dross problem

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sleepyweezle
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dross problem

Post by sleepyweezle »

miller 375
27amp
10 ga steel
cut height 0.068
cut speed 35 ipm
any help would be appreciated
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jimcolt
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Re: dross problem

Post by jimcolt »

You are either cutting too slow, and/or your torch to work distance is too high, or you have a damaged nozzle orifice (orifice out of round or nicked when viewed through a 10x magnifier).

If you have a height control and can set a separate pierce height....set it at .120", with a .4 second pierce delay time. Then set the cut height at .06" (1/16" off the plate). Do a test cut (a 4" straight line is a good test that does not waste much material).....if there is dross.....do the same test repeatedly, increasing the speed about 10% on each successive cut. If the height is correct, the nozzle is like new.....you will find the sweet spot as speed increases. You can keep increasing until dross comes back (called high speed dross)....the speed interval in between low speed and high speed dross is the DFZ or dross free zone.

Your pic looks to me like a combination of low sped and either a torch that is not square to the plate or a damaged, worn nozzle. Without being there that is a bit of a guess.

Jim Colt Hypertherm
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acourtjester
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Re: dross problem

Post by acourtjester »

Depending on your nozzle size you may want to kick up the amps too.
One of the machine torches I have has a 1mm nozzle and I was cutting 1/4" with 45 amps and had dross like you show.
I kicked up the amps to 60 was able to increase the speed and said good by to the dross. :D
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CNCCAJUN
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Re: dross problem

Post by CNCCAJUN »

The manual Luke ! ! ! The manual . . .

Steve :D
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NoDakSAM
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Re: dross problem

Post by NoDakSAM »

Hello!
it looks like you are cutting with normal hot rolled mild steel which is fine of course but what Ive noticed is we accidentally got sent a batch of pickled and oiled mild steel and i noticed on the same settings it produces a much cleaner cut, just something to think about it also cleans up a lot easier and leaves less residue.
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