consumables

[Welder Kenny]

Hey guys I have a Hypertherm powermax 65 and I always change both my electrode and nozzle at the same time. my question is can you save any money by reusing the electrode and just change the nozzle?? I get great cuts when I change them out and seem to be able to cut almost a full 4 x 8 sheet of 10 ga. into parts about 22" x 3". I'm happy just trying to save money anywhere I can. Again guys tanks for your input I like to hear what everyone else is doing.
welder Kenny

[acourtjester]

You may do a search in a few years back, Jim Colt gave a pierce count of how long they should last. And how much of a crater the electrode has before replacing it, the nozzle depends on shape of the opening.

[djreiswig]

I use an electrode for several nozzles. I just watch the pit depth and when it gets pretty deep I toss it. I used one too long once and had it blow out. It's pretty impressive, but it ruins the nozzle instantly. If the hole in the nozzle gets out of round it doesn't cut well.

[mdwalker]

Consumable life depends on several factors but probably two of the most important is good, clean, dry air and proper pierce/cut height. If you have both of those you will greatly increase consumable life. I usually change out nozzles and electrodes independently. Depending on the project and cut quality that I need I sometimes start a project with a new nozzle and electrode. I have a separate powermax with a hand torch so my good used consumables go to it. I don't keep track of the electrode to nozzle ratio because I change from fine cut to 40 amp to 60 amp nozzles often and use the same electrode until it is used up. With experience you can listen when cutting and hear when an electrode is worn to the point that it needs to be changed.

[Welder Kenny]

Thanks guys my electrode look ok but my nozzles are done blown out to one side or an out of round hole.. thanks for the info I will try to run my electrode longer this weekend..I do have good clean air I have a dryer plus a filter and the separator on the plasma..Kenny

[SeanP]

Sounds like something is amiss there, you should get way more than that, I've had my fair share of problems, I think the main thing that gave me trouble was a in line water separator that had a mesh filter/screen bonded into a plastic holder, I always thought it was fine, even had a gauge at rear of plasma and it looked fine, but I could literally see a nozzle burning up - green tinge on a pierce or end of cut, drove me mad!

So one day I took a sharp knife to that mesh and that really improved things, I also had a moto guard filter, but that was soon getting wet.

I was all for buying a dryer but looking at some of the intercooler ideas I came up with my own idea, basically a coil going through water in a tank, I must do a separate post someday as it really does work well, now I don't even use the motoguard.

The other day I got 8.5 sheets / 466 pierces from one set and they were still cutting good, few days previous 3.5 sheets of 6mm with 950p which is a massive improvement to what I had before the dryer.

And they are not even genuine parts! (plasmatech - uk)

I also get a bit more out of nozzles by cleaning up the face in a battery drill but that's another story

That's the 4mm parts

[Welder Kenny]

WOW, 8.5 Sheets of 10 GA. .125th, I'm doing something wrong, I'm buying good hypertherm cconsumables and still change over if I start to get fouling or beveling and only running 95ipm. need advice...

Kenny

[mdwalker]

Have you physically measured your cut height?

[Rodw]

There are two things that have affected my cut quality.
1. Water in the air
2. Worn electrode

I've never had an issue with water since I purchased a refrigerated drier. I have removed all filtering between the drier and the plasma cutter (including the motorguard)

This is only 2mm steel, and I index it on my 1200mmx1200mm (4' x 4') table but I think there are over 1200 pierces on the larger nests shown (eg. the one on the right). Usually when I do this job, I replace the tip and electrode and I usually cut more than one sheet and always get through on the one set of consumables. So with clean dry air, I get thousands of pierces...

[Welder Kenny]

Just ran a bunch of parts and needed to change consumables after about 3/4 of a sheet of 3/16 plate but had a lot of pieces, wondering if my air pressure is falling too low during cutting. Guess if i'm making enough money cutting quality parts that's what matters not getting the longest life out of my consumables.

[mdwalker]

What software are you running? My software will give me a report of total runtime for machine, total runtime since last reset, total distance cut, total cutting time, and total pierces.

[adbuch]

I'm running Plasmacam Design Edge which also keeps track of some of this history. The screenshot below is from my design computer, and hence shows no actual machine run time.
David

[Welder Kenny]

I'm running sheet cam with mach 3, cut a lot of parts today with same consumable but I need good quailty parts. I think mach 3 just tells me run time and nothing else but I will check tomorrow.

[mdwalker]

I'm running Plasmacam Design Edge which also keeps track of some of this history. The screenshot below is from my design computer, and hence shows no actual machine run time.
David

hours.jpg

You can reset your history when you install new consumables so you know exactly how long the consumables are lasting.

[Welder Kenny]

Thanks Guys, Yes mdwalker I do check my cut height and it is very close to .060 keep up the good work.