Messer Cutting Systems TMC 4500 DB: New at Atlanta Plate

Messer Cutting Systems TMC 4500 DB is a heavy-duty dual beam cutting machine recently installed at Alpharetta metal supplier Kloeckner Atlanta Plate. The TMC4500 DB has 4 oxy fuel torches and 2 plasma torches and is capable of conventional plasma, precision plasma, oxy fuel, and drilling capability up to 4” diameter holes in materials up to 4” thick.

Between drilling, tapping, and counter syncing that combines the plasma and oxy fuel torches, the TMC 4500 DB offers more functionality on finished products, benefiting customers in the structural, commercial, and building supplies industries. Already, Kloeckner Atlanta Plate is fielding requests for thicker materials with tighter tolerances, and the TMC 4500DB will help them deliver to new and existing customers.

What’s Thermal Cutting?

Thermal cutting is a production process requiring the use of energy in various forms to cut virtually any shape from flat metal. Oxy fuel and plasma cutting are two types of thermal cutting.

Oxy fuel Cutting

Oxy fuel cutting is a popular thermal cutting method for cutting non-ferrous metals of all shapes and sizes. It is the preferred cutting technique for low carbon steel and some low alloys with oxides that have a lower melting point than the base metal.

“Burning”, “torch cutting”, or “flame cutting” are all used to describe what happens when oxy fuel is used to cut metal. A chemical reaction rapidly oxidizes steel and generates heat.

First, the steel must be preheated to kindling temperature – approximately 1600°F, but this depends slightly on the specific metal grade. At this point the steel reacts with oxygen, and an oxy fuel torch designed with a multi-hole nozzle focuses the highly flammable gas mixture, and the flame is adjusted to achieve the highest temperature and the smallest flame possible.

Next, oxygen steam pierces the metal. Once the cut has penetrated the full thickness of the metal, the torch begins moving at a uniform speed to produce a continuous cut.

Plasma Cutting

Plasma cutting is a specific melting process that requires a jet of 20,000°C+ ionized gas and a DC power source. The ionized gas, otherwise known as “plasma,” heats up the more electrical current there is to form a plasma arc that melts through the molten metal. The gas then blows away the excess material and the desired cut is produced. Though first developed in the 1950s, the plasma cutting process really took off in the 1990s. Since then, advancements around this technology have improved dramatically and it is now considered one of the most effective methods for cutting aluminum and stainless steel.

Messer Cutting Systems – Cleaner Finishes and Tighter Tolerances for Kloeckner Customers

Kloeckner’s commitment to digitization informs our strategic investment in cutting edge equipment that expands our capabilities and brings more value to our customers. This Messer Cutting Systems machine gives us the capability to drill a much smaller hole in thicker material with a cleaner finish and truer tolerance.

For example, design geometry can get complex, and the accuracy requirement for cutting is a lot higher. Messer’s built-in technology, like the Finite Element Analysis (FEA), allows for better predictive performance which in turn increases the safety margins and design accuracy. Tolerances of .002″ are maintained at cutting widths from 12′ (3.657m) to 28′ (5.534m) and cutting lengths up to 200′ (60.96m).

In this sense, the TMC 4500 DB is truly a workhorse when it comes to your thermal machining needs and Kloeckner Metals is proud to better service customers requiring thicker cut materials with tighter tolerances.