Torch & Consumable Technology Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc.

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 2 Plasma Torch The torch main body (torch- head) holds the consumable parts in near perfect alignment: Electrode Swirl Ring Nozzle Retaining Cap Shield Cap

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 3 Consumables - Electrode Electrode Insert

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 4 The electrode carries the negative charge from the power supply. Copper holder with small insert of hafnium or tungsten. Hafnium for Air and Oxygen plasma gases. Tungsten for Nitrogen or Argon Hydrogen plasma gases. Consumables - Electrode

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 5 Consumables - Electrode Wear Un-usedBlow-outWash-outcrateredTime to change

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 6 Electrode after normal use Consumables - Electrode Electrode after excessive use

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 7 Damaged Water-inlet tube When electrode damage is this severe, damage to the water inlet tube is inevitable!

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 8 Consumables - Nozzle Nozzle

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 9 The nozzle constricts and focuses the plasma jet. The size of the nozzle orifice is directly related to amperage: the higher the amperage, the larger the orifice needs to be. Consumables - Nozzle

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 10 Consumables – Swirl Ring Swirl Ring

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 11 Consumables – Swirl Ring The Swirl Ring has small holes in it to meter the flow of gas into the plasma chamber. These holes spin the plasma gas into a swirling vortex that helps to center and constrict the arc.

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 12 Consumables – Swirl Ring Applying the correct amount of silicon (non-conductive) lubricant to the o-rings promotes proper sealing and prevents them from cracking.

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 13 Consumables – Retaining Cap Retaining Cap

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 14 Consumables – Shield Cap Shield Cap

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 15 Consumable parts are selected using the appropriate cut charts. Install consumables using the tools provided in your parts kit. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN. Lubricate all consumable o-rings with silicone grease provided in the consumable parts kits. Do not over apply, only a thin film is needed. Apply the lubricant to your fingers (only enough to glisten) and then rub on o-rings. Electrodes and Nozzles should be replaced as a set. Swirl rings should be replaced when necessary, usually every five-ten electrode/nozzle changes. Shields, retaining caps, etc. only need replacing when they are physically worn or cut quality becomes poor. Installing Consumables

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 16 Shields and shield caps are designed to protect the torch and nozzle from molten spatter and radiant heat. Shields also channel the flow of secondary gas or water. Consumables – Shield Cap

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 17 In addition to proper setup and operation consumable life can be increased by following these simple steps: Proper Height Minimize errors The average life of the consumables is dependent on the number of pierces and length of cut. Consumable life is not solely gauged by the number of pierces. See graph at right. Actual number of starts will vary. Consumable Life

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 18 Recording consumable life is an important task that should be done each time consumables are changed. Items to record: Starts Arc-time Errors Material Thickness Average Cut Duration Pit-depth measurement at the time of change Recording Consumable Life With records like this you will easily see when you are having a consumable life problem and will aid in effective troubleshooting. Timer/Counters track arc time, number of starts, and errors. Timer/Counter

Troubleshooting Plasma Cutting Consumables Copyright, 2001 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc.

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 20 PROBLEM: Nozzle orifice is enlarged or distorted. External face of nozzle shows depression surrounding orifice. What is causing it? Excessive pilot arcing Solution: Verify proper pierce height Ensure good contact between the plate being cut and work cable. What is wrong?

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 21 PROBLEM: A severe gouge in the nozzle may be visible near the orifice. Usually poor cut quality is evident shortly after replacing consumables. What is causing it? Low plasma gas flow. Solution: Verify proper gas flows. Inspect all gas lines and fittings for leaks. Verify that no gas lines are pinched or kinked. What is wrong?

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 22 PROBLEM: Internal side of the nozzle shows pitting or erosion of the copper, usually in a swirling pattern. External face of nozzle may also show some erosion of copper. What is causing it? Double arcing or piercing too close to the plate. Solution: Verify proper pierce height. Verify proper settings for gas flows. Verify machine motion delay is not too long. What is wrong?

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 23 PROBLEM: Nozzle orifice is enlarged or distorted. External face of nozzle shows depression surrounding orifice. What is causing it? Low injection flow. Solution: Verify proper pierce height. Ensure good contact between plate being cut and work cable. What is wrong?

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 24 PROBLEM: Excessive build-up of material being cut is present and attached to the shield. What is causing it? Double-arcing or piercing too close to the plate. Solution: Verify proper pierce height. Verify proper cut speed and gas flows. Verify that the pierce delay is not too long. What is wrong?

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 25 PROBLEM: Darkened area around the internal region of the orifice, also visible on exterior face, shows an even erosion of the copper surrounding the orifice. What is causing it? Plasma gas restriction. Solution: Verify proper gas flows. Verify that no gas lines are pinched or kinked. What is wrong?

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 26 PROBLEM: Nozzle orifice is distorted or enlarged at tip. Orifice may be tapered from the outside toward the inside of the nozzle. What is causing it? Excessive pilot arcing. Solution: Verify proper pierce height. Ensure good contract between plate being cut and work cable. What is wrong?

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 27 PROBLEM: This torch displays a pitted current ring or nozzle seat. What is causing it? Dirty torch or consumables. Solution: Always clean the torch when changing consumables. Ensure that new consumables are clean. Ensure the retaining cap is properly tightened. What is wrong?

Copyright, 2002 Hypertherm, Inc. These materials cannot be reproduced in any form without the permission of Hypertherm, Inc. 28 PROBLEM: This torch displays signs of plasma gas starvation. The internal Vespel is burned, and the worst damage is directed toward the plasma gas inlet to the torch body. What is causing it? Insufficient gas flow. Solution: Verify proper gas settings at gas console. Check for flow restriction in gas system or supply. What is wrong?