Adaptive plasma cutting system and method

A plasma cutting system, comprising:

• a gas flow control system having at shield gas flow valve which controls the flow a shield gas through said gas flow control system, a plasma gas flow valve which controls the flow of a plasma gas through said gas flow control system, a first shield gas pressure detection device which detects a first location pressure of said shield gas downstream of said shield gas flow valve, and first plasma gas pressure detection device which detects a first location pressure of said plasma gas downstream of said plasma gas flow valve;
• a cutting torch assembly coupled to said gas flow control system to receive each of said shield and plasma gas, where said cutting torch assembly comprises a second shield gas pressure detection device which detects a second location pressure of said shield gas downstream of said first shield gas pressure detection sensor, and a second plasma gas pressure detection device which detects a second location pressure of said plasma gas downstream of said first plasma gas pressure detection sensor;
• and
• a controller coupled to each of said first and second shield and plasma gas pressure detection devices and to said shield and plasma gas flow valves, where said controller controls an operation of said shield and plasma gas flow valves based on gas pressure feedback signals from each of said first and second shield and plasma gas pressure detection devices to provide a desired shield gas pressure level and a desired plasma gas pressure level at or within said cutting torch assembly,
• wherein said desired plasma and shield gas pressure levels are determined by said controller based on at least one of a condition of said plasma cutting system and a parameter of a cutting operation.

A plasma cutting torch, comprising:

• an electrode which emits a plasma during a cutting operation;
• a nozzle which creates a plasma gas cavity between said nozzle and said electrode;
• and
• a shield cap which creates a shield gas cavity between said shield cap and said nozzle;
• wherein said nozzle has a plasma gas pressure channel which couples said plasma gas cavity to a plasma gas pressure detection device which measures a pressure of a plasma gas within said plasma gas cavity, and
• wherein said shield cap has a shield gas pressure channel which couples said shield gas cavity to a shield gas pressure detection device which measures a pressure of a shield gas within said shield gas cavity.

A method of controlling a gas flow in a plasma cutting system, said method comprising:

• directing a gas through at least one gas flow valve which controls the flow of said gas;
• detecting a first gas pressure of said gas at a first location downstream of said at least one gas flow valve;
• directing said gas from said first location to a cutting torch assembly;
• detecting a second gas pressure of said gas at a second location which is at or within said cutting torch assembly;
• directing said detected first gas pressure and said detected second gas pressure to a controller;
• controlling operation of said at least one gas flow valve based on said first and second gas pressures to provide a desired pressure level of said gas at or within said cutting torch assembly,
• wherein said desired pressure level is determined by said controller based on at least one of a condition of said plasma cutting system and a parameter of a cutting operation, and
• wherein said gas is either a plasma gas or a shield gas.