[patriot customs]

Hi
Finally received my new plasma/router table and I have a few questions regarding cut quality. Below I have listed
material and what settings I'm using.

16 ga hot roll steel
Hypertherm 1250
fine cut consumables
40 amp
100v THC (tip approx. 1/16-3/32 off work)
150 IPM (linear guide rails, belt reduction stepper motors)

What kind of kerf width should I expect to see with 16 ga? Right now with this set up I have, it is around .035-.040 wide, seems kind of fat but I really have no idea what to expect. I was trying to cut some 2 inch stars and some letter E's and corners were really round loosing the detail, I think because the kerf is so wide.

On the back of the piece after cutting I have a bead around the whole thing, it looks like a small weld bead from a TIG weld. Is this normal on 16 ga.? I know Iv'e seen some slag left, but that just chips off easily but this is more of a bead that would all have to be ground off.

Any info on these subjects would be greatly appreciated, sorry if these are dumb questions but this is my first attempt at CNC plasma so bear with me for a few years.

Thanks for your time.

[lowpull]

I was getting the same thing and turned down my air pressure a little and it seemed to help. (hypertherm 1000 fine cut 40 amp on 10 gauge)

[Torchhead]

The bead is probabaly high speed slag (cutting too fast for the settings)

The proper setting for fine cut on mild steel 16ga is a smaller gap (about 040) lower current (about 30A) slower speeds and lower tip volts (about 79 to 81VDC) to keep the 040 gap. You should get clean almost laser quality cuts. As always, clean, dry air.

Download the Fine Cut consummables cut chart from Hypertherm. The settings are pretty close (high if anything).

TOM CAUDLE
www.CandCNC.com

[jimcolt]

You should be able to cut 16 gauge steel with no dross with your Fine Cut parts. You have everything set correctly except for the arc voltage (which controls torch to work distance)....if you are cutting at 40 Amps at 150 ipm...then you should set your arc voltage height control to maintain 79 volts. I suspect the dross is due to the torch being too far from the plate.

In regards to your corners rounding....is there any way you can increase the acceleration/de-acceleration settings on your machine? If the machine is slowing down to corner...remember that the arc is continuing to burn at full power...the the arc will round the corners. The best cutting machines have drives and motors that have the ability to quickly corner while staying on path....this allows the full accuracy capability of the plasma. High acc/dec machines can cut very fine features and very round holes...machines with less acc/dec cannot. If the drives are tuned to work best for a router..which means relatively low speeds and high torque...then I would expect some issues when trying to cut parts at speeds above normal router speeds.

Best regards, Jim Colt

[patriot customs]

Thanks guys for the information I really appreciate your time, this gets me looking in the right direction and knowing what to expect.

Tom do you know if it possible to check/change the accelleration settings, this is a plasma route machine.

Thanks

[String01]

You should be able to cut 16 gauge steel with no dross with your Fine Cut parts. You have everything set correctly except for the arc voltage (which controls torch to work distance)....if you are cutting at 40 Amps at 150 ipm...then you should set your arc voltage height control to maintain 79 volts. I suspect the dross is due to the torch being too far from the plate.

In regards to your corners rounding....is there any way you can increase the acceleration/de-acceleration settings on your machine? If the machine is slowing down to corner...remember that the arc is continuing to burn at full power...the the arc will round the corners. The best cutting machines have drives and motors that have the ability to quickly corner while staying on path....this allows the full accuracy capability of the plasma. High acc/dec machines can cut very fine features and very round holes...machines with less acc/dec cannot. If the drives are tuned to work best for a router..which means relatively low speeds and high torque...then I would expect some issues when trying to cut parts at speeds above normal router speeds.

Best regards, Jim Colt

A small note about rounded corners. MTC or pronest..ect have a default setting that slows when approaching and leaving a corner. Set that option to zero will carry you cut speed around the corner, but this might also cause shake when bouncing around the corner at 100ips or more. you can also change your cut speed % while cutting small holes ( 2 1/2 - 3/16 )

I run a Hypertherm 2000 system and I have found this setting or lack of has helped me control some thinner material corners (i.e 10ga or less)