I want to get better quality cuts where do I start?

[jhsenterprises]

I was hoping you all could help me get better quality cuts. I'm cutting some artsy stuff out of 14 gauge hot rolled and I feel like the amount of slag I'm getting is excessive on the back. I've got a bulltear 4x8 table, hypertherm 85 and I'm using the book cut settings for both 45 amp standard consumables as well as fine cut. I've got a 2 stage 5hp air compressor and I'm pushing the air through an air/water/oil separator including a large desiccant container, which still looks good (only top 1" of material has changed color).

I should add I cut 1/8 aluminum with standard 45 amp consumables this weekend, and it turned out amazing. Only slag on the back easily wiped off and only happened where the plasma cut across the table slants.

Further more, I ran a test with new fine cut consumables vs standard 45 amp consumables, and found very little difference cutting the 14g mild steel.

Where do I start on making the cuts better?

[tcaudle]

Don't get fixated on Book Specs. You need to run some straight line tests cuts on flat material with the DTHC in MANUAL and OFF . Make sure your touch off works perfect and you start the cut at -063 . Set your feedrate at book or 90% of book. Then note the Torch volts as it cuts. Also note the quality of the cut. The REAL target volts will be what you see that keeps the height at the .063 arc gap. Make sure you are using all of the correct consumables. loose Slag on the bottom is normally from cutting too slow. Tight slag (hard to remove) is from cutting too fast. The height of the torch. air pressure and consumables all play a part as well.

[BTA Plasma]

I think what your experiencing is the actual slow down in the corners or tolerance tracking giving you a little more slag on details. You will get some slag on details that is part of cutting with plasma. On holes you should he using approximately half speed. And it gets more dramatic the smaller the hole.

You have not mentioned what in terms of quality your trying to achieve but you have mentioned slag.

[little blue choo]

No way to judge if your dross is excessive without pictures.

Rick

[jhsenterprises]

So it seems the slag is really only an issue on smaller pieces, so maybe there isn't much I can do about it. Here's something I cut out to try last night. Overall height is about 7" tall by about 3" wide.

[BTA Plasma]

You can loosen up tracking tolerances BUT the way it is set up right now is very accurate at the expense of dross on the details. So the top side will look very accurate and the bottom will have some dross to chip off. Or you loosen up tracking tolerances and the top wont be as crisp but there will be slightly less dross. Not sure what to do? Send an email in and we can help you loosen up your tolerance.