Hypertherm fine cut question

[mitchw123456]

So I’ve cut quite a bit with this nozzle and it’s my only fine cut nozzle I have. Everything was fine then randomly my THC started cutting too high. I lowered voltage on THC with no change. Several attempts later still not cutting all the way through and leaving A ton of slag on dross on top. Could this nozzle be the culprit? It looks worn but honestly I’ve cut with worse but still new to this....

[mitchw123456]

Machine is s 45xp with all green lights (no check consumables).

[Old Iron]

Any time a nozzle is distorted like that it's not going to cut correctly if at all

[mitchw123456]

Any time a nozzle is distorted like that it's not going to cut correctly if at all

Thanks glad to know I’m not going crazy. I was convinced already but needed reassurance. Thanks again.

[Old Iron]

Not at all, I think most of us have ran a consumable to the point of failure

[motoguy]

Any time a nozzle is distorted like that it's not going to cut correctly if at all

Yup. On critical items (dimensional parts, thicker material, etc), I'll quit using a nozzle once it's starts to "oval" out a bit, or develop a bit of a divot on one side. Initially it just cuts with a bevel or non-symmetrical. By the time it's blown out as bad as the one in the OP, it won't pierce correctly, will leave slag all over the top, blows out a wide kerf with "sloppy" edges, etc. It's because the plasma arc is no longer focused enough to be effective.

IMO, if a "new" nozzle is like shooting a shotgun with a full choke, the nozzle in the OP is like having the same gun with the barrel sawed off to 12"...not gonna get the same results, even though it's the same gun.

[mitchw123456]

Any time a nozzle is distorted like that it's not going to cut correctly if at all

Yup. On critical items (dimensional parts, thicker material, etc), I'll quit using a nozzle once it's starts to "oval" out a bit, or develop a bit of a divot on one side. Initially it just cuts with a bevel or non-symmetrical. By the time it's blown out as bad as the one in the OP, it won't pierce correctly, will leave slag all over the top, blows out a wide kerf with "sloppy" edges, etc. IMO, it's because the plasma arc is no longer focused enough to be effective. IMO, if a "new" nozzle is like shooting a shotgun with a full choke, the nozzle in the OP is like having the same gun with an open choke...not gonna get the same results, even though it's the same gun.

Thanks now you’re talking my language!

[OTHill]

I go entirely by what the cut looks like. If it's good and I mean very good the consumables are good. If its not very good the first thing I look at is consumables! I have never done a good cut with bad consumables but sometimes still make good cuts with so so consumables

[nordicjack]

First thing when near in question, is to put fresh consumable. its the easiest to eliminate as the problem.