Hypertherm Fine Cut Consumables Not Lasting

[berk60]

Hi All,
I use a Hypertherm 1000 and it seems I don't get a very long run out of my fine tip consumables. Any ideas of what may be wrong or how to extend there lives. Is there any way to repair them? I have about 30 sets that are trash. It seems as soon as the hole in the nozzle gets a little bigger that .035 that's it.
Thanks much for sharing you insight with me.

[plain ol Bill]

There are many things that could cause consumables to go before their time. Call Hypertherm customer service and talk to them about it. They are extremely helpful folks.

[berk60]

I searched this site for the consumables repair video but couldn't find it. Any clues where it is? I know I tryed silver soldering my nozzels but it blow the .035 hole out in a matter of minutes. I am cutting 11 ga. steel sheet at 32 amps at a speed of 40 ipm. Does that sound about right?
Thanks

[admin]

Here's the post with the consumable repair video

http://plasmaspider.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=31

Is 40ipm as fast as you can go without losing the cut? If your going too slow than the arc will wander from side to side looking for "ground" and that can result in premature tip wear and a worse looking kerf than you should have.

Admin

[Wine Country]

I also use a Hypertherm Powermax 1000 with fine cut consumables. When cutting 10ga. material, my speed is
normally about 65 to 70 ipm @50 amps. This gives me good clean cuts with minimal dross. Look at the angle of the
cut on the edge of your material. The Hypertherm website recommends about a 15 degree angle. Also ,I always inspect
my consumables before starting anything that requires long cutting sessions. I look at my pierce counter and sometimes
it is up to 1200 pierces in no time. I do not believe there is a given length of time consumables should last. I change my
consumables quite often, as the cost of a sheet of 10ga with unacceptable cuts for an expensive job is far more expensive
than an electrode and tip. This is why I charge for pierces in my pricing too. Marty

[Ironman]

Lifespan of Finecuts is a result of the air quality, amperage (40 amp Finecut should be run at 40 amp) and most important height controll.
I have got 3000 inches on the Finecut in my torch right now and the tip hole is still close to spec, and the halfnium slug in the electrode is down about 1/2 way to the .030 replacement point.
Here is an email from Jim Colt discussing this issue. He is a Hypertherm tech using a Pcam table.

Assuming that you are cutting material within the ?dross free? thickness capability of the Fine Cut consumables?.typically materials under 3/16? can be cut virtually dross free?.the best ways to minimize or eliminate dross are as follows:

Dross is usually caused by cutting too slow. Often, there is a fine line between too slow and too fast?..and this is known as the ?dross free zone?. If you are getting excess dross?..do an experiment by increasing the cut speed by 5 or 10 inches per minute on successive test cuts. Eventually you will find the dross free zone??and you typically want to be near the lower end of this dross free zone as that will provide the best combination of edge squareness and minimal or easy to remove dross.
1. Dross can be caused by too much power (Amps)?..or too little power! I suggest setting the power at the manufacturers suggested power level for the consumables you are using and the material and thickness you are cutting?.then do the spedd experiment above.
2. Dross can be caused by torch standoff being too high?.this will also cause a positive bevel on the cut edge. Once again?..the consumables were designed in a laboratory full of engineers and technicians?..the published torch to work distances are correct?.so follow the manufacturers specs. If the book says .060? torch height?.then make sure that is where the torch operates and adjust the speed to improve the dross conditions.
3. Dross can be caused by improper air pressure?and moisture, oil or other contaminants in the air. As with torch standoff?.air pressure is critical to ensuring the cut quality is at its best. By increasing air pressure over the torch manufacturers recommendations you are causing changes to the resistance and energy density of the plasma arc?..which will affect cut quality and nozzle and electrode life. If the manufacturers specs suggest 70 psi??then you should maintain that pressure for best results.
4. Consumable condition?..if the orifice in the nozzle or the shield is not perfectly round?.or has nicks or blown-back material on the orifice bore?.the cut quality in terms of dross and edge angularity will definitely be affected. Long nozzle, shield and electrode life is achieved by careful control of pierce height, pierce time (get these recommendations from the torch manufacturers manual) as well as with clean, dry air at the proper inlet pressure. Under the right conditions you can literally get over a mile of cutting from one set of consumables!
5.
I typically cut 3/16? material with no dross with my Powermax1000 with the FineCut parts?..I expect dross on thicker materials. With my newer Powermax45 I am able to cut dross free to 3/8? and sometime ?? with similar cut quality to the Fine Cut parts used on the 600, 1000, 1250 and 1650 systems.


Jim Colt