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When it comes to choosing the best CNC plasma cutting system, a metal fabricator must choose whether they want to use a downdraft system or a waterbed. When determining which system is best for you, you have to consider a wide variety of things such as what type of materials you are cutting, your specific workshop environment and needs, and much more.
Many people often wonder what the advantage of cutting under water is. To discuss the advantages, it is important to first understand what a water table does. During the plasma cutting process, a water table captures and filters out the smoke and dust created while cutting. A downdraft table does the same thing, just in a different way without using water. But, a water table is far better at capturing smoke and dust than a downdraft system. Using a waterbed comes with a variety of advantages and a few drawbacks depending on the types of material you tend to fabricate. One of the first reasons that many people choose to cut under water is that it eliminates the risk of heat distortion. This means that when you cut metals, your cut will not only be accurate but pristine, reducing the risk of wasting materials and time. Because the risk of warping or heat distortion is removed, the cutting process is often quicker and more efficient.
In addition to better smoke and particle filtration, using a waterbed significantly reduces the amount of noise that is generated during the cutting process. And, not only does that enhance safety and comfort for anyone working in the same workshop but it reduces arc glare which is another great safety feature. Typically, arc glare is generated during the CNC plasma cutting process which necessitates safety apparel such as dark safety glasses or a helmet because arc glare can seriously damage vision.
Perhaps one of the most frequent questions about waterbeds is what cutting applications are they ideally suited for? After all, they can offer a number of advantages but if they cannot achieve the cuts with the materials you work with then they will not be useful to your metal fabrication shop. Waterbeds are ideally suited to cutting mild steel and stainless steel but it can also fabricate aluminum with some special settings and considerations. A waterbed is an ideal for many customers that want a fast, efficient, safer method of cutting metal with a CNC plasma cutting system.