Plasma Arc A plasma arc is a high-temperature, electrically conductive gas discharge formed by ionizing a gas through the application of an electric field. In plasma cutting and welding processes, the plasma arc is generated by passing an electric current through a gas, typically argon, nitrogen, oxygen, or a mixture of gases. The electric arc heats the gas to extremely high temperatures, ionizing it and forming a plasma jet with temperatures reaching up to 30,000 degrees Fahrenheit (16,650 degrees Celsius). The plasma arc serves as the primary heat source in plasma cutting, melting the material being cut and expelling molten metal to create clean and precise cuts. |