Chicago Women in Trades teaches plasma cutting as part of its welding program
Above: The plasma cutter at Chicago Women in Trades is a Powermax45 XP from Hypertherm.
February 2023- Chicago Women in Trades teaches plasma cutting as part of its welding program
CWIT students use the plasma cutter for at least two to three build projects throughout each course of the welding program.
Women have traditionally been underrepresented in the metalworking sector, but Chicago Women in Trades continues to make progress in increasing participation rates by supporting and training tradeswomen in Chicagoland over the past four decades.
Ashley Matrisciano, lead welding instructor and welding program coordinator for CWIT, says the organization offers three free-of-charge programs for women and those who identify as female: Technical Opportunities, Women Build Illinois and Women in Welding. The first two are geared toward gaining employment in union trades, while the welding program also targets entry-level jobs at non-union manufacturing, fabrication and construction companies.
“We have a particular focus on trying to get folks from low-income, minority groups into high-paying careers,” she says.
Welding is one of those fields, and being a competent plasma cutter is typically needed to land a position. “Plasma cutting is a necessary part of our curriculum,” Matrisciano says about the welding program. “We use the plasma cutter for at least two to three build projects throughout the course of the class.” The plasma cutter at CWIT is a Powermax45 XP from Hanover, New Hampshire-based Hypertherm. “I love the 45-amp (model),” she says.
“We ran a 30-amp [machine] for a little while and it was also very good, but that little bit of additional power definitely opens up your range of possibilities.”
A plasma cutter is extremely sensitive to hand motions when cutting manually
In addition to learning how to effectively shape metal with a plasma cutter, as well as the oxyacetylene torch, saws and angle grinders with cutoff discs, Matrisciano says students must learn how a plasma cutter works. “It is very similar to the way that a lot of welding and metal cutting pieces of equipment work, so it gives them a very good baseline understanding of what electricity does. This is how we are using electricity in order to form these materials.”
PLASMA PROVES POPULAR
The primary material that students plasma cut is sheet steel from 18 gauge to ¼ inch, she says, with the occasional opportunity to cut thicker steel up to ½ inch, possibly as part of each course’s final build project. That project requires students to develop an idea, make a blueprint, prepare all the needed materials and fabricate the object
“One of the fun parts about the final project that they do is it allows them to incorporate things that they like in the shop,” Matrisciano says. “The plasma cutter is one that is very popular for people to use because of the versatility it offers.”
Until repair work on the shop’s CNC plasma cutting table is completed, she notes that students plasma cut manually. “I love that we can use this same piece of equipment to run either manually or on a CNC automated setup. All you have to do is change your drag nozzle.”
When cutting manually, Matrisciano says successful cutting requires good hand-eye coordination and pacing, because different materials must be cut at different speeds. “I tell the students that if you are hand cutting with a plasma cutter, it is extremely sensitive to your hand motions. Nobody is as steady as they think they are.”
Students learn not only how to cut particular size pieces with guides, but also how to cut in multiple directions, produce complex shapes, and adjust speeds and feeds based on material thickness.
The Powermax45 XP plasma cutter was already at CWIT before Matrisciano arrived, and she estimates it is at least six years old. “It has been a reliable, functional staple of our program for quite a while.”
Although she was not part of the purchasing process, Matrisciano says she sees the attraction of Hypertherm equipment. Aft er having spoken with previous program instructors who also worked at metal shops, she notes that part of the benefit of training on a Hypertherm plasma cutter is that it is in common use.
“Hypertherm is one of bigger, better-vetted and more well-known suppliers of plasma cutting equipment,” Matrisciano says, adding that it keeps running as long as consumables are changed on a timely basis, such as the drag nozzle, swirl rings and electrode. “Once the electrode starts to go, it starts to damage your contact tips. Once your contact tips start to get damaged, it’s even possible that it can start to damage your drag nozzle.”
The plasma cutter is operated about 20 hours a week at CWIT.
DEMAND FOR WORKERS
Four to five Women in Welding sessions take place annually, with 10 students per each class, Matrisciano says. “We are pretty much always full, and we are pretty much always going.”
She estimates that at least 75 percent of CWIT graduates find jobs but getting positions at companies located within a reasonable commute can be a challenge. “Metalworking is booming in Chicago right now. There are a ton of available options.”
Nonetheless, some graduates move to other states to find welding work or get hired as a welder after moving, Matrisciano adds. “Once they have that skill, they can go pretty much anywhere with it.” CWIT is hoping to expand its class size to a dozen students, while a recent grant will enable the welding program to add equipment, she says. “We are going to have one or two manually operated plasma cutters and have one dedicated on our CNC table.”
And the new plasma cutting equipment will come from Hypertherm, Matrisciano says. Having all its plasma cutters from the same builder enhances bulk buying of consumables and consistency when performing maintenance.
“Because I’ve spent enough time working with [the Powermax45 XP], I feel that I understand these units, and, for better or worse, I don’t want to learn another one right now,” she remarks.
Chicago Women in Trades, 312/942-1444, http://cwit.org/
Hypertherm Associates, 800/643-0030, http://hypertherm.com/
