Oxyfuel and plasma cutting serve distinct roles in modern fabrication, with oxyfuel excelling on thick carbon steels and plasma dominating thin-to-medium conductive metals like stainless and aluminum. Selecting the optimal process depends on material type, thickness, edge quality requirements, and production volume in UAE workshops.
Material Compatibility
Oxyfuel thrives on low-alloy and mild steels above 25mm thickness, using oxygen-fuel preheat followed by a pure oxygen jet to oxidize and blow away molten metal. It cannot process stainless steel, aluminum, or copper due to oxidation limitations. Plasma cutting's ionized gas arc slices any electrically conductive material—stainless, aluminum, brass, Monel—with consistent quality across 1-40mm thicknesses.
Thickness and Speed Sweet Spots
Plasma delivers 3-12x faster cuts on plates under 25mm, piercing stainless in seconds without preheat delays. Oxyfuel reverses advantage above 50mm, slicing S690QL heavy plate at 400-600mm/min versus plasma's speed drop-off. Hybrid tables combine both torches for seamless transition across full material ranges.
Edge Quality and HAZ Control
Modern HD plasma achieves near-laser edge quality (±0.3mm tolerance) with minimal dross on stainless, ideal for exposed marine fittings. Oxyfuel produces straighter, square edges on thick carbon steel but wider kerf (3-5mm) and larger heat-affected zones demand more grinding before welding high-strength quenched steels.
Cost and Production Efficiency
Plasma's higher equipment cost offsets through 70% lower operating expense—no fuel gas cylinders or preheat cycles. Oxyfuel remains economical for single-piece thick plate bevels where plasma consumables become prohibitive. CNC nesting software maximizes yield on both systems, but plasma's bevel station adds compound angle capability for pipe intersections.
UAE Fabrication Decision Matrix
Sharjah fabricators leverage oxyfuel cutting services | precision steel plate processing uae for S355/S690 structural components and plasma cut stainless steel | precision cutting services uae for 304/316L skids and pressure vessels. Match process to alloy thickness: carbon steel >40mm = oxyfuel, stainless/aluminum any thickness = plasma, maximizing throughput while minimizing secondary operations.