TTCS Welding Students Enhance Their Skills With CNC Plasma Cutter

Pictured: Welding Instructor Tim Holder, Welding Students - Brett Patterson and Caleb Christa

TTCS Welding Instructor Tim Holder introduced a CNC plasma cutter into his welding class in 2011. The Plasma Cutter is only one aspect of the entire welding class but students benefit from learning a new computer based skill in addition to traditional welding skills. The students use CAD/CAM software to create designs which are then cut out on the plasma cutter.  Students draw the designs in the CAD/CAM software which is on a Windows based computer connected to the CNC plasma cutter.  The machine is controlled by the software. The Plasma cutter can be used to create elaborate metal artwork, custom machine parts, signs and many other metal items. The only limit is the imagination of the machine operator.  Using the Plasma Cutter to create items once done by hand can reduce the time it used to take from several hours or even days to under an hour.