A60 pierce problem???

[Dustan]

Hi all the last two or three things I cut on my table things were acting funny with the torch one time it would pierce on 16g like nothing was even there on the next pierce it would not go threw the sheet and make a little mess then it would pierce fine then not. I have also noticed that when it pierces it makes almost a squeeking sound that I have never heard before I never wrote any speeds,heights,or any other specs of the setup I am using because it does it with any setting any thickness and yes I have lots of clean moisture free air I use 3 filters in series nothing but air gets by to the torch. Any ideas of what might be causing this to happen? could it be the rest of my consumables that I havent changed yet since new shield cup ,start cartridge maybe please help ????

[srp]

Sometimes when my pierce height is too close to the metal I will get a squeeking sound. Also if a small piece of slag has spattered back on the nozzle it will sound different. As always check consumables and replace to see if it improves. Never assume! - Check! - John

[srp]

Dustan - Another idea I offer is if your machine has been cutting good and then it starts acting up try to remember if anything was changed recently. Suchas different sheet of metal -New tip or electrode. If that might be the case try changing back. I also do not change the tip and the electrode at the same time. Then if my machine acts up I have a good idea where the problem might be. I have received defective tips from TD - John

[Dustan]

okay heres a pic of what I mean it pierces fine one time and this ugly mess on the other then it pierces good i have changed all consumables it does it with 60 amp or 4o amps it still does the same thing HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

[srp]

Ugly is too mild a term. I think if you attach this picture and send to TD in an email they might have the answer. I have talked to Gene Wright in West Lebannon, NH and found him to be the most knowledgeable. This number 800-318-6819 should work in Canada too. Call and listen to the options to Tech Service. If I had something looking like your situation I might suspect cutting too fast -Consumable problems - start cartridge? Grounding? If I have his email address at the shop I will foward tomorrow. Remember what I told you about loosing you hair.... - John

[Eagle Mtn Metal Works]

Dustan
The first thing I would check is your air supply. I had the very same cut and it was damp air I now have three dryers on the line. Two at the table and one at the machine. If you don't have dry air it looks like that and the next thing to go is the tip and electrode. Good luck Rod S

[Dustan]

well its not all the time it cuts good then it doesnt I took the cover off and watched the lights(v-59 pilot) and (v-78 cutting) and when it is having trouble with the pierce (v-59 pilot stays on) then when it goes out and (v-78 cutting)comes on it instantly blows threw and starts to cut fine T-D told me to put it on the expanded metal mode and see if that helps and it doesnt I renewed my desicant today and did alot of cutting its better but still every once and awhile it has trouble with that pierce I am gonna change up my air system to try and elimanate all moisture but the thing is that it works fine one pierce and not the next im hopeing its an air issue. and to eliminate the thought I replaced every single consumable on the torch no difference

[Dustan]

Remember what I told you about loosing you hair.... - John[/quote]


I sure do but im young and bounce back quick and balding doesnt run in my family

[srp]

Dustan- After more thought about your dilemma Your problem might be bad metal. When I was cutting HR in the recent past I encountered a similar situation. Your metal appears thicker than the 16ga I was working with. My torch would cut through the metal but it sounded like a blown electrode and the cut looked like it. I did not have problems cutting galvanized so I questioned if there might be a problem with the metal. I actually gave up on cutting HR and went to galvanized which required and additional primer coat on the metal for painting. I now use galvanealed. Back to your problem. I have since learned others have hade the same problem. Jim
Colt was noting how they encountered this problem with air plasma units. It seems that steel mills with older technology use silica in the manufacture of their steel. I believe the addition of silica removes the pockets of gas in the molten metal. Silica is the major component of glass -A great electrical insulator.
When you consider this possibility the behavior of your torch makes sense. What is the remedy? You might try a series of short horizontal or vertical about 3-4" long offset about 1" to each to determine if there are good and bad spots in the metal. You might try cutting a different type of material. There may not anything wrong with your machine.
When steel prices rise rapidly the steel buyers will look for the cheapest available. These mills are glad to get rid of this type of stock and the steel buyers are able to supply their commitments at an earlier quoted price. I have been in this business going on 40 years. Nothing surprises anymore. - Don't give up - John

[rock4xfab]

Looks like what happens when I have forgotten to put the ground strap on... Are you putting it on the material or relying on the slats of the table..

[ronsii]

X2 on what rock4xfab said, as I have done this a number of times, also check the cable connections to the clamp from the plasma power supply.

[Dennis]

That is a ground issue... Had the same problem a few times when I didn't have a good ground

[Dustan]

Looks like what happens when I have forgotten to put the ground strap on... Are you putting it on the material or relying on the slats of the table..

Always put it on the material my slats are pretty ugly lookin to get a ground from there.

[Bigrhamr]

Have you checked the connection where the ground cable attaches inside the machine? That looks and sounds like a ground issue to me.

[Dustan]

yes I checked it all the machine is new everything inside is tight and clean. if moisture in my lines can cause this to happen then thats my problem im thinkin cause I do have alot more than I usaully had before. I am gona do something different with my air lines and hopefully it stops cause this is drivin my crazeeeeeeeeee.

[srp]

Dustan - Is your shop cold in SK? I know you will see that it is not good for a plasma to operate in a cold enviroment. My shop tends to be quite cold in the winter time and with 50' of torch lead exposed to cool down the air supply problems with moisture have come up. The discharge air temperature from my refridgerated dryer is quit cold. This air is probably quite saturated with moisture if it didn't condense in the unit. If the air lines travelling trough a colder enviroment than the discharge air temperture moisture will form in the line.
What I am doing to remedy my situation is to move my compressor into my heated area, rerouted and shorten the air lines. Also after ithe air comes out of the drier it travels through some coils of copper tubing on the warm portion of the air tank. What I want to do is raise the temperature of the air in the line. Also I am building a heat exchanger (pipe in a pipe ) to extract the heat in the air line off the compressor to the tank. Raising the temperature of the compressed air entering the cold portion of the shop and keeping it above a condensing condition in the torch lead is the goal.