Metal analyzing plasma cnc cutting machine and associated methods

A plasma CNC cutting machine of the type having a bed for supporting a workpiece to be cut, a gantry that traverses the bed, a plasma cutting head apparatus mounted to the gantry, and a computer having a processor and memory storing CNC control software having instructions executable by the processor to control the gantry and the plasma cutting head apparatus to cut the workpiece with a plasma arc, the improvement comprising:

• a lens positioned and configured to capture light from the plasma arc and direct the light through an optical path;
• a spectrometer configured to analyze the light received through the optical path and generate spectral data therefrom;
• and
• spectral analysis software comprising machine readable instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to analyze the spectral data and generate a determined composition indicative of composition of the workpiece.

A method for analyzing composition of a workpiece being cut by a plasma CNC cutting machine, comprising:

• capturing light from a plasma arc of the plasma CNC cutting machine as the plasma arc cuts the workpiece;
• generating spectral data from the light;
• and
• processing the spectral data to generate a determined composition indicative of composition of the workpiece.