Product category:
Materials and components
News Release from: Victrex | Subject: Victrex Peek
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 16 January 2004
Polymer withstands plasma potential
Esab Welding and Cutting Products, based in South Carolina, USA, has turned to Victrex Peek polymer for the electrical insulators in its plasma cutting torches.
Esab Welding and Cutting Products, based in South Carolina, USA, has turned to Victrex Peek polymer for the electrical insulators in its plasma cutting torches Replacing a leading brand of polyimide, the polymer offers the same insulation and high temperature performance but provides more cost-effective processing and superior heat ageing and creep resistance
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 5 Feb 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Plasma cutting torches are used to cut and fabricate metal parts.
They use a very high voltage electrical discharge to create an arc, known as the pilot arc, between the electrode (torch body) and the work piece.
The arc is forced through a small hole in the nozzle head, together with an extremely high temperature effluent of gas, such as air, onto the metal part.
A plasma cutting torch has typically two electrical potentials which must be insulated from each other.
Stan Severance, Staff Engineer at Esab explains: "The Victrex Peek polymer insulator is located in the head of the torch where it has to separate the electrode potential from the nozzle potential.
The insulator must withstand very high voltages of up to 10,000V at high frequencies, and extremes of temperature, especially in air-cooled torches".
Esab tested a variety of different materials before switching to Victrex Peek polymer, which provides long-term operating reliability and consistent ease of processing.
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