Shopping for welding and cutting products online can lead to some tremendous deals and discounts on products that can be quite costly at full retail price. However, with the advantages of online shopping come the risks of manufacturers who sell cheap knock offs and defective products. Of course these manufacturers who cut corners and sell inferior products can sometimes imitate high quality tools and parts, but they certainly can’t reliably make better products.
Why should you use genuine plasma cutter consumables from a trusted distributor who is an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)? Here’s a look at what’s at stake and some options to consider:
What’s at Stake with Knock Off Consumables
Close enough isn’t good enough when it comes to plasma cutting. A narrow kerf, clean edges, and reliable cutting speeds are all jeopardized when you invest in knock off consumables that are made to approximate sizes. If you think you’re saving money on an imitation consumable, remember that you could lose a lot of time trying to correct uneven cuts and that could mean losing a lot of money for your business in man-hours.
Keep in mind that the consumable is routinely blasted with the most concentrated heat from the plasma cutter. Even small variations in sizing can lead to major problems, especially when you’re using a high powered CNC cutting machine. You’ll burn through consumables faster and lose a lot of time throughout the day as you change them.
Inconsistent cuts could also lead to inconsistent business if you get a reputation for being sloppy or cutting corners. In addition, some cheap consumables have even resulted in plasma torches being damaged and causing safety concerns in some shops.
Better Safety with OEM Parts
Genuine OEM parts are manufactured to precise specifications and are manufactured with patented technology that ensures they will perform as expected and won’t have any problems lining up properly with the torch. When it comes to knock off parts, they are typically manufactured with guesswork and approximations based on existing parts.
When you’re working with a blazing hot plasma cutter, the last thing you want is a consumable that isn’t made to demanding design specifications. Safety becomes a significant concern in some cases.
Better Support with OEM Parts
If you run into any problems with OEM parts or your machine has an issue, you are guaranteed better support from the manufacturer. While problems are going to be less likely with OEM parts, you’ll also find that support staff can offer better trouble-shooting advice and warranties are more likely to be honored when you’re using an OEM consumable in your plasma cutter.
Longer Consumable Life with OEM Parts
The most common complaint about cheap, imitation consumables is how fast they are consumed. You won’t enjoy a very long cutting life with each consumable, and so even if you can save a lot of money on the parts, you won’t get as much use out of them.
Once you consider how frequently you need to replace cheaply manufactured imitation consumables, your savings may not be as much as you’d hoped! In fact, some metal workers and welders report that knock off consumables aren’t even much cheaper compared to genuine consumables.
Save on OEM Consumables at Baker’s Gas and Welding
You don’t have to rely on cheap knock off products in order to find excellent prices for welding and cutting supplies online. You’ll find some of the best promotions, lowest prices, and most affordable shipping options (usually FREE for orders over $50!) for OEM consumables for plasma cutters at Baker’s Gas and Welding.