Consumable Life Cutting Aluminum

[TrinityFabworks]

I recently started cutting aluminum. I am starting to get really high quality cuts (compared to when I first tried to cut aluminum). I am just noticing a significantly shorter consumable life when cutting aluminum compared to cutting steel. Is this generally how it goes? I would say my consumables last maybe 40-50% as long as they do when cutting steel. I am using a miller spectrum 625 x-treme with factory 40 amp Miller consumables.

[Charlie10]

That is to be expected. Why exactly that is someone else would have to tell you haha. The percentage of life hasn't seemed like quite that much less to me though. I cut a good amount of aluminum using Hypertherm finecuts, which Hypertherm doesn't recommend because you get even shorter life, but I get the best quality that way. I find that I wear out nozzles quicker than I do electrodes even though you're generally supposed to change them at the same time.

[JDR Metal Art]

I haven't noticed a difference in consumable life between steel or aluminum when plasma cutting with my 45XP. I do run my torch a bit higher above the material when cutting aluminum than I do with steel..maybe try that?