Cut issues - skipping some cut elements...HELP!

[JPep]

I am doing a screen using a halftone image split into 16 pieces which will be bent and viewed at an
angle. Why are some cuts not firing?

The first picture shows what the finished product will look like, the second picture shows what the first left panel should look like. The third picture shows what actually cut and has red circles for missing cuts. Crossfire did the pattern for the missing cuts, but did not fire for these 22 circles.

I’ve attached pics of my setting and post info. Don’t freak about the .01 plasma kerf size. I set this so that if I do really small holes and set no leadin/out I do not get errors and skipped pattern.

[TinWhisperer]

I would definitely start by lowering your feed rate to under 300 in per minute.
Unless you have an XR then I think 400 might be your limit.

Can you screenshot your lead in and lead out preferences from your 2D profile menu?

You could always post an f3d file and I could see where exactly you’re at.

[JPep]

My hypertherm cut sheet says 325 for the 26 gauge steel I’m using. I have lead in and lead out set to “none”. As I said, I watched most of the cut and all was going fine, but then some circles just happened without the torch firing for that hole. I’m using Hypertherm 45XP at 40amps with new fine cut shielded head. More pics added to OP.

Change pierce delay? Change retract height?

[TinWhisperer]

In the linking menu you can change your Pierce clearance which will reduce that lead in some.

The crossfire pro can only run up to 300 inches per minute.

I actually have a post on here cutting some 26 gauge myself

HVAC parts Square to Rounds 26 GA galvanized

I have made quite a few square to rounds over the years but this is the first using a CNC. Over the years I became very familiar with laying out and fabricating square to rounds by hand. When SketchUp came came out I started laying out fittings in that CAD environment , Acquiring all the true lengths, then stepping out the points with a compass on my sheet metal. Then I bought a bigger printer and could print out sometime 20 pieces of paper glue them down to the sheet metal, then cut out of t…

You can set your Pierce clearance to .048

.1 is almost an eighth it’s a lot of lead in for Pierce clearance

[JPep]

But this question is why would changing any of these settings impact the torch not firing for just some of the holes. What is the communication issue between torch and Crossfire that is directly impacting this? It seems like it might be a pierce height issue, not pierce clearance. My understanding is that pierce clearance just impacts where the cut starts, and it does not seem to me that this would have any impact on whether the torch fires or not.

[TinWhisperer]

You’re likely problem is your machine screwing up cuz it can’t do 325 in per minute.

The Pierce clearance suggestion it was just an added bonus.

Usually your Pierce clearance is set to your kerf width.

[TinWhisperer]

Now Also I find myself when I’m running 26 gauge running at 30 amps.
In that post I linked I was running 40amps.

I also make a little bit of sacrificial geometry in my nests for the first pierce because the timing is different on it from every subsequent Pierce.

run your sample program that you had there at 300 in per minute and see if it resolves the problem.

In the NC program menu may also change the retract height to (in) 1

And retract height offset in the 2d profile> height to .4

[JPep]

I tried again at 300 with similar results. I did notice that the head was trying to spark on some of the missed cuts. The metal I am using is coated and I am wondering if that may be the issue. Does the metal to be cut need to be uncoated steel?

[TinWhisperer]

What kind of coating, like galvalum? Paint?

And the clamp should be directly on the material especially with that thin stuff.

[JPep]

It is a flat sheet of coated metal roofing, coated on both sides. I’ve sanded a section and attached the clamp directly.

There are still some holes not cutting, but I can sense a small spark (as if the torch is trying to fire) before if performs the hole routine without making the cut.But then the enxt hole may be fine.

Increase pierce delay to how much higher?

[TinWhisperer]

I run a pierce delay of 0.39s on 26 gauge galvanized.

That paint might be throwing you for a loop.

I would slowly bump it up until it’s actually making the Pierce every time.

Not super ideal for small geometry cuz the increase pierced and delay will distort small holes some. But with painted material this might be the evil you have to deal with.