Hyperthem Powermax 45 Speeds

[Disturbed]

I am running a Torchmate 2x2 with a PowerMax 45 (machine torch) and NO height control. So far I have cut 1/8" steel and 18g steel. The TM table has a file to test cut speeds, cuts a 2 or 3inch line at speed from 10ipm to 130ipm. I had the PM45 set for 45 amps for both of these materials....I am only about a week into using this machine. My cuts aren't bad and they have very little dross but the kerf on the 18gage seems really wide. My main source of confusion is from the results of the line speed test. The best rest for the 1/8" was at 80ipm. But when I ran the same test one the 18g the best results came at between 70-80ipm, so I am using 75ipm. Why am I getting better results at a slower speed on the thinner material, it makes not sense to me. Can anyone help?

[jimcolt]

My recomendations to use for cut speed and all other plasma related parameters are right out of the Hypertherm Powermax45 manual. We at Hypertherm spent over 2 years developing and fine tuning the cut processes for that plasma....and I will stand behind the settings in the manual, assuming that your machine speed are correct, and that your are maintaining accurate torch to workpiece distance (critical) and you have clean, dry air for the plasma.

For 1/8" carbon steel:

Torch to work distance: .06" (1/16")
Pierce height: .15"
Pierce time delay: .4 seconds
Cut speed: 140 inches per minute
Amperage: 45

1. Since you do not have a height control.....you must ensure your plate being cut is perfectly level. Changes of plus or minus .010" will affect cut edge angualrity and dross. You can pierce at the same height as cutting on materials to 3/16". Above 3/16" if you pierce at the cut height expect short nozzle (some call it a tip) life, which will affect cut quality and dross.

2. Use the speeds for machine torch cutting, and use the shield for the machine torch (even if you are using a hand torch) for all mechanized cutting applications. The hand torch shield is for drag cutting. There is a column for speeds labeled "Recommended"....this is your best choice for cut quality in terms of minimal or easy to remove dross with best edge angularity. If you go slower, you will get more dross, if you go faster, you will get more edge angularity but possibly less dross.

3. If you feel the need to cut at slower speeds than the chart recomends.....then simply turn the amperage down, and experiment with speed. Faster means less dross and more angle, slower means straighter edge and more dross. I usually cut materials thinner than 1/8" at 30 to 35 amps and at speeds slower than the chart suggests. A trick to produce less dross? Spray mig welding anti spatter spray on the bottom of your steel before cutting.

4. If you need to pierce materials above 1/8".....you should pierce at the pierce heights recomended in the cut charts, then index the torch down to the .060" cut height. One pierce too close causes damage to the nozzle orifice of any brand or size plasma torch....it will continue cutting, but expect varying angles from this point on. Height controls are costly....but they are actually a cost saver if you are trying to get production quantities of parts off your machine with the best quality. I agree that o a 2 x 2 machine (low price!) that theTHC does not fit the budget...

Hopefully this helps.

best regards, Jim Colt Hypertherm

[Disturbed]

Jim,

The only way to respond to this is "you're that man". I used the book settings and wow, it worked great. Looks like I was way to slow and too close to the material. I found something in my shop that is 1/16" to use to set the torch height, bumped my speed to 140ipm and lowered the pierce delay to .06 and it is as perfect as it is getting without height control. I also sprayed the splatter sheild on the bottom of the sheet. Half the dross feel off when the part hit the floor and the rest came off with a quick run iver the wire wheel I have on my bench grinder. The edge squareness has also improved dramatically, not that it was bad before. I am going to redo my speed setting for the 18 gage I am cutting later this week with the amps on my PM45 turned down since my 2x2 won't run the speeds the book call for, this will greatly improve what I have been cutting. Thank you so much for your help. I hope Hypertherm realizes the resourch they have in you and all the time you spend online.

Kris

[mdwalker]

Tip: Go to your local auto parts supply and buy a set of "feeler guages". They only cost a few bucks and work perfect for setting an accurate torch height.

Danny

[jimcolt]

You can quickly realize the value of a torch height control! Dialing your height in perfectly makes a nice cut, and when you get into thicker material allows for piercing without damaging the consumables. I realize that not many will want to double the cost of a 2 x 2 machine by adding height control though.

Someone needs to develop a simple z axis pierce height control......the z axis could come down and hit a hard stop...such as a small air cyclinder with rod extended the proper amount that stops the torch at pierce height....then after piercing the air cyclinder could retract allowing the torch to drop to cut height. This could solve the thicker plate (above 3/16") piercing issue on a machine without thc.

I'm glad you saw improvement in your cuts....with a Hypertherm system the book specs (under machine cutting specs) are pretty good starting points....I have worked with our process engineers, so I understand the level of work they go through to get these cutting specifications right. The new Powermax65 and 85 torch development process used over 8000 sets of consumables over a 2 year development period to test cut quality, consumable life and system reliability before we would release the systems as a finished product.

Jim

[Disturbed]

Tip: Go to your local auto parts supply and buy a set of "feeler guages". They only cost a few bucks and work perfect for setting an accurate torch height.

Danny

Great idea, looks like I will be hitting up the autoparts store soon.

[Disturbed]

You can quickly realize the value of a torch height control! Dialing your height in perfectly makes a nice cut, and when you get into thicker material allows for piercing without damaging the consumables. I realize that not many will want to double the cost of a 2 x 2 machine by adding height control though.

Someone needs to develop a simple z axis pierce height control......the z axis could come down and hit a hard stop...such as a small air cyclinder with rod extended the proper amount that stops the torch at pierce height....then after piercing the air cyclinder could retract allowing the torch to drop to cut height. This could solve the thicker plate (above 3/16") piercing issue on a machine without thc.

I'm glad you saw improvement in your cuts....with a Hypertherm system the book specs (under machine cutting specs) are pretty good starting points....I have worked with our process engineers, so I understand the level of work they go through to get these cutting specifications right. The new Powermax65 and 85 torch development process used over 8000 sets of consumables over a 2 year development period to test cut quality, consumable life and system reliability before we would release the systems as a finished product.

Jim

Jim I realized the value of the torch height control before I bought the 2x2. I have worked with both a Torchmate 5x10 table and a DynaTorch 4x8 table at different shops. Torch height control is wonderful but since this 2x2 is, at this point, almost exclusively for personal use and not for a business it wasn't in the budget. I see the personal use only thing going away in the near future based off of the response I have gotten from people who have seen that I have done with this in about a week.

I like your idea of a pierce height control, if it could be done at a reasonable price I think it would sell well. I guess I need to start making some money with this machine because as of now I want the router attachment, THC, and a plate marker, none of which are in the budget.

Thanks again Jim, I am looking forward to working with the settings for the 18g I cut the wind spinners out of. If my .125 steel improved as much as it did, I am betting the 18g will improve alot also and the warping will be reduced.

[geo4932]

If you don't have feeler gauges you can use drill bits to measure the distance.