm, where plasma is much faster and needs no preheat
- Stainless steel, aluminum and other non-ferrous metals, which oxy-fuel cannot cut
- Parts with many holes and small details
- Thin plate, where the oxy-fuel heat input would warp the part
Where oxy-fuel wins
- Carbon steel thicker than about 40–50 mm
- Very thick blanks and base plates, up to 200 mm and beyond
- Cutting several identical parts at the same time with multiple torches
- Workshops where electrical supply is limited
The combined machine
On a combined machine, the plasma torch handles everyday sheet and plate while the oxy-fuel torch takes over on heavy plate. The P1530 cuts plasma up to 40 mm and oxy-fuel from 6 to 200 mm on a 1500 × 3000 mm table. The G2040 and G3060 gantries cut plasma up to 30 mm and oxy-fuel from 6 to 150 mm on larger plate. Both run from the same nesting software and control.
How to decide
- List your platesWrite down the thickness and material of the plates you cut each week.
- Find the crossoverIf more than about 80% of the work is under 30 mm, plasma should lead.
- Check stainless and aluminumIf you cut them, you need plasma.
- Check the thickest carbon plateIf it is over 50 mm, add oxy-fuel rather than buying a much bigger plasma source.
Ask an engineer
Tell us the thickness range and materials you cut, and we will tell you whether plasma, oxy-fuel or both makes sense.