The present disclosure relates to aluminum production, more particularly, to a method of breaking an electrolyte crust in reduction cells of all types. According to a disclosed method for breaking electrolyte crust by means of separation cutting in a reduction cell for production of aluminum, the crust is cut and broken by means of the thermal melting of a crust material with a high-speed high-temperature concentrated flow of thermal plasma jet heat energy, for which a directed thermal plasma jet is generated and moved above the electrolyte crust along a predetermined path, a formed molten material is continuously removed from a zone of the thermal plasma jet impact to create in the electrolyte crust a slit with the thermal plasma jet, wherein the slit is enough for of crust continuous separation cutting and breaking. The technical effect in the addressing the mentioned object, reduction of the amount of broken electrolyte crust, avoiding the formation of electrolyte crust pieces during the breakage process and, consequently, reduction of power consumption for heating-up the covering material consisting of a mixture of alumina and crushed electrolyte used to form an electrolyte crust.

Methods and apparatus for a material cutting system are provided. The system has a table for receiving a work piece. A cutting head cuts the work piece on the table and includes a positioning apparatus. The positioning apparatus moves the cutting head relative to the work piece at an angle relative to a planar surface of the work piece. The material cutting system also includes a computerized numeric controller (CNC) controlling the positioning apparatus. The CNC references a table of values within application software to find a material value and a work piece thickness value within the table to determine the angle from the perpendicular to produce a kerf edge that is formed at a particular angle to the work piece planar surface.

Methods and apparatus for a material cutting system are provided. The system has a table for receiving a work piece. A cutting head cuts the work piece on the table and includes a positioning apparatus. The positioning apparatus moves the cutting head relative to the work piece at an angle relative to a planar surface of the work piece. The material cutting system also includes a computerized numeric controller (CNC) controlling the positioning apparatus. The CNC references a table of values within application software to find a material value and a work piece thickness value within the table to determine the angle from the perpendicular to produce a kerf edge that is formed at a particular angle to the work piece planar surface.

A power supply system includes multiple power supply devices including a first power supply device and a second power supply device that are connected in common to a load. The first power supply device calculates control information for controlling voltage or current to be output to the load and source information for obtaining the control information, and controls the output to the load based on the calculated control information while transmitting the source information to the second power supply device. The second power supply device receives the source information transmitted from the first power supply device, calculates control information based on the received source information, and controls the output to the load while detecting current to be output from itself to the load and transmitting current information to the first power supply device. The first power supply device receives the current information and calculates control information and source information based on the received current information and the current and voltage detected by itself.

Automatically identifying interchangeable torch components, such as consumables, for welding and cutting torches includes adding one or more passive markings to a surface of an interchangeable torch component. Then, automatic identification can be effectuated by a torch assembly including a torch body and one or more imaging devices or a system including the torch assembly and a power supply. The torch body has an operative end configured to removably receive one or more interchangeable torch components including one or more passive markings. The one or more imaging devices are positioned to optically acquire an image of or image data representative of the one or more passive markings included on the one or more interchangeable torch components so that the one or more interchangeable torch components can be automatically identified based on the one or more passive markings. Consequently, various components can be reliably and consistently identified.

A cooling component suitable for cooling an electrical component disposed in a power source of a welding or cutting system includes a heat transfer surface, an inlet, an outlet, and a closed flow area. The heat transfer surface transfers heat away from the electrical component. The inlet receives process gas from a gas source and the outlet directs the process gas downstream towards a torch assembly. The closed flow area extends between the inlet and the outlet and is in thermal communication with the heat transfer surface so that the process gas enhances cooling of the electrical component as the process gas travels through the closed flow area, from the inlet to the outlet.

An engine-driven welding generator that monitors fuel level is provided. The engine-driven welding generator comprises a fuel level monitoring system configured to measure a remaining fuel level in a fuel tank of the engine-driven welding generator, determine a rate of fuel usage of an engine of the engine-driven welding generator, and calculate a remaining run time of the engine based on the remaining fuel level and the rate of fuel usage of the engine

An engine-driven welding generator that monitors fuel level is provided. The engine-driven welding generator comprises a fuel level monitoring system configured to measure a remaining fuel level in a fuel tank of the engine-driven welding generator, determine a rate of fuel usage of an engine of the engine-driven welding generator, and calculate a remaining run time of the engine based on the remaining fuel level and the rate of fuel usage of the engine

An engine-driven welding generator that monitors fuel level is provided. The engine-driven welding generator comprises a fuel level monitoring system configured to measure a remaining fuel level in a fuel tank of the engine-driven welding generator, determine a rate of fuel usage of an engine of the engine-driven welding generator, and calculate a remaining run time of the engine based on the remaining fuel level and the rate of fuel usage of the engine.

Embodiments of a cart for transporting equipment are provided. The cart includes a support, a frame, and legs. The support is configured to hold the equipment. The legs are connected to the support via a first hinge joint. The legs rotate about the first hinge joint between a first leg position and a second leg position. The support is connected to the frame via a second hinge joint. The support rotates about the second hinge joint between a first support position and a second support position. The cart has a first configuration in which the at least one leg is in the first leg position and the support is in the first support position. The cart also has a second configuration in which the at least one leg is in the second leg position and the support is in the second support position.