[monkeyevil]

We have been running for 4 months or so on our custom 4x8 water table. On average we run though about 1.5 sheets of 7ga, 11ga, and .250 sheet weekly with little issues. Average consumable life is around one to two sheets depending on complexity.

It seems every once in a while the 1000 will pierce fine, but as soon as it moves it will only sever; or it will be cutting fine in one direction, then on direction change it will sever and make a mess. Most time it's just spend consumables, or a poor ground connection.

Every once in a while it's a PITA to figure out and Today it's been impossible to get a consistent clean cut on any thickness of metal.

What we have done:
Checked water separators (both dry)
Checked filters (clean and dry)
New consumables
Flipped grates (needed it anyway)
Ground clamp directly on sheet
Raised piece delay from .25 to .40 sec.
Slowed travel speed from 80 to 40 (.250 plate)
I have previously checked the grounding and torch connections in the 1000.

Still cutting poorly, randomly severing and piercing in the same cut path.

Observations:
Running Mach with C&CNC hardware. DTHC working fine, distance to material is staying consistently under .100
TIP voltage in MACH is set and staying right around 140 for .250.
Piece set at .125, cut at .0625.
Air pressure at ~75 PSI.
Table is grounded to the plaz body, and outside to a ground rod.

Could it be a power issue at the unit? A ground issue from the table to unit? Sometimes we randomly get an red fault light on the front panel. Usually a power reset (or two) will clear it up.

I don't know how old the swirl ring is, could that be a major contributer?

Sorry for the long post, just wanted to be as thorough as possible.

[monkeyevil]

Our typical cut quality (this is the drop of a cut in a panel.)

[AccuFast2D]

Been there. You hit the nail on the head PITA! I sometimes shut it down and go to the house, start again tomorrow. Knock on wood today everything was fine for me.

I am sure a few of the Hypertherm Experts will chime in on this post pretty soon.

[monkeyevil]

Been there. You hit the nail on the head PITA! I sometimes shut it down and go to the house, start again tomorrow. Knock on wood today everything was fine for me.

I am sure a few of the Hypertherm Experts will chime in on this post pretty soon.

I wish that were an option. We use this for production (nuts)

[[email protected]]

I'.m just thinking that the duty cycle for the 1000 is not meant for 100 percent capacity, and buy cutting as much as you may it could take its toll on the Pwm chopper curcuit, or feedback current loop etc... My 1070 is like that as well. some times they like a good rest, air pressure seems a little low
have you tried 100 psi or so, also tips rings and caps combo's really do make a difference.

[tinman13]

This is not an issue with only Hypertherm machines.
I run a TD 152 -120 amp machine and some days are like that!
I will usually go back through all settings, air, amp, speed, voltage. Most times there is something I have tweeked trying to improve things and it will come back and bite you in the backside!
I had more of those days with my older TD 150 though. This one has been very dependable.
I keep a log of parameters as a base line, that has saved me more than once.
Good luck, Hope it is something simple. Steve

[jeffery71]

I have a Hypertherm 1000 also. I have had a simaliar problem but may be a little different. I notice the problem when the unit first starts cutting for the day after I run it for awhile it gets better. I tracked it down to what I believe is the air soleniod not opening completely. I could hear the solenoid opening and the air coming out the torch but would have problems with it not cutting all the way through till after it ran for awhile..... What I have ended up doing is at the start of the day cycling the air on and off to the torch real fast listening to the solenoid opening and closing. I do that 10 or 12 times real fast and it seams to cut fine after that.. I think in my case the solenoid is not opening all the way and cycleing it a bunch of times seams to get it moving freely.

I'm not sure that this is quite what you described but just a thought.


