A center pipe is used in a plasma torch including a base portion and an electrode to supply cooling water into the electrode. The center pipe includes a pipe body and a contact piece. The pipe body has a tube-like shape with a cooling water channel therein. The pipe body is electrically conductive and configured to be electrically connected to an external power source via the base portion. The contact piece is arranged radially outside the pipe body at an intermediate position between a base end surface and a tip end surface of the pipe body. The contact piece is electrically conductive and energizes the electrode through contact with an internal circumferential surface of the electrode. The base end surface is disposed outside the electrode when the center pipe is inserted into the electrode. The pipe body is configured to be electrically connected to the electrode via the contact piece.

A gas conducting unit for a gas-cooled plasma cutting torch, wherein the gas-conducting unit is single-part or multi-part tubular or annular. The gas-conducting unit comprises a single-part or multi-part tubular or annular gas-conducting unit body with a longitudinal axis L1. In a wall of the gas-conducting unit body, there are situated at least one opening, which is inclined by an angle ? in a range of ?15? with respect to the longitudinal axis L1, and at least one second opening, which is inclined radially with respect to the longitudinal axis L1 or which, in a radial plane, is inclined at an angle ? in the range of ?30? from the radial to the longitudinal axis L1.

In some aspects, nozzles for a plasma arc torch can include a first body having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis; and a second body disposed about a portion of the first body to complement the first body, the second body defining a set of channels formed on an internal surface shaped to form a set of liquid flow passages between the first body and the second body, the second body at least partially defining at least one inlet and at least one outlet to the set of liquid flow passages.

A consumable cartridge frame for a liquid-cooled plasma arc torch is provided. The consumable cartridge frame includes an insulator body configured to be disposed between a torch head and a cartridge tip. The consumable cartridge also includes a first cooling channel, disposed in the body, configured to conduct a first fluid flow received from the torch head to contact a component of the cartridge tip connected to the cartridge frame. The consumable cartridge further includes a first return channel, disposed in the body, configured to conduct at least a portion of the first fluid flow from the component to the torch head. The first cooling channel and the first return channel are non-concentric in relation to a central longitudinal axis of the body.

A center pipe is used in a plasma torch for plasma cutting including a base portion and an electrode. The center pipe is inserted into the electrode and supplies cooling water into the electrode. The center pipe includes a pipe body and a contact piece. The pipe body is electrically connected to an electrical power source outside of the plasma torch via the base portion. The pipe body includes a cooling water channel therein. The pipe body is formed with an electrically conductive body. The contact piece is provided on the external circumferential surface of the pipe body and energizes the electrode through contact with the internal circumferential surface of the electrode. The contact piece has elasticity to produce a counterforce when pressed in the radial direction of the pipe body. The contact piece is formed with an electrically conductive body.

A torch extender for a plasma arc cutting system is provided. The plasma torch extender includes an elongated substantially dielectric body that defines a first end and a second end and includes a flexible section that is poseable across a plurality of orientations. The torch extender also includes a first connector, at the first end of the elongated substantially dielectric body, which mates with a consumable set, and a second connector, at the second end of the elongated substantially dielectric body, which mates with a torch mount. The torch extender further includes a consumable detection medium that communicates the presence of the consumable set. The consumable detection medium is disposed within the elongated substantially dielectric body and extends between the first end and the second end of the elongated substantially dielectric body.

Approaches herein provide a plasma arc torch including a tip surrounding an electrode, the electrode having a proximal end and a distal end, and a shield surrounding the tip, the shield including an exit orifice proximate the distal end of the electrode. The torch may further include a linear actuating device coupled to the electrode for actuating the electrode such that the distal end of the electrode moves axially relative to the tip and the exit orifice of the shield. In some approaches, the linear actuating device is operable to actuate the electrode along a central longitudinal axis extending through the tip. In some approaches, the linear actuating device may include one of: a micro linear drive motor, a micro linear stepper motor, a voice coil, a solenoid coil, and a magnetostrictive actuator. In some approaches, the electrode is actuated during a welding or cutting cycle of the torch.

A torch head for a plasma torch includes an electrode having a vent formed therethrough, the vent being configured to receive plasma gas and direct plasma gas through the electrode. The torch head also includes a spring configured to bias the electrode toward a nozzle of the torch head. The vent of the electrode is configured to discharge plasma gas across the spring.

A device for generating an atmospheric plasma beam for treating the surface of a workpiece includes a tubular housing with an axis, an inner electrode within the housing, and a nozzle assembly with a nozzle opening for discharging a plasma beam to be generated in the housing. The direction of the nozzle opening runs at an angle relative to the axis, and the nozzle assembly can be rotated about the axis. By the aforementioned device, disadvantages are at least partly eliminated and uniform treatment of the surface is achieved in that a shield surrounds the nozzle assembly, and the shield is designed to change the intensity of the interaction of the plasma beam to be generated with the surface of the workpiece depending on the rotational angle of the nozzle assembly relative to the axis. Also provided are a system and method for treating the surface of a workpiece.

A non-transferred plasma arc system, which is provided with a non-transferred plasma torch (1) that is provided with a non-consumable electrode (101) as a negative electrode and an insert chip as a positive electrode, the insert chip being cooled by a circulated coolant (W) and the insert chip releasing a plasma arc onto a workpiece. The plasma arc torch (1) comprises a TIG welding torch (100) that is provided with the non-consumable electrode (101), whereby an arc is generated between the workpiece and said electrode (101), and a torch nozzle (105), which releases a shield gas toward an arc-generated weld pool of the workpiece. The plasma arc torch (1) is provided with an attachment (51) that is detachably attached to the TIG welding torch (100) while surrounding the periphery of the torch nozzle (105) and that functions as the insert chip, whereby a non-transferred plasma arc is inexpensively and easily used.