[bossfrog]

Got my refrigerated air dryer hooked up this weekend, with a Coalescing filter in front of it, and a desiccant filter just before the plasma. I fired up a new 40A fine cut tip, anxiously expecting some of the long life that Dyna and others have mentioned. The first tip only went my typical 10 minutes of cut time like usual, and second tip went even less! I tried another new tip today, and it seems to be holding up a little better, but still only at about 12 minutes with it.

A couple possibilities include that I may still have some dampness in the lines between the dryer and the plasma - about 25 feet of 3/4" pipe. It seems funny to me that my Eaton #28 dryer is only running about 25# to 35# of pressure - I assume this is the pressure of it's own internal compressor, but isn't this awful low? What do your dryers run for pressure? Maybe I need a freon charge?

[edwardpic]

Ric,
Wow only 12 minutes? I just cut 3 sheets of 1/4 with a 60 amp tip and lasted through all 3 sheets and that was = to 45 parts. I am at a loss as to why your tips are going so quick. I dont use the ref dryer, but I do have a 3 stage filter system and my shop compressor is OLD and does produce alot of water, yet my plasma air is bone dry.
The tips I have trashed are mainly due to me, and not having the corrct SP voltage and thus diving. The 40 and 60 amp tips last along time for me at least, the only ones that go quick have been the fine cuts, but once again thats probably me and the settings for cut height. Even then I can cut a couple 5x10 sheets of either 14 or 16 gauge and not burn a tip.
I have been buying my tips from weldersource.com, and just received some 40amp unsheilded tips to try this week. I let the machine rest for a couple days, seeing how I cut every peice of sheet steel I had here last week. Good to go on parts now for 2 months.

[Dynatorch_Greg]

November 3 2006 A new version of our software is now available. Version 320214 Fixed a problem if a DXF file was smaller than 1K in size. It also adds the G25 Zx.xxx (where x.xxx is a POSITIVE number) This will force the torch to make an incremental move up at the end of the cut path. The distance it moves up is the x.xxx value. Previous versions allowed G25 Z-x.xxx (-x.xxx. as a NEGATIVE number) which would move the torch to the -x.xxx value. This was an absolute move since the torch normally travels between 0 and -4.0, it was along that scale. Since adding the Z command to the every line of code with e G25 may be cumbersome, and not supported by all post processors, we also added a global, one time command to raise the torch an incremental amount. That command is M125 Px.xxx where x.xxx is the incremental distance the torch should raise when it reaches the end of the path. So if the torch was at -2.75 at the time the path ends, and the command M125P0.5 was issued at the beginning of the code, then it would raise to -2.25". And every time the G25 command is read again in the file, the torch will raise 0.5" from it's current location. For safety reasons it will never go above the home value (0). The M125 command will remain in effect until the complete file has been run, or a P value <= 0 is issued. The global M125 command will override (take precedence over) any G25Xx.xx command.

[bossfrog]

Greg - I will download the latest version, as I have been getting some errors while cutting. I am working with Mike and Leon to try and troubleshoot.

I finally got the Hypertherm tech on the phone yesterday regarding my short consumable life, went through parts and assembly issues first, then air quality (both OK) - he thinks it might be some circuit board problem in the power supply. I am trying to get a replacement machine to try - sure hope it works.

[bossfrog]

OK, I give up - how do you download the latest Dynatorch software?

[Dynatorch_Greg]

Hey Ric,
You have to send me an e-mail. I will reply back to you with the correct link. [email protected]

[magma-joe]

Scorpion, I posted the question about the Hypertherm Arcwriter on the Yahoo forum, it appears to be a 3 phase only machine. Read Jim Colt's post "Jim works for Hypertherm" about the Arcwriter. http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/p...g/message/2946

Bossfrog, have you figured out your short life consumables problem? I am still considering buying the same Eaton dryer unit as yours. Thanks...

[bossfrog]

I talked to Hypertherm's tech support - their questions:
1. Correct swirl ring, torch assembly, and proper amps? yup, yup, yup
2. Dry air? yup
3. Suspect a circuit board problem in power unit.
They gave me a brand new plasma and took mine to the shop, and I am going to try it this weekend. It seems to me that since they jumped to that answer so quickly, there must be an outstanding issue with some of these Powermax 1000 units. I will post an update after I fire it up.

[PlasmaGuy]

Ric,

Keep us informed on your c-board issues. My 1650 is on its third board and Hypertherm says they've fixed the problem.

Hypertherm has 1st class customer service.

Good luck,

Tom

[bossfrog]

Fired up the new Hypertherm 1000, and have run probably 40 minutes of cut time so far on the first tip - the other machine burned up tips after 10 minutes. Hopefully it will keep going longer...

BTW - I have been burning up nozzles so fast, I don't know how to identify a bad electrode. Do you switch them with the nozzles, or is there a way to determine when it is done?

[edwardpic]

Congrats Ric on the new machine working for you. I have a PM 1000 so Ill be looking for a problem like you described. I was told that 3 to 4 tips per electrode is a good starting point, but there is alot of variables. When I trashed a few tips from diving I changed the electrode, I look for a "PIT" or indentation on the electrode, Ive done this with my smaller handheld plasma for years. Try the tip spray as well, its worked wonders for me so far. Really keeps the slag off the tip/sheild.
heres the settings I found for 16 gauge:
Machine: 40 amp
Consumables: fine cut
SP: 100
Feedrate: 120-125
Start height: 3/16
Pierce delay: .25
Hardly any slag at all and great cuts. I bumped the SP up to 110 and the feedrate down to 110 for 14 gauge.

