Plasma Cutters are not for Piercing

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KIDTech
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Plasma Cutters are not for Piercing

Post by KIDTech »

I was informed today that the reason my new torch is junk is because I was piercing with it (11 ga) and it was never meant to pierce anything. It is the cutter in my signature, so I am wondering how you guys make your art pieces with all the cutouts, do you drill holes in the sheet and have the cutter start in the hole? That would be a lot of work and time. Will my new PM65 be ok to pierce with and if not I guess I will figure something out.
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Re: Plasma Cutters are not for Piercing

Post by beefy »

A plasma cutter which can't pierce, that's not much use.

Most tables simply raise the torch to "pierce height", normally the height is in the manual. Then the torch turns on, pierces the metal, and moves down to cut height.

Piercing too close to the metal can stuff a nozzle in one hit. Many of the hypertherms get hundreds of pierces per nozzle.

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Re: Plasma Cutters are not for Piercing

Post by michmetalman »

Never heard that before...hmmm
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Re: Plasma Cutters are not for Piercing

Post by KIDTech »

I use their websites pierce height and cut height also.
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see&see
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Re: Plasma Cutters are not for Piercing

Post by see&see »

I have a Hyertherm PM 85 on my Plasmacam table and generally use a 45 amp nozzle to pierce up to 1/2" MS and AR500 plate. The 45 amp process cuts a bit slower than 65 amp but the cut quality is as good compared to way more expensive precision plasma machines IMO thanks to Jim Colt's help with settings and nozzle/amp choices. On 3/8" MS plate I have gotten over 500+ pierces using the same nozzle and shield. Pierce height and time to pierce are critical as well but most of that is available in the Hypertherm manuals and what is not we can help you with here.
You marry into the PlasmaCam family and must accept the fact your software and hardware are proprietary. It's a for better or for worse engagement with overwhelming security. PlasmaCam controls the computer, table, hardware to their advantage IMO. :x
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Re: Plasma Cutters are not for Piercing

Post by acourtjester »

I think the person that told you that is full of it. I have used one of their units with both machine and hand held torch on Plasma table with no problems.
I bet if you call back and act like you want to buy a 42 I and ask them if it will work on a plasma table you will get a different answer.

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Re: Plasma Cutters are not for Piercing

Post by Stout »

Page 14 of the user manual says it will pierce medium thickness material. Although it does not have a cut chart to indicate pierce times for different thickness material or other really interesting numbers.

The fact sheet says it will cut 25mm. That's about it.
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Re: Plasma Cutters are not for Piercing

Post by tnbndr »

I use their websites pierce height and cut height also.
Why would the website give a pierce height if they are not meant to pierce???!
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Re: Plasma Cutters are not for Piercing

Post by jimcolt »

Hypertherm torches are all rated for production thickness and severance thickness. The production thickness is also the maximum pierce thickness that you can pierce all day long without any additional effect on consumable part life.

Production thickness for Hypertherm Powermax systems:
-Powermax45 1/2"
-Powermax65 5/8"
-Powermax85 3/4"
-Powermax105 7/8"
-Powermax125 1"

The pierce thickness assumes that you are following the very clear specifications for piercing listed on the many pages of mechanized cut charts in the operators manual. Important for piercing is accurate pierce height and pierce delay time, if you follow these specs as listed in the manual, then piercing has little or no effect on consumable life. Accurate sensing of the surface of the plate by your machine, then accurate retract to the pierce height, and staying at that pierce height until the arc has fully penetrated is necessary.

There are many non-shielded plasma torches that certainly can pierce, but not nearly as thick as the Hypertherm torches and with much shorter consumable life. One pierce too close can affect the integrity of the torch nozzle orifice.

You should print this and hand it to whoever told you a plasma torch cannot pierce! Our 400 amp industrial plasma's pierce 2" steel all day long in less than 2 seconds. Our 800 amps systems can pierce to 4" thickness on stainless steel.

Jim Colt Hypertherm
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