Plasma cutter with integrated air compressor

A plasma cutter comprising:

• a cutting power supply disposed to provide power to a plasma torch;
• and
• an air compressor disposed to provide air to the plasma torch, wherein the air compressor is integrated into the plasma cutter, and wherein the air compressor includes an air compressor motor;
• wherein the cutting power supply includes a buck convertor, connected to a cutting winding, and having a switch and an inductive element, and wherein the air compressor motor is at least part of the inductive element.

A plasma cutter comprising:

• cutting means for providing power to a plasma torch;
• air supply means for providing air to the plasma torch, wherein the air supply means is integrated into the plasma cutter;
• and
• a regulator means for receiving a feedback signal and for regulating the air supply in response to the feedback signal, wherein the regulator means further includes a fixed setpoint, and includes a regulator circuit means for comparing the fixed setpoint and a voltage feedback signal.

A plasma cutter comprising:

• cutting means for providing power to a plasma torch;
• air supply means for providing air to the plasma torch, wherein the air supply means is integrated into the plasma cutter;
• a regulator means for receiving a feedback signal and for regulating the air supply in response to the feedback signal;
• and
• a cutting power controller means for controlling the cutting power in response to a fixed set point and a cutting power feedback signal, and wherein the cutting power controller means and the regulator means are part of an integrated controller, whereby the air supply is integrated into the plasma cutter by having an integrated controller.

A plasma cutter comprising:

• cutting means for providing power to a plasma torch;
• and
• air supply means for providing air to the plasma torch, wherein the air supply means is integrated into the plasma cutter, and wherein the air supply means includes a motor;
• wherein the cutting power supply means includes a buck convertor, connected to a cutting winding, and having a switch and an inductive element, and the motor is at least part of the inductive element.

A method of plasma cutting comprising:

• providing plasma cutting power to a plasma torch with a cutting power supply;
• supplying air from an air supply integrated into the plasma cutter;
• providing the air to the plasma torch;
• and
• regulating the air supply in response to a feedback signal;
• and
• turning on and off the air supply motor in response to a trigger signal.