Hypertherm 30XP

[phuffman]

Super newbie here.
I have a PlasmaCam System in my high school Woodshop class (yes, I know, weird but my principal purchased for us).
We have yet to use it as this system is so so new to me. However, I'm super excited to use it!
It has a Hypertherm 30XP setup for use, but it this too small? With the small amount of test runs we've done it sure seems like it.
Plus, we seem to get a lot of warpage on the steel we're cutting.
Thoughts? Thanks so much.
Plus, is there a class/person/website/YouTube video I could watch to speed up my learning curve?

[weldguy]

What thickness of material are you cutting that leads you to believe it is too small?

Are you following the cut speed charts provided by Hypertherm? These will help you a lot.

Let us know and I am sure you will get sorted out quickly.

[WyoGreen]

I knew a guy the next town over that made a living using a HT 30 on his plasma table. Mostly he cut 1/8" and thinner art type projects, so like weldguy asked, what thickness of metal are you trying to cut?

Steve

[adbuch]

Super newbie here.
I have a PlasmaCam System in my high school Woodshop class (yes, I know, weird but my principal purchased for us).
We have yet to use it as this system is so so new to me. However, I'm super excited to use it!
It has a Hypertherm 30XP setup for use, but it this too small? With the small amount of test runs we've done it sure seems like it.
Plus, we seem to get a lot of warpage on the steel we're cutting.
Thoughts? Thanks so much.
Plus, is there a class/person/website/YouTube video I could watch to speed up my learning curve?

If your table was purchased recently (new) I assume you are using Design Edge software. What software upgrades (if any) did you purchase. The "big three" are Advanced Design, Advanced Machine Control, and Advanced Height Control. Robert Johnson has a youtube channel - LearnPlasmacam - with many instructional videos.

https://www.youtube.com/c/LearnPlasmacam/videos

He also offers in person workshops several times a year.

https://www.learnplasmacam.com/

The 30xp will be fine for occasional light cutting, but the 45xp would be preferred for thicker materials and longer cut times. I personally own several of the Plasmacam DHC2 tables using Hyperterm 85 and 45xp. I'm very pleased with this equipment. You definitely want to make sure that you are using the settings from the Hypertherm cut charts, as well as the proper consumables. The FineCut consumables are preferred for 10 ga. and thinner, and will give you cleaner cuts with less warping than the non-FineCut consumables for the thinner material. Depending on which upgrades you have, Design Edge has settings to minimize warping. This would be under Settings, Offset/Convert, Cut path order. You can check the box for "reduce heat" to help minimize warping with thinner materials.

The Plasmacam Video Manual is also a great source for information on Design Edge software as well as the mechanical/electrical aspects of your table.
David

[phuffman]

Thanks, guys. I am going to work through this daily and ask questions. Please bare with me.
1.) What gauge can the 30XP cut efficiently/effectively?
2.) Should I ask my principal to purchase a 45XP Hypertherm?
3.) 23 Gauge is what we're trying right now in the classroom. We have the Fine Consumables tip attached, but since the material warps so bad, on long cuts the torch "catches" the material and moves it.

[djreiswig]

Do you have a manual for the 30xp? It should have a section with cutting charts that will show you the capacity. 23 gauge is pretty thin, what feed rate are you using? Do the cut charts even go that thin? I'm wondering if your table is capable of running fast enough to cut that thin of material. Running too slow will cause a lot of heat input into the material.
If you're getting warpage then getting a bigger plasma cutter isn't going to help. It would only be a benefit if you are wanting to cut thicker material.

[adbuch]

Thanks, guys. I am going to work through this daily and ask questions. Please bare with me.
1.) What gauge can the 30XP cut efficiently/effectively?
2.) Should I ask my principal to purchase a 45XP Hypertherm?
3.) 23 Gauge is what we're trying right now in the classroom. We have the Fine Consumables tip attached, but since the material warps so bad, on long cuts the torch "catches" the material and moves it.

The 30xp cut charts list the thickness range for steel from 22 ga. to 5/8". Edge starts are required for cutting anything thicker than 1/4" for steel. The Hypertherm 30xp manual only includes cut charts for manual cutting, and does not include charts for mechanized cutting. I would assume that settings of 0.060" for cut height and 0.150" for pierce height would be a good place to start. You could try the cut speeds listed in the charts below and adjust as required. The 30xp duty cycle is much less than the 45xp, so you will need to be careful with the amount of continuous cutting you do. If funds permit, the 45xp would really be the way to go.

For your 23 ga. material, the chart only tells amperage setting (30A) and maximum cut speed (400 ipm). I would recommend trying the following settings. I use these settings for cutting 22 ga. steel and they product nice results.
Cut height 0.060"
Pierce height 0.150"
Cut speed 150 ipm
Pierce delay time 0.1 sec
Kerf width 0.035"

You can try increasing your cut speed to 200 - 300 ipm to see if that helps with your warping.
David

30xp - 240V - 30 amp cut chart.jpg (73.45 KiB) Viewed 940 times

30xp - 240V - 30 amp cut chart.jpg (73.45 KiB) Viewed 940 times

[weldguy]

Thanks, guys. I am going to work through this daily and ask questions. Please bare with me.
1.) What gauge can the 30XP cut efficiently/effectively?
2.) Should I ask my principal to purchase a 45XP Hypertherm?
3.) 23 Gauge is what we're trying right now in the classroom. We have the Fine Consumables tip attached, but since the material warps so bad, on long cuts the torch "catches" the material and moves it.

That 30XP should rip through 23g with ease. Something else is wrong. Check out those charts David posted and start with those settings and post back. No you do not need to buy another plasma cutter you will likely end up with the same issues, you just need to learn more about it and get more experience.

[adbuch]

I agree. If you stick to the thinner material, and get your settings dialed in - you should be able to achieve nice results with your 30xp. The reason Hypertherm does not include mechanized cut charts is most likely because the 30xp was intended for hand cutting where the reduced duty cycle may not impact the operation and longevity of the machine. The 30xp sells for around $1600, where as the 45xp is around $2100. That $500 difference would get paid for pretty fast for someone doing commercial work on a daily basis.
David