LEV101 CNC Plasma Tables LEV Application and Performance Appraisal

CNC plasma cutting is widely used across fabrication workshops, manufacturing plants, automotive restoration, education, and engineering environments. It is fast, accurate, and versatile — but it also generates significant quantities of hazardous airborne contaminants.

During cutting, the plasma arc vaporises metal and surface coatings, producing a mixture of fine fume, metallic particulate, gases, and dust. Depending on the materials being processed, this may include hazardous substances such as hexavalent chromium, manganese, nickel compounds, zinc oxide, ozone, and oxides of nitrogen.

Without effective Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV), these contaminants can quickly enter the operator’s breathing zone or contaminate the wider workplace.

Despite the widespread use of CNC plasma tables, the extraction systems serving them are often poorly understood, inconsistently maintained, or difficult to assess during a Thorough Examination and Test.

That’s exactly why I wrote LEV101: CNC Plasma Cutting Tables – A Practical LEV Guide.

A Practical Field Guide for LEV Engineers

LEV101 has been written specifically for professionals carrying out COSHH Regulation 9 Thorough Examination and Test (TExT) inspections on CNC plasma extraction systems.

This guide focuses on the practical challenges commonly encountered when assessing plasma table LEV systems, including:

• Understanding the CNC plasma cutting process and contaminant generation
• Common plasma table configurations including open bed, enclosed, and partially enclosed systems
• Hood arrangements such as under-torch extraction, damper-controlled sections, and open under-bed designs
• Reverse jet filtration systems and common performance issues
• Fire and explosion considerations associated with metallic dusts
• Practical airflow testing, duct traverses, differential pressure checks, and filter assessments
• Qualitative testing using tracer smoke and live cutting observations

Using diagrams, schematics, and practical field-based guidance, the guide helps engineers understand not just how these systems are supposed to work — but how they commonly fail.

Why It Matters

CNC plasma extraction systems can present unique challenges compared with more conventional LEV systems.

Common issues include:

• blocked extraction zones beneath the cutting bed
• failed or sticking dampers
• collapsed flexible hoses on under-torch systems
• inadequate transport velocities causing dust settlement
• overloaded or failing cartridge filters
• poor airflow distribution across large bed areas

Even where airflow readings initially appear acceptable, poor hood design, maintenance failures, or filtration issues can significantly reduce actual contaminant control.

LEV101 helps practitioners approach plasma systems with greater confidence by providing practical guidance on what to inspect, what to measure, what commonly goes wrong, and how to determine whether the system is likely to adequately protect the operator.

Whether you are an LEV engineer, occupational hygienist, consultant, or competent person involved in LEV testing, LEV101 is designed to be a practical companion guide for assessing CNC plasma extraction systems in the real world.