Newbie- Hypertherm HPR130XD

[MSD13SS]

I am currently running a Dynatorch Master Series light machine with a Hypertherm 1650 plasma generator. I'll try to make this short and to the point. I have had this machine for about a year, for the life of me can't get acceptable hole quality in any material thicker than 10ga sheet (steel, aluminum & SS). As a result our shop has to either re-punch or just punch the holes instead of trying to plasma cut them. I use TurboNest software with hole slowdown option running at 60% of optimal feedrate and still no luck. Due to this issue I have been contemplating upgrading to a HPR130XD. So my first question is anyone running a HPR130XD on a Dynatorch machine and if so how does it work?

My next question is I have a very high end project that calls for both steel & aluminum 5/8" thick plate cut into a X-shape with a 2"dia hole in the center. The kicker is the X-shape is like two 5/8" sqr. bars intersecting each other. Their is no way I can cut this with our current Hypertherm 1650 machine, so would a HPR130XD do this with great cut edge quality? We have bid the project using an outsourced waterjet vendor but was thinking maybe we could do it ourselves if we upgraded to the HPR130XD machine. The total project calls for (18) 5' x 10' plates of 5/8" aluminum.

I hope someone can help we just need other peoples opinions on how to proceed.

[jimcolt]

Could you post some pictures of your hole quality issues? I do a lot of holes with my Hypertherm Powermax unit on steel up to 1/2" thickness with a cnc machine....I consider these holes to be very nice, with minimal taper and are round on the top and the bottom. If your machine is not making round holes, or if the height control is not transitioning from pierce height to cut height accurately....then changing the plasma will not make good holes!

Also, I am having a hard time understanding the actual x shaped part you need to cut....and pictures or a .dxf file of that and I may be able to offer advice.

The HPR130 does produce better cut quality and dramatically longer consumable life as compared to any air plasma system. It uses oxygen as the plasma gas and air as the shield gas for cutting carbon steel....leaving a metalurgically superior edge with better squareness. It is designed for use with high precision industrial cutting machines. I'm not sure about the interface capabilities on the Dynatorch machine.....you likely could make the 130 operate on the machine but it may not provide its best performance.

Here are pictures of air plasma cut holes on 3/8" steel. If your holes are out of round, or have excess taper (there is some taper in plasma cut holes until you get into high end industrial cnc plasmas with Hypertherm's "True Hole technology), then you likely have height control or x-y motion control issues that need to be resolved. These parts were cut with a Hypertherm Powermax45 on a PlasmaCam entry level cnc machine.....I don't consider it a "precision" cnc machine, but it produces very high quality holes for an entry level machine....the Dynatorch is a nice machine and should be able to do just as well.

[MSD13SS]

I have attached pics of 1/4" & 3/8" HR plate with 1/2" & 1" dia holes. I think some of my issues might be the nesting software. I have not mastered the lead in arc size and angle which causes ticks in the material. Even that said these holes were cut with brand new "Hypertherm" consumables and the exit side of the hole is not to be desired. I would not even attempt to cut these small holes with 1/2" plate its just not acceptable to us. I guess it might help to know that we manufacture high end railing systems which means edge quality is extremely important since people will be right next to it.

The attached sample pdf is of a project we need 112' linear feet of (112' of 5/8" aluminum & 112' of 5/8" steel) so Jim if you honestly tell me cutting such a shape with an HPR130 would work let me know?

Jim if I was interested in having a sample piece cut with a HPR130 is that possible? I so need to see an actual piece cut with this unit before I invest in it. I was told the Dynatorch unit can handle a HPR130 but need another professional opinion on if i should spend the money upgrading just the plasma generator or investing in a completely new machine.

[jimcolt]

Your Plasma can cut better holes than the ones in the picture. It is a bit hard to tell from the pictures, but it appears to me that the torch height is incorrect. Torch height control needs to pierce at the manufacturers recomended pierce height, then when the recomended pierce delay times out the torch should rapidly index to the recomended cut height while still on the lead in. The lead in needs to be long enough for the plasma gas pressure to stabilize (1 second or so) before the torch gets into the cut path. The torch height on all small holes under about 1-1/4" diameter should stay frozen at the cut height (no arc voltage control), the the holes should be cut at approximately 60% of the torch manufacturers recommended OPTIMAL (not maximum) speed as listed in the Hypertherm operators manual under mechanized cutting.

If height, motion control and speed are an issue...then the HPR130 will exhibit holes that may be out of round, have start stop lead in, lead out divots and dings, and may have excess taper. I would be happy to provide a cut sample with an HPR130, however the Hypertherm demo lab machines are extremely precise machines with industrial motion controls, Hypertherm torch height controls and inertia matched servo drives. The results you get on a lower cost machine likely will not be identical.

I am not in any way knocking the quality and value of the DynaTorch machine....however comparing it to a $250,000 water jet or a $150,000 industrial high definition plasma system is like comparing a Porsche to a Hyundai. Each is well suited to the uses they were designed for, but you cannot expect the Hyundai to corner or accelerate like a Porsche. The HPR130 when mounted on a machine designed for high precision cutting.... will provide faster, more productive cutting than a water jet.....however the water jet will produce squarer, cleaner cut edges than the plasma.

Your x shaped part can be cut with an HPR, I think the quality on steel will be very similar to the waterjet cut....but will have a little top edge rounding and a slight (typically under 1 degree) edge taper. If you cut this part from aluminum with an HPR, the edge taper will be more pronounced, the botton of the sharp corners will be a bit washed out, the cut edge will be rather rough. You don't mention required tolerances.

Jim Colt