Do not run cap lose, increase the air pressure at torch…
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I will try increasing pressure with the cap tight. I’m currently at 75 psi during cut. I feel like the pressure is closer to 100 psi while it’s not on. Wonder if there’s an issue with the internal regulator or something.
Air pressure at torch? Or air pressure supply to machine?
That would be the pressure on the gauge of the machine
Is it possible you have mixed consumables on the torch?
Maybe a fine cut shield on a regular tip ? Just spit balling here.
Or maybe what some consider hand tight he may see as half a turn backed off.
I’ve always used the same style consumables. As far as the cap, I turn it, by hand, until it stops, and then back off a half a turn. At this tightness, with the shield off, I can push the nozzle in slightly. With the retaining cap snug tight, I cannot move the nozzle.
How does the spring on your electrode look and compared to a brand new electrode?
The electrodes the piece that actually moves away from the nozzle because of air pressure.
He has a Razorweld 45 and a machine torch of some kind. The nozzle or tip as its called is not suppose to move. So my guess is a bad torch and may also be bad consumables.
The nozzle is not supposed to move when the cap is on. The electrode moves inside the nozzle when the air pressure blows it back.
The fact that it works better with the cap loose makes me wonder if the swirl ring is bad or installed backwards. Leaving the cap loose could be allowing air to bypass the swirl ring.
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The electrode always looks okay.
It’s a razor weld 45, currently using a machine torch and consumables purchased from langmuir systems page.
I’ll have to double check the installation of the swirl ring.
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if you’re using a shielded tip, you need to account for the extra bit sticking out in your toolset. it’s around .03, so your pierce/cut height settings should be .03 less for each.
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Verified today that the swirl ring is installed correctly, and can only be installed one way. I increased air pressure at the machine to 90 psi during the cut from 75 psi and noticed no difference in cut quality with the cap snugged tight. I even attempted to bypass the internal regulator with no change to cut quality with the cap tight.
At this point I’ve contacted Langmuir Systems, I’ll see if they can give me any type of support. Snapped a few pictures to see if you guys notice anything I’m missing.
I was told by langmuir that there’s a “sweet spot” for the retaining cap on the razorweld and that it’s not uncommon to have to have the cap backed odd, and that they run theirs with the cap backed off slightly
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So George, what would cause it to fire off center, I was just wondering??
Thank you
Electrodes fire of center because it is just a bad electrode, bad hafnium or a piece of hafnium falls out and then fires off center. But other things can also cause it like a bad swirl ring or bad cutting tip.
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I am new to this whole cnc plasma table experience but something that I have read here and experienced with my new table is that generally speaking most of my cut issues were from too high of amperage setting coupled with too low of travel speed. I never realized most of my dross issues were from too much heat moving too slowly. I practiced with the machine cutting three inch cuts back to back and only changing one variable for one set of cuts and making a little text file of optimal setting for several different metal thicknesses. After reading everything you have tried what comes to mind for me is that most of your issues revolves around moving to slow and worn consumables. When you switched consumables you had to speed up ur cut, but are still running with your torch retaining cup loose. I think that may have helped your worn consumables for whatever reason but it was a fluke. I suggest you titghten your retaining cap, use fresh new consumables and do those straight test cuts. Find a decent baseline amperage setting for whatever metal thickness your working with then do 6 to 10 cuts about three inches long starting at a pretty low travel speed and increasing the travel speed by 20 ipm until you see the cut quality degrade. I believe that with good consumables and your cut height set optimally and retaining cap properly tightened your simply going to fin that you have been cutting a little on the slow side of things. Good luck. I’m having a blast learning this thing.
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Going to bump this post since I’m still dealing with issues.
My solution to get better quality cuts with 14 gauge HR was running 30 amps, 165 ipm, air pressure at 75 psi with the retaining cap backed off at least half a turn which i was told was normal from LS. Pierce height .15", cut height .06" and .6 delay.
Everything ive read on here and including this post was told running the cap loose was not a good idea, but it was the only thing working for me.
Recently i wanted to try cutting .5" plate, was getting my settings dialed in when my torch did something strange and toasted my retaining cap.
I decided it was time to get this figured out. I went back to 14 gauge and went through some THC troubleshooting and so far have found nothing abnormal. I physically measured the cut height and got around .080" and tried compensating in sheetcam with no success. I was able to get the cut height closer to .060", but didnt really see a change in cut quality. LS told me that the recommended cut height is .080" which goes against everything ive seen on this forum.
Mostly im noticing too much taper, im assuming cut height too high.
With the retaining cap snug no matter what the settings are, i get excessive dross, cosumables doesnt change anything either.
All of this was with using the machine torch purchased from LS website, I think today I may try cutting with the old hand torch.
Not sure what other information would be helpful to help diagnose my issues here, I just feel like ive tried so much at this point I’m not sure what to try now.
That got a little hot . When I ran my rw45 I always cut 14 ga at 30 amps but only around 90 Ipm my guess would be you are cutting to fast messing with edge quality.
What setting did you try on .5?
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I believe it was 45 amps, 12 ipm, 1.2 sec delay. Edge wasn’t too bad, just excessive dross. Which could have been from the water level being too high.