[bossfrog]

I think I read somewhere and even saw some pictures of ugly looking electrodes that were still OK. Thought there was a measurement of how deep the core burns back in before it is shot - 3/32" or something? I am wondering if there is a measuring tool to use for this? I started gouging once this weekend with a newer nozzle and an older electrode, changed the electrode and it started working again.

Hypertherm recommends 79V THC and 135IPM for 14ga with finecut. I have been running 80V and about 110 - 120IPM. Yours works good with a THC of 100 - 110? That seems high, but might be why I burn up nozzles more often. Maybe I should increase my THC settings...

[edwardpic]

Ric,
I cut some decorative peices with alot of curves and worked great with those settings. I was told by Leon that increase HT recomended voltage by 5 and to decrease the recomened speeds by as much as 20 to 25%. The settings I used were right in the ballpark, and no tip discolortion or ovaling. I cut 15 parts out at approx 14 wide X 20 high and still have more left in the tips. The tip spray helped alot as well.

[magma-joe]

Bossfrog, did the new plasma solve your short consumable problem? There have been no new posts on the Dynatorches in the last few days. Scorpion, Edwardpic, and Bossfrog, did you guys get all the bugs worked out and running smooth? Whats your opinion of the Dynatorch now that you have had a chance to get up to speed? I'm still working on my table and I plan on installing a air dryer before I start cutting. Thanks...

[edwardpic]

Magma,
All bugs with my system are gone. Mostly was a small learning curve and sharing information between us Dynatorch users. I use our machine daily, and have cut over 300 parts out so far. Tips are lasting along time which means the consumables cost has been very low. Ive cut everything from 16G to 3/8 mild steel, and have dabbled in some 3/16 aluminum. Im basically getting sheetcam and corel down, and the DT software is a breaze to use/understand. No problems with dry air or the PM 1000. I dont use a downdraft table like some users, I use a 24" axial paint both fan on one end pulling the smoke out one of my shop doors. No smoke when cutting to speak of, and all the horror stories of filling the shop with smoke and black film have been null for me. One thing I did do was to enclose the longer X axis sides with some 18 gauge galvanized to keep sparks under the table and not spreading out from the bottom. I use the DT software along side with sheetcam and the results for kerf comp, nesting, cut paths have been awesome. Hope that helps and I still have to post some pics of cut parts soon. I am backed up 12 vehicles with my business, and am also in the process of a total re-design of my electric wheelchair securement tie-down. We do alot of structural modifications on Silverado trucks for the handicapped, and make brackets for actuated remote control door operation. You guys can see what type of fabcrication we do on my website listed below. We are in the proto stages of the Dodge mega-cab as well as a wheelchair accessible Hummer. Needless to say this CNC plasma will make all future designs alot easier as time is money!!!

[bossfrog]

Hypertherm replaced my Powermaxx 1000, and it works great now. Was using a nozzle every 10 minutes like clockwork, now I must have hours on this nozzle without a problem. Sounds like a circuit board problem with THC. Thanks to Edwardpic, bumped up my THC on 14 ga to 90 (from 80) and everything working great!

[edwardpic]

Just bought Torchmates software to try and seems like a nice program. I have been using Sheetcam and Love It, also Corel draw works great, especially the Corel trace. I made a sign for my shop entrance and it cam out nice. I also am using the CandCNC DXF converter and thats saved alot of time as well. I have noticed that some of the traces the lines/arcs are not smooth and a little ragged when cut. Havent dolved into that yet.
I must say that after all the learning curves and software, all Dynatorch users need is a great forum like this to share idea's cutting settings and Sheetcam. The Dyna software and sheetcam together is a very easy way to nest parts and create the Post Proccessors needed. The library feature in the Dyna software is also a time saver-get the setting correct-save it-then everytime you cut that material its ready to go. I'm very happy and the machine has already saved me thousands.

[magma-joe]

Edwardpic, I have been looking at the new software package that Dynatorch is offering. It's called WE-CIM. It has some real time saving features for the manufacturing area. One feature is called chain cutting, where the torch makes one pierce and continues the cut from part to part on a nested sheet(inside holes excluded of course) without stopping until the last part is finished. Seems like a consumables as well as time saver. Also has True Shape Nesting and a program to scan sketches for raster to vector conversion. I think I am going to purchase it so I'll let you know how well it works.

[edwardpic]

Thanks Magma. I went with Sheetcam because the cut path-nesting and kerf compensation is quick and easy. I have not found the need for the more expensive WE-CIM software. Corel trace does all the raster-vector conversions we use. The WE-CIM looks like am awesome program, but I wanted to keep my costs down at the outset.

[bossfrog]

I had purchased the EnRoute software per DynaTorch's suggestion. Pricey, but does all my conversions from DXF's and BMP into vector, allows simple modifications of the vector files, toolpaths, and nests. Nice to be all in one package, but it is too bad I bought just before their new software WE-CIM. I hate going with "last year's" model of anything, but too late now.