These days, you can find many different types of
advanced plasma cutters. These instruments may appear to be used easily. However,
there is always a user manual that you need to follow in order to make the best
use of these machines. As these are the advanced ones, you will love to use
them while piercing and cutting through the materials and the metal sheet. But
the fact is that how you need to use these machines? If you are not really used
to with how to operate these machines, you can make it look easier while
following the user manual. And when you have the skill to perform plasmacutting, you cannot just stop yourself from taking these equipments out of the
box!
And when you think to work on these machines in the
most professional manner, you have to follow certain practices and rules. This
will increase your skills and efficiency. This will also help you to get
accurate cuts that are equipped with great quality. It’s the plasma cutting
system that is used just to get the accurate and precise cuts. In order to
achieve these cuts, you have to follow certain practices. When you follow these
steps, you can easily help the machine to work on a long run smoothly. If you
are not having enough ideas about these practices, then you must read on!
The very first thing that you need to do before you
start using the plasma cutter is that you have to go through the user manual
properly. Make yourself more familiar with the safety and the precautions you
have to take while using such equipment. You need to learn more about the safe
as well as correct operation of the machine.
In order to enhance the productivity and efficiency
of the plasma cutter, you need to use it properly. To know how the cutter is
working, first you need to make some sample cuts on such a material on which
you will further work on. In this way, you can find out the right setting and
the speed as well that you can use further to make the cuts with your desired
material. When you are doing the long cuts, it may become tough for you to stop
and then continue cleanly. You need to clean the work piece in order to wipe
out the dust on a regular interval.
All you need to practice these movements before you
pull the trigger for the final time to perform the required cuts. While
practicing these initial cuts, you will become more familiar with the equipment
and how this use to operate. You will also learn more about the cutting speed.
Once you become enough familiar with the making of cuts, you can start doing
this constantly on the desired materials.
You can also use the drag shield for the plasma
cutter in order to enhance its efficiency and working ability. It’s the draw
shield that makes the cutting operation safer and more flexible for the
operator. This type of arrangement can be done for the torch of the equipment. This
helps the operator to place the torch at a specified distance from the work
piece and will not allow the torch tip to touch the work piece that can create
a possible collision. In case of such collision, the torch can get hampered
with this working ability. This will also affect the quality of the cut as well
as this can lessen up the lifetime of the consumables assigned for the plasma
cutter.
There should be a specified gap needs to be
maintained between the work piece and the torch tip. This gap needs to remain
around 1/16 inch to half inch. Maintaining this gap can keep both the torch tip
and the work piece safe. In this way, the operator get the right kind of
freedom to move the torch tip in specified direction and also a proper standoff
can be maintained. This will help you to perform quality and steady cuts and
can even support the operator’s hand in a good way.
It’s the amperage setting that needs to be proper
enough. When you are going for the lower amperage, make sure that the orifice
is smaller and thus it can generate a narrower plasma stream on this type of
setting. When the amperage tip remains around 40 amps, the setting can distort
the orifice tip and can even reduce the life span of the consumable to a great
extent. When you are using 80 amps on the lower setting, this will not affect
plasma stream and can lead the way for a possible wider kerf. To get better
outcome, you need to extend the tip so that it can go further and can perform
cuts on the corner areas. This can also be done when you use patterns or apply
the tool on the tight areas.
When you are piercing through the thinner materials
in order to make the cuts, the plasma arc formed can punch through the material
with no or little backsplash. In case of the thicker materials, you can set the
torch in an angel of 45 degree and can opt for the first piercing. If you will
not do like this, there is a chance for the metal to splash back and this can
also enhance the wear chances for the consumable used for the plasma cutter.
When you are cutting material like aluminum, you
need to perform fast cuts. This will help you to get clean cuts easily. The
machine needs to be set on its full output when you are cutting the thicker
materials. During this type of cut, you can even vary the cut speed. In case of
the thinner material, you need to turn the amperage down and shift to the lower
amperage tip in order to maintain the narrow kerf. During this time, the arc
needs to exit the cutting material at an angle of fifteen to twenty degree.
This angle needs to be opposite to the direction in which the arc is traveling.