Jeff T.

http://www.3dcarvestudio.com

[Peepers]

I have a similar setup with a Powermax 1000 and have the same sort of problem. I mostly cut 16 ga and 11 ga. I usually use finecut consumables. I had been cutting 16 ga great with very little slag at 250 ipm, 75 ips, 30 amps, .08 height at or around 79 volts. The problem just appeared one day and has continued ever since. The problem is intermittent and direction or speed does not seem to make any difference. Just as you have done I changed all consumables, checked all wiring, changed air dryer filters, etc.
When the problem occurs the arc is maintained be fails to pierce completely.
I just get splatter along the cut path. It appears as a cut that is being made way to fast (top splatter) but that is not the case. Even when cut speed is reduced to 100 ipm the problem still exists. You never know when it will happen or how long it will last, it might be an inch or a foot and it may be the first cut of the day or an hour later. At this point I can not help but think
it is a problem with the Powermax 1000. I have been whipped trying to figure this out. I will look into the air solenoid and try to determine if it is working correctly.
I hope some of us can find out what is going on as a lot of time and steel is being wasted.

[MadMax]

How well constrained is your material? A bunch of years ago, I worked with a CNC plasma cutter (started as a router before we made the cutter mount). We found that while cutting, the workpiece could warp significantly. It seemed to be a combination of thermal effects combined with material being cut which sometimes made sheets go a bit taco.

We tackled some of the problem with better fixturing of the sheet to reduce warp, and got a bunch more consistency by floating the plasma cutter mount. We shot the plasma thru the centre of a disk with upturned edges (like a shallow cup with a hole in the bottom). The disk was attached to a floating carriage that supported the gun so the gun was floated on the metal with about 0.5" of float so it could follow the sheet as it warped and maintain a consistent gap.

[Torchhead]

One of the missing points of feedback is the actual cut current of the plasma while it is cutting. In one circumstance we had a customer with similar problems and it was (finally) traced to a bad workclamp connection inside the unit. Plasma is all about getting the proper energy into the cut. For a given diameter of arc (set by the nozzle orifice and the air pressure) there is a level of watts (current times voltage) that has to flow. The current path has to be intact and of (very) low resistance. (translated: a bad workclamp connection can cause all kinds of problems). Workclamp should go to material. Over time the the rust and slag from the table will degrade the connection and with it calmped to the table you cannot predict if/when that will happen.

It's not easy to read the actual cut current since it's pulsed DC and normal clamp-on AC Ammeters don't work.

TOM Caudle
www.CandCNC.com

[jimcolt]

The intermittent problems that you guys are describing sound exactly like many people experience with plasma. You most likely have excess humidity in your air line.....or possibly other contaminants such as oil or particulates.....most likely water.

In an air delivery system moisture tends to collect somewhere in the plumbing...maybe a sharp bend or a tee in the plumbing....once enough collects it will start an aerosol effect...or will actually get through to the plasma in "slugs" of water. Since the plasma is designed to operate on "clean dry air" (that's what the manual from the manufacturer says!).....water introduces some new gases and chemicals into the physics equation....and effectively reduces the power by inimizing the oxygen content in the plasma jet. Less power = poor cut quality or an arc that will not fully penetrate the material. I have been with Hypertherm for almost 32 years....and have a home shop with air plasma......and have experienced these exact sysmptoms on many occasions....in fact these symptoms are pretty much the most frequent ones heard by our tech service department. The cure....proper treatment of the compresed air with some sort of air drying system (refrigerated dryers are best....Harbor Freight (ugh!) has one that reportedly works very well for under $350).

The PWM (pulse width modulator) current control curcuitry is not the culprit...neither is duty cycle. If you exceed duty cycle with a Hypertherm plasma...it will stop cutting...period....not just reduce the power! If the current control circuitry is having issues....it usually will just stop producing a plasma arc as well.....it won't just periodically lose power.

Occasional loss of cutting power could also be causes by an air pressure leak or restriction in the torch or leads.....but usually is moisture related.

On the gentleman with the Hypertherm 1070.....that system is a mechanized only 100% duty cycle machine (up to 70 Amps).....it should not have any issues with duty cycle unless one of the cooling fans is not working!

