Hypertherm’s unrelenting focus has been on plasma metal-cutting technology.

“With a continuous stream of innovations to improve cut quality and service life, enhance productivity, and lower operating costs, Hypertherm products have set the standard in the thermal cutting market,” a company spokesman says.
Hypertherm, an exhibitor at Gulf Industry Fair, has more than 1,000 associates along with operations and partner representations in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia.
The region managed out of Hypertherm’s European headquarters in The Netherlands actually encompasses not only Europe, but Russia, the Middle East and Africa as well. This area represents one of the strongest growth markets for the company, with particularly dynamic growth coming out of central and Eastern Europe, Russia and the Middle East.

Cutting edge
“Hypertherm designs and manufactures the world’s most advanced plasma-cutting systems for use in a variety of industries. They have been proven to decrease the cost of metal cutting in the full range of applications – from hand-held cutting and fabricating to mechanised production and computer-controlled automated manufacturing,” the spokesman states.
“Our design efforts are not only focused on creating systems that lead the world in cutting performance, but also on reducing components in our power supplies. The purpose of this, of course, is to increase reliability, for it is a design truism that fewer components directly correlate to increased reliability. The latest Hypertherm systems feature only 50 per cent of the power supply components of those manufactured only a few years ago.”
Another Hypertherm focus is to make cutting systems that are easier to use than ever before. This means increased portability and new torch designs that increase operator access to angles and corners. In its mechanised systems, it translates into CNC control of gas flow parameters and simpler operator set up and control requirements.

Unmatched mechanised and manual cutting systems
Hypertherm’s family of mechanised plasma arc-cutting systems covers the full spectrum of metal-cutting needs – from sheet metal less than 1 mm thick to stainless steel up to 150 mm thick.
Customers can select from Hypertherm’s conventional air plasma systems for thin material, mild steel, stainless steel and aluminum.  These are said to be ideal for heating, ventilating and air conditioning applications. They can select a long life mechanised system that delivers tremendously long consumable life for heavy-duty production. Or, if the customer requires tight-tolerance cutting, he can select from its family of industry-leading HyPerformance HyDefinition plasma systems, an alternative to laser for many applications but at a fraction of the cost, the company explains.
The new generation of HyPerformance plasma cutting systems, the HPR400XD, will be available in the beginning of 2009.
This new 400 ampere system adds faster cut speeds and increased thickness capabilities to HyDefinition cut quality at half the operating costs. The HPR400XD is the first 400 ampere HyPerformance system ever developed. It is equipped with patent-pending PowerPierce technology which allows metal as thick as 50 mm to be pierced and cut with high precision. A 30 to 400 amp process range allows cutting, and beveling up to 80 mm thick metal. The patented consumable design delivers consistent HyDefinition cut quality at faster speeds. Through patented LongLife technology the consumables last much longer while maintaining consistent cut quality. This significantly lowers overall operating costs. The system also features improved marking capability, using the same consumables as used for cutting.

Manual cutting systems
Hypertherm’s Powermax line of handheld systems is known for its ease-of-use, durability and safety for demanding work environments.
“The world’s most versatile and portable plasma cutting and gouging system is the Powermax45, which was launched in September 2008. This system has a maximum production capacity of 19 mm and severance capability up to 25 mm. The Powermax45 is a single-gas system (air or nitrogen) designed for both hand-held and mechanised applications,” the spokesman highlighted.
He said users would benefit from the system’s ease-of-use ( it weighs 15.8 kg), excellent cut quality, and long consumable life, which keep productivity high and operating costs low. Advanced inverter power supply design and high tolerance for input line variations made the Powermax systems ideal tools for use in field applications where easy mobility was essential.

The cost-cutting aim
“Trimming unnecessary operating costs helps fabricators improve their bottom line, and that is Hypertherm’s goal. No company has more plasma cutting experience. No other company focuses exclusively on plasma cutting and no other systems can cut the cost of cutting metal better than Hypertherm,” said the spokesman.
Hypertherm Europe’s office is located in Roosendaal, The Netherlands (www.Hypertherm.com/eu).
Alruqee Industrial Marketing Co Ltd, Al Khobar, holds the agency for Hyperthem in Saudi Arabia (www.alruqee.net).