The influence of a plasma jet on pure copper surfaces of different thicknesses is discussed. It is shown that during cutting, due to an intensive removal of molten metal from the cutting zone, a heat affected zone of large thickness and a fusion zone are mainly formed. Plasma cutting of copper sheets, especially those of large thicknesses, is complicated by the dynamic processes of melting, flow and crystallization of the metal displaced from the cavity cut by the gas jet. Inhomogeneities in the metal flow from the cutting zone, a high rate of heat removal and crystallization cause the formation of beading in the lower part of the cut, and its size increases significantly with the thickness of the cut parts.
