The document discusses plasma arc cutting (PAC), a process that uses a constricted electric arc to melt and remove metal. PAC operates at extremely high temperatures, from 10,000 to 14,000 degrees Celsius. It is commonly used for cutting aluminum, steel up to 1/2 inches thick, and can cut stacks of plates with wider gaps than oxy-fuel cutting. A variety of gases can be used for PAC including nitrogen, oxygen, argon-hydrogen mixtures, and hydrocarbons like acetylene and propane.