Below is a list of the most common questions our customers ask but if you need an answer to something different, then please feel free to contact us

There are many variables which can affect running costs, including type and thickness of material being cut, so its difficult to put an exact hourly cost down. It is widely recognised though if you take into consideration power, compressed air, consumables and routine maintenance, CNC plasma operating costs are lower than laser cutting and much lower than waterjet.

The table (inc. console) requires a single phase 110- 230v (6A-4A) supply. The Hypertherm Powermax 45XP requires either a 230v or 415v (32A) supply. The Hypertherm Powermax 65, 85 and 105 requires a 415v (32A) supply. The Hypertherm Powermax 125 requires a 415v (64A) supply. The Hypertherm MaxPro 200 requires a 415v (100A) supply.

An air compressor is an essential component of the CNC plasma cutting system. Air plays a crucial part in ensuring the best quality cut and the reliability of the machine and plasma power source. It needs to be dry and free of any contaminants like oil. The amount of cutting you intend to do will determine what compressor is best for your needs. As a minimum we would always recommend you install a 3 stage air filtration unit close to the cutting table to filter the air before it enters the plasma power source and table hardware. We can both advise and supply the best compressed air setup for your business.

It all depends on your particular application. Downdraft tables are slightly more expensive to purchase than water tables and require connection to either a filtration unit or extraction fan. The additional equipment adds extra noise, but they are easier to clean and your only option if cutting aluminium or stainless steel most of the time. Water tables are less expensive and quieter, but more difficult to clean and are not recommended for certain materials.

CNC plasma cutting can only be used for materials that are conductive. The three most popular materials are mild steel, stainless steel and aluminium however other metals and alloys such as copper, brass, titanium, hardox, inconel and cast iron can all be cut, albeit you may experience reduced edge quality due to the melting temperature of some of those metals.

Our Pro & XP plasma tables are accurate to within +/- 0.4mm (0.005”/ft)

Yes, of course! We have dedicated experience centres in many locations around the world. We can also carry out personalised remote demonstrations over Zoom, TeamViewer, Microsoft Teams and WhatsApp platforms. You can bring parts or drawings with you to cut out, or we can create something for you which best represent your particular application.

Training is always included as standard with all our Swift-Cut machines. This is on a one-to-one basis and our support engineers will ensure you are comfortable with operating your new Swift-Cut before the session ends. This can be done either remotely, which is free of charge, or on-site*

*Additional charges may apply.

We have designed our software to be extremely user friendly. It is a simple step-by-step process to layout (nest) your drawing or parametric shape, and create your g-code ready for cutting. Our SwiftCNC software has both basic and advanced screen layouts which the user can switch between as their confidence grows.

You can bring your DXF/DWG drawings into the SwiftCAM software either from files saved locally or on USB memory drive. Open the folder location where the file is saved and select the filename you want to import. Alternatively you can bring in JPEG images via the same method and then use the advanced image importer function to clean, scale or delete elements of the drawing. Once imported, simply follow the step-by- step process to nest your parts onto your sheet.

Swift-Cut plasma machines seamlessly integrate with Hypertherm plasma power sources and torches. If you already have a Hypertherm plasma, depending on age, we can advise the necessary parts required (if any) to connect it to one of our machines.

No problem at all. We have lots of customers cutting box section on our plasma machines. The maximum height box section permitted on the machine is 100mm (4”) for the Pro and 150mm (6”) for our XP table

When we talk about CNC plasma power source capacity, we quote pierce capacities. This is the maximum thickness of material the plasma can pierce if it was to start within the sheet.

Pierce Start
The pierce needs to happen quickly to reduce the chance of the molten metal blocking the consumables in the end of the plasma torch and stopping the cut.

Edge Start
It is possible however (although more difficult to setup) to start from the edge of the sheet. Because the risk of blocking the consumables is reduced, the material thickness can increase. Edge starting can also give longer consumable life.

Many factors can affect consumable longevity including air quality, material type, and the amount of pierces. If the machine is setup correctly and you’re using clean material, consumables should typically last 1-3 hours. When using the MaxPro 200, consumable technologies such as LongLife, CoolFlow™ and TrueFlow™ significantly increase consumable life to reduce cost per part.

All consumables are readily available direct from Swift- Cut or one of our approved distributors.

This one’s as much of guide as it is a hard and fast rule! When cutting holes using standard definition plasma, it’s good to follow the 2D rule. This is where, in order to maintain good hole quality and tolerance, you should ensure the smallest hole you want to cut has an approximate diameter twice that of the material thickness. i.e. if you have 5mm plate, you should aim for a hole diameter of around 6mm. All our machines have software which automatically calculates the optimum lead-in, cut height and feed rate to ensure your cut holes look as good as possible

You certainly can. If you wish to use a hand torch with your plasma, simply unplug the machine torch and CNC connections, and plug in the hand torch. You will need to place your material on the cutting bed of the Swift-Cut machine to make use of the earth connection.

Alternatively you can plug in a separate earth lead if you want to work away from the Swift-Cut. When you’ve finished hand cutting, just reverse the procedure.

You are more than welcome to use any CAD package you feel comfortable with. As long as you can save the files in a DXF/DWG format, you can open them in the SwiftCAM software without any problems.

