Plasmit was developed during the 1980’s, by Richard Hadley, who was at the time a region manager for L-Tec Welding and Cutting Systems. (Now ESAB) Shortly following tremendous sales of plasma gouging equipment to the railroads, it became evident that plasma torches could not withstand the abuse from repair of rail equipment. In real life on the rails, gouging can take place on painted and greasy surfaces. Quite often, the paint or grease ignites. The operator does not or cannot see that his torch is now in a fire, until too late. Another example is when when gouging into a corner. The molten metal just splashes back onto the torch, melting the torch body. Not to mention the torch getting dragged across rails, through locomotives and rail cars, physically breaking the torch head.
A solution had to be found if plasma gouging was going to be viable in heavy industry. There was no ready made product, so Hadley created PLASMIT. Incorporated in 1988, we expected that the plasma torch builders would find a better solution to this problem, but so far, Plasmit is the only proven torch protector on the market. Of course, plasma torches have improved over the years. But it is a simple fact that to build a torch to withstand the occasional heavy gouging abuse would be cost prohibitive, and likely not very user friendly. Metal shields are an obvious solution, but there are serious drawbacks to metal shields. Metal shields make it more difficult for the operator to maneuver the torch during gouging As well, plasma torches operate at high voltage and high amperage. Metal shields are electrically conductive. Should the arc power short circuit to the shield, and if the operator was touching the shield, there is a serous risk of electrical shock and injury. That is why there are no handheld plasma torches with metal near the operator handle. (Although it does not happen often, sometimes a torch will short circuit out the side of the nozzle or torch body, usually because a metal guide was used, and the torch was already damaged. There are very interesting fireworks when this happens!)
PLASMIT has allowed industry to benefit from the tremendous advantages of plasma cutting and gouging in heavy industry, and that is why PLASMIT celebrates 25 years in business this year!
Plasma gouging on a locomotive truck