Jim Colt

[WSS]

The cure....proper treatment of the compresed air with some sort of air drying system (refrigerated dryers are best....Harbor Freight (ugh!) has one that reportedly works very well for under $350).
Jim Colt

Jim, What is the second best solution (and hopefully less $$$)? I have heard/seen the motor guard filters used often. Will these work until we can obtain a refer unit? I have not experienced this yet as our machine is mounted up high and has a drain/trap down low. But it can get there I am sure.

WSS

[jimcolt]

The Motor Guard filter works well as long as it is checked periodically and the filter changed when wet or clogged. There are also dessicant type dryers that may be lest costly from a purchase point of view. Over time....the refrigerated dryer is the least expensive air drying method....it will improve consumable life, will decrease maintenance costs.

A good source for compressed air filtering and drying equipment can be automotive finish (paint) supply companies. Paint spray equipment uses a similar air flow rate...and requires clean, dry air. There should be a lot of filtering / drying equipment available.

Jim

[[email protected]]

I agree with Jim that condensation is usually the largest contributer to a problem, however If the "lines are dry" and this machine has ever been over used and the thermal cutout is faulty. Then the next things to go would be pcb for pwm etc...power down unit and look for signs of burnt pcb elements.
resistors-gate current-transistor ... can give out slowly and will take there toll. My guess is that Jim is correct and there is water somewhere, just a thought

[WSS]

I found a Harbor Freight air dryer on craigslist that was basically new but no manual. Does anyone have a pdf or link to that dryer's manual?

THANKS!

WSS

[Torchhead]

I found a Harbor Freight air dryer on craigslist that was basically new but no manual. Does anyone have a pdf or link to that dryer's manual?

THANKS!

WSS

The Harbor Freight manuals are virtually worthless anyway other than to see the parts list. Can't be too complex. Air in, Air out, drain plug and AC plug.

[Mike 1948]

I found a Harbor Freight air dryer on craigslist that was basically new but no manual. Does anyone have a pdf or link to that dryer's manual?

THANKS!

WSS

Here Ya go. I also purchased one of these, I haven't seen it drain any water out in many hours of use. Maybe the toilet paper roll pre filter is catching it all. I still would like to see it get rid of some water to know its functional.

Mike

[WSS]

Here Ya go. I also purchased one of these, I haven't seen it drain any water out in many hours of use. Maybe the toilet paper roll pre filter is catching it all. I still would like to see it get rid of some water to know its functional.

Mike

Mike, Thanks!
As simple as it looks, I am even simpler. Do we run em' 24/7? I am hoping to take advantage of the system and plumb all the lines for this compressor. It looks like it should work as My outlet from the compressor is 1/2" as well. I have a blast cabinet that is about 11' lower than the air comp and it is a great water trap! I am just wondering if it can be "on" all the time and cycle when needed?

I picked this up for $180 and it looks new. The guy who had it was using it for R&D on some laser marking system and only used it for two weeks (I am told). I think he was running Co2 through it. He had it running when picked it up and just like Torchhead says....Air in, Air out, drain plug and AC plug.

Thanks a bunch for the pdf.

WSS

[plain ol Bill]

I have one of those also and have never seen it discharge any water. Hopefully that means my water is pretty dry before it gets there. Haven't noticed any tips damaged by water.

[Peepers]

A few post back Jim Colt had mentioned that most of the intermittent cutting problems were most likely due moisture in the air lines. As usual he was right. I purchased a Harbor Freight Compressed Air Dry today. I spent most of the day cleaning and blowing out all the air lines with dry air from it. I could not believe all the water and goop that came out. I had two filters on the compressor output and a
Motor Guard at the Powermax 1000 and still had problems.
After the cleaning I cut an assortment of items and found that not only could I cut at 250 ipm again the sound made when cutting was very different. I am back to trouble free and slag free cutting again.
What sort of duty cycle are you guys getting with the Harbor Freight air dryer? I found that after about 2 hours of run time it would no longer keep up.
The air pressure from the output would drop rapidly and the Powermax 1000 would stop due to low air pressure. The manual says it may be ice forming inside or the hot gas bypass valve may need adjusting. Any input?