Trying a .6mm tip for fine detailed design. The kerf is set at .024 in Sheetcam. The design ends up cutting much thinner than with the .8mm tip. I increased the kerf back to .055 which is what I use for the .8mm tip and it cuts the design the same as the .8mm tip. What am I missing? Why do I need to make the kerf the same as the .8mm tip?
If i understand correctly, why have different kerf widths for the software? Im using F360 and im sure sheetcam will notify if there is an overlap or some issue with kerf, but you need to know what the kerf width actually is when designing and cutting either close contours or lines that need to be a specific distance or opening.
I understand why different kerf widths. I am using Sheetcam and when I use the .024" kerf width for .6mm tip, the cut is quite a bit thinner than it should be. It does not match the original drawing. I had to change the kerf measurement to .055" which is what I normally use for the .8mm tip. Just wondering if I am missing something in Sheetcam.
A 0.6mm cutting tip has an orifice hole of around .025" and is rated at 20 amps, a 0.8mm tip has a orifice hole at around .030" and is rated at 30 amps.
So a kerf set at .024" and a .06mm tip set at 20 amp on thin metal will give you the thinner cut line.
By changing to a smaller tip you will have to remap your part to make it come out the same size.
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I am new to this. What settings would you recommend for cutting thin (16g - 22g) copper or brass using a 0.6mm tip? I have a vipercut 30.
I wouldn’t think it should change the size of the design. The kerf width is supposed to offset the cut from the original lines on the design to keep the the correct size.
Yes, but you have to be cutting on the right side of the line. You program may be set to cut the outside of the line at.055 and the inside of the line at .024
I thought of that and double-checked after cutting. I use Sheetcam with layers and I definitely had the offsets correct.
Then the parts should all be the same size if not your program is not right some were
I agree! I can’t figure out what yet. That is why I posted the question!
I’m sorry I can’t help you with your program. You should contact Tech support.
Have you actually run any test cuts on your material .
It’s the only way to know what the actual result of your real time cut results with will be.
I designed a test file to run on all the different thicknesses of material I cut.
14 gauge, 16 gauge, 18 gauge & 20 gauge is mostly what I’m cutting.
You absolutely need to sacrifice a piece of that specific thickness & material to run test cut files on it at stepped up speeds from lowest to highest. Vary the amperage if you like to but that is fairly easy to calculate or better said, set and not touch for the thickness. Once the cuts are done actually measure the kerf width.
You will have a documented cut reference now with AMPS, Torch height, ipm, material type & thickness, consumable size, ex. .6mm, .8mm, .9 mm and so on. Along with pierce delay… document and save all of it for the next time you cut a project on that material type and thickness.
See the link post below for the test cut file I ran on .105” steel before I cut out the MOOSE SCENE ART PIECE. The result was as near perfect as I could have asked for. If you want the best result for your pieces, it’s the only way you will ever achieve them on your machine. There are so many variables that will be present on your machine in your area in your shop then will be in someone else’s shop and the area they are in.
Even these specific settings for the steel piece I cut may give you a slightly different result on the same thickness. Why. Who knows. Could be any number off things. But it should get you dialed in fairly close.
I buy my steel from the same supplier all the time and so far the first settings I’ve found doing test cuts have yielded the same great results.
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We have done many test cuts typically using a sample design not just a line. Like you said, there are so many variables plus each design has its own specific issues. We may need to try just a line to get it close and then dial it in with each design.
You are using cold roll and we are using hot roll. I have seen many posts that cold roll cuts much cleaner. Cold roll is harder for us to get. Plus, it looks like many prefer 14 gauge instead of 16 gauge.
Also, our .6mm tip is from Ebay so not sure of the quality. It was one others had posted on the forum that they have good luck with.
Just wasn’t sure if there was something glaring that we are missing with using Sheetcam and the kerf settings. It seems odd that we had to make the kerf for the .6mm tip the same as the .8mm tip to get the design to cut at the same size.
VI used hot rolled as it was cheaper, but cold rolled cuts better and there is no mill scale to clean off, its slightly more in cost but it’s made up with the cut quality and less time to finish clean.
Those settings are a base that they mention in the set up and not what will yield any quality result.
If you look at the post I did on .105 cold rolled, you can see there is a long cut followed by direction changes then quick direction changes.
Speed typically slows when the cutter changes direction and so might kerf widths and results. The 70 ipm had almost 100% retention of the 0.031” Kerf width through the turns of the cutter so I use that and the rest of the settings all the time now on .105 cold rolled steel.
I design all my artsy stuff in INKSCAPE. when I have the design finished I create a filled circle the same size as my test cut result, in this case 0.031”.
I then run that circle around the entire design to give me an idea if there will be cut width issues and clearance issue. If so I can tweak the sketch/designs lines using the node editor and negate any width of cut issue before I run the file on the cutter.
You can also up the ipm speed and AMPS to get through the cut file faster On thicker stuff but that’s another test cut palate.
70 ipm yielded fast enough cut result and great quality.
I have some 18 & 20 gauge cold rolled on the way and will be running the .6mm consumable ,test cuts on both.
I buy all my sheet from online metals.com
I have numerous metal supply shops around as I’m in RACE CITY USA area in N.C. BUT NONE HAVE COLD ROLLED in the gauge I use?
Go figure. And LOWES IS over priced for tiny sheets, let alone anything of decent size. And where there steel comes from I’d guess CHINA
I buy 24x24” sheets or a 24 x 36 they fit perfect on the table.
You have to take the table for what it is.
It’s a hobby table/ light commercial table for a small business as LONG AS YOU, take time to dial it in and do the maintenance on it regularly!!! and realize without THC your quality is solely dependent on your effort to maintain and dial in the cuts with testing that is specific to your Plasma cutter.
If you buy a better quality Cutter like a Hypertherm you’ll get better results but still need to dial it in and run test cuts time and time again.
I’m very happy with my table and the results with my RAZORCUT45!
Just takes test cuts. To dial it all in and you get awesome cut quality …