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New Plasma Cutter
From left, Welding Technology students Taylor
Pingry, Eugene Robertson, and Emily Berniklau watch the new plasma
cutter operate in the lab.
Bob Moffatt, instructor, said students would learn how to identify types of material,
bring up shapes on the computer and edit them according to size and cutting paths. “Plasma
cutting is cleaner, faster and with less heat input to control distortion,” Moffatt
said. “This is high-end arc welding.” Bruce Crouse, chairman of Cowley’s
Industrial Technology Department, said the technology used by Cowley students
would better prepare them for employment. “This is an example of the technology
we continue to bring to the Arkansas City campus,” Crouse said. “Students
will not only be welding and shaping materials, they’ll be using computers
to do this.”
Plasma cutting can be performed on any type of conductive material, including
mild steel, aluminum, and stainless steel. Moffatt and his students have cut
out many intricate designs on the machine, including the outline of an eagle
in flight and an American flag. The cutter has the capacity to cut material up
to 3/4-inch thick. “Wired to a computer, the computer monitors the performance
of the plasma-arc cutting process,” Moffatt said. “If a company is
into cutting multiple parts, they’re using plasma.”
