Metal marking and scribing with plasma

Choosing to mark with plasma – whether using a handheld torch or mechanized cutting table, has several advantages, such as marking with plasma being more permanent than soapstone or ink. In addition, the precise nature of marking done during CNC cutting process is more accurate and legible, with depth precisely controlled to determine whether marks remain visible or not after coatings are applied.

Marking with plasma can be used on wet or oily plate, and eliminates the clogging problems and humidity concerns associated with powder marking, and is safer, faster, and more accurate than marking with ink or with a hammer and punch. The versatility of the portable Powermax45^® XP plasma system makes it an ideal tool for both handheld and mechanized marking applications, and for making temporary or permanent marks on metal surfaces such as mild steel, stainless steel, or aluminum.

When fully mechanized systems, such as the HPR^® or XPR™, are equipped with both a cutting head and marking hardware, fabricators can consolidate cutting and marking into a single-pass operation for increased productivity. 

Typical marking applications include:

• Scoring to indicate cut or weld lines

• Product or part identification

• Creating position references for robotic systems

• Creating dimples to start drilling holes