A consumables holder assembly for a plasma arc torch having a torch head, the consumables holder assembly comprising a main body, a shielding cup which engages to the main body, a connection means which engages the main body to the torch head and consumable components including an electrode, a nozzle, a plasma gas distributor, a shielding gas distributor which are all positioned inside the shielding cup, wherein that the consumable holder assembly can be detached from the torch head together with the consumable components and the shielding cup as one unit, wherein the connection means comprises a mechanical attachment mechanism which is engageable with the torch head.

This specification describes systems, methods, and architectures related to generating a plasma shield for laser operations. An example system for generating a plasma shield includes a laser head for directing a laser beam towards a target area on a workpiece. The path of the laser beam from the laser head to the target area on the workpiece is substantially surrounded by a plasma shield, which may form a gas-impermeable barrier. The plasma shield is configured to prevent the ingress of atmospheric or environmental gases, for example oxygen, into an area which would allow the gas to be in contact with the area of the workpiece being interacted with by a laser beam. The shape or location of the plasma shield may be controlled or altered using a magnetic field.

A plasma cutting method providing a plasma torch having an electrode disposed within a first nozzle with a first exit section facing an end of the electrode. The first gas source supplies a gas to the first nozzle. A second nozzle is arranged concentrically around the first nozzle and has a second exit section substantially facing the first exit section. A second gas source supplies the gas between the first nozzle and the second nozzle. The electrode is supplied with a current, and the first and second nozzles are supplied with the gas to form a plasma with the gas introduced into the first nozzle. The surrounding pressure around the plasma jet in the second nozzle at the exit of the first nozzle is controlled to be at least superior to the atmospheric pressure and inferior to the pressure in the first exit section.

Plasma gas is ejected from inner gas ejection ports that are formed in a downstream side housing, and nitrogen gas is supplied as protective gas to a protective gas source between a housing and a cover section. Nitrogen gas is sucked in accompanying exhaust from inner gas ejection ports of plasma gas, and is ejected from the outer gas ejection ports. In this case, since a layer of nitrogen gas is formed in the periphery of plasma gas, it is possible to make it difficult to bring the plasma gas into contact with air, and it is possible to make it difficult to react a reactive species such as a radical in the plasma gas, oxygen in the air, and the like.

A plasma arc torch system comprising a plasma arc torch is provided. The torch includes an electrode, a nozzle, a vent passage and a shield. The nozzle is spaced from the electrode to define a plasma chamber therebetween. The plasma chamber is configured to receive a plasma gas. The vent passage, disposed in the nozzle body, is configured to divert a portion of the plasma gas exiting the plasma chamber from a nozzle exit orifice. The shield is spaced from the nozzle to define a flow region therebetween. The flow region is configured to (i) receive a liquid and (ii) expel the liquid along with a plasma arc substantially surrounded by the liquid via a shield exit orifice.

A plasma arc torch includes a nozzle body, a nozzle extending from the nozzle body, and a shield cap. An outer retaining cap is attached to the plasma arc torch and secures the shield cap to the plasma arc torch. A sleeve is located radially outward from the outer retaining cap and is configured to receive a flow of pressurized gas. An insulator is located between the outer retaining cap and the sleeve. At least one of the sleeve and the insulator forms a gas flow channel configured to direct a gas flow from the sleeve to a distal portion of the outer retaining cap.

A method for using a plasma torch includes delivering a plasma gas through a plasma gas flow channel of a plasma torch while ionizing the plasma gas to produce a plasma arc that extends between the electrode and the workpiece. Additionally, shield fluid is delivered through a shield flow channel at a first pressure. A piercing operation to produce a pierce hole in the workpiece using the plasma arc is initiated while the shield fluid is delivered through the shield flow channel at the first pressure. After conducting the piercing operation for an amount of time, the shield fluid is delivered to the shield flow channel at a second pressure that is higher than the first pressure. Subsequent to the piercing operation, performing a cutting operation that forms a cut in the workpiece that originates at and extends away from a boundary of the pierce hole.

The invention relates to a plasma torch, in particular plasma cutting torch, in which at least one secondary medium is guided by at least one secondary feeder through a housing of the plasma torch to a nozzle protection cap opening and/or to further openings that are provided in a nozzle protection cap. In the at least one feeder, at least one valve for opening and closing the feeder is provided directly within the housing of the plasma torch, and wherein the at least one secondary feeder is divided into at least two parallel feeders through which the at least one media flows in the direction of the nozzle protection cap opening or the further openings, and at least two valves, which are each individually activatable, for opening and closing the at least two parallel feeders are provided within the housing.

The invention relates to a plasma torch, in particular plasma cutting torch, in which at least one secondary medium is guided by at least one feeder through a housing of the plasma torch to a nozzle protection cap opening and/or to further openings that are provided in a nozzle protection cap. In the at least one feeder, at least one valve for opening and closing the feeder is provided directly within the housing of the plasma torch.

Disclosed are a reverse polarity plasma arc robot additive manufacturing system and an implementation method therefor, the system comprising an industrial robot, an additive manufacturing power source, a wire feeding machine, a machine visual system, an industrial computer, a plasma welding gun, a refrigerating device, a gas device and an auxiliary tool fixture. The industrial robot, the additive manufacturing power source, the wire feeding machine, the refrigerating device, the gas device and the auxiliary tool fixture are all connected to the industrial computer via a CAN bus; the machine visual system is connected to the industrial computer by means of a TCP/IP protocol; the plasma welding gun is connected to the refrigerating device, the additive manufacturing power source, the wire feeding machine, the gas device and the auxiliary tool fixture; and the refrigerating device is further connected to the additive manufacturing power source. The additive manufacturing power source comprises a main-arc power source and a pilot-arc power source, and the main-arc power source and the pilot-arc power source are both connected to the plasma welding gun; and the main-arc power source comprises a main-arc power source main circuit and a main-arc power source control circuit, and the pilot-arc power source comprises a pilot-arc power source main circuit, a pilot-arc power source control circuit and a high-frequency and high-voltage arc ignition circuit. The additive manufacturing power source not only realizes the inverse change of the high-frequency and high-efficiency, but also realizes the integration and digital integration of the pilot-arc power source and the main-arc power source. The main-arc power source and the pilot-arc power source are digitally coordinated by means of a CAN network, and the volume of same is compact, the compatibility is better, the field environment is more adaptable, and the expansion capability is stronger.