In some aspects, material processing head can include a body; an antenna disposed within the body; a first tag, associated with a first consumable component, disposed within a flux communication zone of the body at a first distance from the antenna, the first tag having a first resonant frequency; and a second tag, associated with a second consumable component, disposed within the flux communication zone of the body at a second distance from the antenna, the second tag having a second resonant frequency that is different than the first resonant frequency, where the first and second resonant frequencies are tuned based upon at least one of: i) a difference between the first distance and the second distance; or ii) a characteristic (e.g., shape) of the flux communication zone in which the first tag and/or the second tag is disposed.

A method of preparing machining and/or cutting of a bar material, comprising the steps of obtaining a set of geometries to be machined and/or cut from a bar material; calculating at least one length of a bar material based on the geometries; presenting the at least one calculated length of a bar material; and deciding on a length of a bar material at least based on the at least one presented length of a bar material. Further described is a system for preparing machining and/or cutting of a bar material, wherein the system comprises a receiver for obtaining a set of geometries to be machined and/or cut from a bar material; a calculator for calculating a length of a bar material based on the geometries; a presentation unit for presenting the calculated length of a bar material; and a decision unit for deciding on a length of a bar material based on the presented length of a bar material.

A method of preparing machining and/or cutting of a bar material, comprising the steps of obtaining a set of geometries to be machined and/or cut from a bar material; calculating at least one length of a bar material based on the geometries; presenting the at least one calculated length of a bar material; and deciding on a length of a bar material at least based on the at least one presented length of a bar material. Further described is a system for preparing machining and/or cutting of a bar material, wherein the system comprises a receiver for obtaining a set of geometries to be machined and/or cut from a bar material; a calculator for calculating a length of a bar material based on the geometries; a presentation unit for presenting the calculated length of a bar material; and a decision unit for deciding on a length of a bar material based on the presented length of a bar material.

Automated systems and methods for making cuts in large materials, particularly to trim and reduce the sizes of steel plates and slabs and produce therefrom one or more reduced-size pieces, optionally with the ability to reduce or avoid the need to perform a separate deburring operation on the materials after undergoing such cuts. Such a system includes multiple support units aligned in a longitudinal direction of a foundation and longitudinal and cross cutting units translatable in the longitudinal direction for performing, respectively, longitudinal and lateral cuts in a material. The support units are independently translatable in the longitudinal direction and each support unit has a crossmember that extends in the lateral direction, is adapted to at least partially support the material, and is operable to be raised and lowered in the vertical direction while the material is supported by the crossmembers.

Automated systems and methods for making cuts in large materials, particularly to trim and reduce the sizes of steel plates and slabs and produce therefrom one or more reduced-size pieces, optionally with the ability to reduce or avoid the need to perform a separate deburring operation on the materials after undergoing such cuts. Such a system includes multiple support units aligned in a longitudinal direction of a foundation and longitudinal and cross cutting units translatable in the longitudinal direction for performing, respectively, longitudinal and lateral cuts in a material. The support units are independently translatable in the longitudinal direction and each support unit has a crossmember that extends in the lateral direction, is adapted to at least partially support the material, and is operable to be raised and lowered in the vertical direction while the material is supported by the crossmembers.

An automated oxy-fuel thermal processing system including an oxy-fuel torch, an automated machine tool operatively coupled to the torch for moving the torch relative to a work piece, and a circuit including a voltage source or a current electrically connected to the torch and configured to be electrically connected to the work piece. The automated oxy-fuel thermal processing system may further include a processor that is operatively connected to the torch, the automated machine tool, the circuit, and the voltage source or current source, wherein the processor is configured to control the operation of the torch, the automated machine tool and the voltage source or current source, and to monitor a current or voltage in the circuit in a predefined manner.

An automated oxy-fuel thermal processing system including an oxy-fuel torch, an automated machine tool operatively coupled to the torch for moving the torch relative to a work piece, and a circuit including a voltage source or a current electrically connected to the torch and configured to be electrically connected to the work piece. The automated oxy-fuel thermal processing system may further include a processor that is operatively connected to the torch, the automated machine tool, the circuit, and the voltage source or current source, wherein the processor is configured to control the operation of the torch, the automated machine tool and the voltage source or current source, and to monitor a current or voltage in the circuit in a predefined manner.

In some aspects, autonomous motion devices configured to operably connect to a plasma torch of a plasma cutting system can include: a body to support a power supply of the plasma cutting system and move relative to a workpiece; a torch holder connected to the body and configured to position a plasma arc torch tip of the plasma torch relative to a region of the workpiece to be processed; a drive system to translate the body supporting the power supply and torch autonomously relative to a surface of the workpiece during a plasma processing operation; and a processor in communication with the drive system and configured to communicate with the power supply, the processor being configured to control the translation of the body relative to the workpiece in accordance with the plasma processing operation.

In some aspects, autonomous motion devices configured to operably connect to a plasma torch of a plasma cutting system can include: a body to support a power supply of the plasma cutting system and move relative to a workpiece; a torch holder connected to the body and configured to position a plasma arc torch tip of the plasma torch relative to a region of the workpiece to be processed; a drive system to translate the body supporting the power supply and torch autonomously relative to a surface of the workpiece during a plasma processing operation; and a processor in communication with the drive system and configured to communicate with the power supply, the processor being configured to control the translation of the body relative to the workpiece in accordance with the plasma processing operation.

The flame-cutting method includes determining optimum parameters in terms of the pressure and flow rate of the fuel gas and of the oxygen and in terms of the position and speed of travel of the blowtorch relative to the workpiece that is to be flame-cut, and/or to the various phases of the flame-cutting method, and/or to the type of nozzle employed. The method includes executing at least one program controlling the gas and oxygen supply lines and the device for moving the blowtorch and storing the device for automatically running at least one program for controlling the gas and oxygen supply lines and the device for moving the blowtorch in memory. The method also includes automatically selecting at least one control program, the device for automatically sending control setpoints to the gas and oxygen supply lines, and the device for moving the blowtorch.