Although traditionally waterjets are expensive to buy and run, the Swift-Jet Pro was designed from the start to break this trend. Based on the hugely successful Pro plasma table design, specific upgrades to the drive and gantry system have meant the base design remains incredible value for money. On top of this, our direct drive high pressure pump is 30% more efficient than intensifier setups and has much longer service intervals (up to 2000 hours). Average running cost including abrasive, water, power, and consumables are much lower compared to other waterjet systems.

Waterjet is known for making a mess however we have designed our tank with higher sides, and the adjustable water level reduces spray by a considerable amount keeping the machine and surrounding workplace cleaner for longer.

Water and garnet cutting materials at over 3000 bar (43000 psi) are always going to create a reasonable level of noise. However, with our adjustable water level system, cutting under water dramatically reduces noise by up to 25%. Combine that with our low RPM direct drive pump means its quieter than other waterjet solutions.

Swift-Cut are renowned for making feature rich, yet easy to use cutting tables, and our new Swift-Jet Pro is no exception. From the feedback we have received on the first tables to go out, customers could not believe how user friendly and simple the machine was to operate.

And as always, you have our skilled team of technical support engineers on hand for any questions or queries you might have.

Some materials cut cleaner than others and thinner less dense materials will generally have a higher cutting tolerance than thicker dense materials. The linear positional accuracy of the table is 0.2mm/m (0.002″/ft) of travel and the repeatability is 0.4mm/m (0.004″/ft) of travel. If you have a particular part in mind, please get in touch and we will carry out a test cut for you.

The Swift-Jet Pro is designed to cut a wide variety of materials. From expanded foam for packaging materials, to granite slabs for kitchen worktops, our machine can do them all. The only materials you cannot cut are tempered glass, diamond, certain ceramics and brittle plastics.

Garnet is readily available, and we have a special deal with GMA who are the trusted global leader in industrial garnet, and when you place your first order with them you will receive a ton of garnet free of charge.

As a general rule, the nozzle should stand approximately 2mm off the material being cut. If it’s too close then the nozzle risks getting blocked. If it’s too far away, then the jet will widen along with the kerf, and the part accuracy can be affected.

The Swift-Jet Pro is designed to stop cutting in the event it runs out of garnet. Should this happen, simply refill the hopper and begin cutting from exactly where it stopped. No fuss and no material wasted.

In the event the Swift-Jet Pro detects a drop in water pressure, it will automatically stop cutting and present the operator with an error message on the pump screen. Simply locate the problem, re-start the water supply, and then use the built-in software cut recovery feature to begin cutting from exactly where it stopped.

All the used abrasive will enter the tank and settle to the bottom until it is removed. This can be done by using an abrasive removal system (aftermarket options available) or manually removing it out. Waste abrasive can be disposed of either into waste drums or directly into bins. The garnet itself is not considered hazardous if none of the material you have been cutting with your waterjet is considered hazardous. It can even be recycled. We recommend the tank is emptied after every two tons of garnet used.

The garnet must be kept dry and away from sources of moisture. This includes buildings susceptible to damp and condensation such as non-insulated steel- clad buildings, as well as cold, damp floors. Garnet is normally delivered on a pallet and it is recommended to keep it on there until it is used.

Like all cutting processes, speed is determined by the type and thickness of material being cut, the power of the machine, and the quality of cut required. Our Swift-Jet Pro table can cut at speeds up to 10m/min (390ipm) for soft materials like foam however 25mm (1″)thick granite will cut at 20mm/min.(¾″/min).

The new Swift-Jet Pro incorporates IGEMS CAD/CAM software. As the industry standard for waterjet cutting, this software automatically adjusts cutting speeds and parameters for internal and external cornering as well as considering kerf compensation, pressure, abrasive flow and cutting head consumables. Together with the Swift-Cut’s smooth and powerful drive system, internal corners will remain as sharp as the rest.

The table (inc. console) requires a single phase 110- 230v (6A-4A) supply and the pump requires a three phase 380v-480v (40A-30A) @ 50/60hz.

We have designed the Swift-Jet Pro to come with a fantastic specification as standard. This means no hidden surprises and just a few simple options to choose. These are water only or water and abrasive cutting. And IGEMS software upgrade modules inc;

Nest Level 1 – Semi automatic nesting
Nest Level 2 – Fully automatic nesting
CAM Tools – Geometry optimisation for damaged drawings
Data Exchange – For importing even more file types including NC
SignMaker – Use fonts and images in your drawings
Tilemaker – Designed for the stone industry for cutting inlays and tiles

Yes, a forklift capable of lifting 3 ton is required.

Yes, you will receive two sets of consumables with your table. If you specify water only cutting you will receive two ruby orifices. If you specify water and abrasive cutting you will also receive two mixing tubes and two additional ruby orifices.

There are no guarantees on how long consumables will last however we typically expect between 15-20 hours per ruby orifice and 30-40 hours per mixing tubes. This is based on your water quality matching the required standard.

Technically yes, garnet can be reused. Swift-Cut do not offer a product or service to do this but there are companies out there who can help you with this.

It is worth mentioning that garnet reuse should be approached with caution. When new, garnet is chosen for its exact properties, edge sharpness and particle size. Once it’s been used, the quality and size changes which could slow down cutting speeds, cause damage to the workpiece and/or irregular abrasive flow.

The water entering the table through the cutting head does not recirculate and instead flows down the overflow pipe built into the table. This pipe will need to be plumbed into a drainage system (providing you are not cutting hazardous material). If you are cutting hazardous material you will need filtration.

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