To better teach his students in the lab, metals and welding instructor Tom Sullivan spent part of Warren City Schools Oct. 4, 2023, Waiver/Professional Learning Day honing his skills on the new cutting machine at Warren G. Harding High School.
The machine is actually a 2022 Torchmate 4800 CNC Plasma Table made by Lincoln Electric Cutting Systems.
The four welding booths and four welding simulators at Harding were all produced by Lincoln Electric. The school district has developed a great partnership with the company’s office in Cleveland dating back at least seven years, explained Suzette Jackson, assistant curriculum director for grades 6-12.
Plasma tables are used in manufacturing, agricultural, engineering and construction fields to cut iron, stainless steel, aluminum and other metals using a plasma torch. Plasma cutting machines are computer automated, allowing for a high level accuracy for a precise cuts. They have been used to make signs, yard art, outdoor furniture, gates, indoor décor, wall décor, emblems, fire pits, decorative panels, and sculptures, among other items.
The district was able to purchase the plasma table with federal grant funding through an Expanding Opportunities for Each Child grant.
