6 Tips For Improving Plasma Cut Quality

BySteven Glassner

No matter if you are using a plasma cutter for DIY projects or heavy fabrications, you need to be efficient when it comes to quality cutting. Though plasma cutting is a user-friendly machine, there is still more to meet the eyes. – such as improving quality cutting, maintaining consumable parts, and improving overall efficiency.

You also need to take care of gas and air using in the plasma cutting. For this, you can take the help of Hypertherm hpr260 parts or Hypertherm hpr260 consumables. Below are some other tips you can follow to improve plasma cut quality.

Select Right Plasma Cutter

There are several factors to consider when purchasing the plasma cutter. What is the capacity of the plasma cutter, what are its purchase and operational costs, duty cycle, and much more? Think about the duties you will perform while selecting the machine and select the one that suits your needs.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself:

  • Do you need a portable plasma cutter?
  • What is your budget?
  • What are the materials you need to perform the plasma cutting?
  • How often will you use the plasma cutting machine?
  • Will you use generators or local power outlets to power your machines?

Setup Machine Properly

Plasma cutting uses electrical energy to cut the materials. The electric charge melts the surface of the metal, which is why it is mandatory to protect the user and the plasma cutter unit. Lock the ground clamp to clean metal only. If necessary, grind off the rust as it can disrupt the flow of electricity. It’s also essential to keep the clamp as closer to the cut area as possible.

It is also necessary to replace the worn spots, cables, loose connections, or anything that disrupts the flow of electricity. Ultimately, for getting the final results, it is crucial to use the correct tip. The right tip can cut the material more efficiently and save your time and money.

Practice Your Cuts

The first cut is significant for any cutting project. Without dragging the trigger, go over the path you want to cut. Practice the movement to make sure you are on the right track. It also gives the freedom of movement to make one continuous cut. If you stop and start again from the same spot, it can create irregularities in the cut.

You can also do a sample cutting on the type of material you are going to work on. This will ensure you are using the correct settings and cutting speed.

Watch the Travel Speed

More the speed of your plasma cutter, more cleaner the cut it will create. When cutting the thicker material, set the machine to the full output and change your travel speed. On thinner material, turn down the amperage and change to lower-amperage tip to keep up the narrow kerf.

With a proper travel speed, the arc should exit the material at a 15 to 20-degree angle opposite the direction of travel. If the plasma goes straight down, it means you’re moving slowly. If it sprays back, it means you’re moving too fast.

Traveling at the right speed and with the right amount of heat will produce a very clean cut with less dross at the bottom of the cut with no distortion to the metal.

Checkout the Consumables

If the tip becomes worn, the quality of the cut will be affected, so regular inspection is a must. If the tip becomes irregular or develops a pit, discarding is a better option.

The consumables will wear with each cut, but factors like moisture, cutting of extensively thick materials, or poor techniques will increase the wear and tear of consumables. The best exercise is to replace the tip and electrode together for optimum quality cuts.

Make sure not to over-tighten the parts as it moves to create an arc, so only finger tighten the cap. Also, use high-quality consumables like Hypertherm hpr260 parts and Hypertherm hpr260 consumables.

Check Air and Gas Quality

Are you using air plasma? Then make sure your air is dry and clean. The same goes with your gas when using oxygen or a multi-gas system. Always use high-quality gas and the appropriate sized gas lines and regulators. Look over to see if the gas is leaking or any flow is restricted. If needed, consult your gas distributor for help.

Conclusion

Unboxing the plasma cutter might be easy, but it will take time to familiarize yourself with the proper operation. By going through the above tips, you can surely improve the quality of your plasma cutting. Apart from that, have a regular inspection of your cutter parts and consumables to avoid any mishappening.