cut speed settings

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MGardner
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cut speed settings

Post by MGardner »

I am new to the plasma cam world and have been playing with the machine and learning ALOT!!!!
I do have a question about speeds and setting for a Powermax 600
I have been cutting 20 gauge with great success but I am trying to cut 11 gauge and not having any luck? The Powermax manual suggests 140 IPM (seems fast)? With these speeds I cant even get it to cut through the sheet at all??
My settings are
Material thickness .125
Cut height .06
arc voltage shift 1.1
Z shift 0.8
PowerMax 600 Machine is set on 40 amps with a fine cut nozzle
If I slow it to 30 IPM it will cut through the sheet most of the time but still not 100% of the cut? but at this speed my cut is not clean lots of slag on top and bottom and kerf width is not consistent.

Does any one have any suggestions on settings?
Also I am using a plasma cam DH2 machine.
abmagrum
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Re: cut speed settings

Post by abmagrum »

i dont know anything about pcm but heres is the setting for 10 gauge 45 amp fine cut

book specs

45 amp
torch height 0.06
pirce height 0.15
pierce delay 0.5
cut speed 95
volts 84

this should work , make sure you have ground clamped to metal
Arclight 4x4
hypertherm 65
corel x6
mach 3, sheet cam
miller 211 auto set
jimcolt
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Re: cut speed settings

Post by jimcolt »

Not sure where you got your cut speed chart for the Powermax600.....but if it says 140 ipm on 11 gauge...it is incorrect!
My Powermax600 manual does not have any cut specs for FineCut consumables....only has specs for the 40 amps shielded and unshielded processes.

Use the 10 gauge specs on the fine cut chart (attached)

40 amps.
Ensure your cut height is at .06" while cutting....if it is higher the arc will not cut through.
cut speed 50 ipm

Make sure you have at least 90 psi at the inlet to the 600 while cutting, and that your cut pressure is set correctly according to the manual. You will get a nice cut.

The top slag you report indicates the torch is running too high, the bottom slag indicates you are cutting way too slow.

Jim colt Hypertherm
finecut chart.jpg
finecut chart.jpg (73.37 KiB) Viewed 2042 times
finecut chart.jpg
finecut chart.jpg (73.37 KiB) Viewed 2042 times



MGardner wrote:I am new to the plasma cam world and have been playing with the machine and learning ALOT!!!!
I do have a question about speeds and setting for a Powermax 600
I have been cutting 20 gauge with great success but I am trying to cut 11 gauge and not having any luck? The Powermax manual suggests 140 IPM (seems fast)? With these speeds I cant even get it to cut through the sheet at all??
My settings are
Material thickness .125
Cut height .06
arc voltage shift 1.1
Z shift 0.8
PowerMax 600 Machine is set on 40 amps with a fine cut nozzle
If I slow it to 30 IPM it will cut through the sheet most of the time but still not 100% of the cut? but at this speed my cut is not clean lots of slag on top and bottom and kerf width is not consistent.

Does any one have any suggestions on settings?
Also I am using a plasma cam DH2 machine.
MGardner
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Posts: 72
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 5:17 pm
Location: Dallas Texas

Re: cut speed settings

Post by MGardner »

Jim
Thanks for the chart. Your chart is VERY different than mine? I got mine on page 12-4 of the manual and I went back and looked and it does say 40 amp standard consumables. Since I didn't see anything for fine cuts I "assumed" they were the same....... I guess that why "assume" is spelled the way it is :D
Thanks
Michael
jimcolt
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Re: cut speed settings

Post by jimcolt »

The Fine Cut consumables were developed after your Powermax 600 manual was written. Must use the correct charts!

Jim Colt

MGardner wrote:Jim
Thanks for the chart. Your chart is VERY different than mine? I got mine on page 12-4 of the manual and I went back and looked and it does say 40 amp standard consumables. Since I didn't see anything for fine cuts I "assumed" they were the same....... I guess that why "assume" is spelled the way it is :D
Thanks
Michael
MGardner
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Posts: 72
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 5:17 pm
Location: Dallas Texas

Re: cut speed settings

Post by MGardner »

Jim
Thanks for the chart and the advice.
I made the changes you recommended and I also found that the electrode needed changing so I changed both the electrode and the nozzle. I'm cutting at 80 IPM at 40 amps and its cutting like a champ. I have a some dross in the round parts of the cuts (I'm cutting plates that have 1/2" diameter holes in them) but nothing that a pair of pliers doesn't snap off.
Thanks again
Michael
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