First, be sure you have genuine consumables. There are a lot of copies of the consumables as well as the packaging. If you bought from an authorized Hypertherm dealer then you are likely ok. Second, with the fact that Hypertherm produces millions of consumables a month in its new Hampshire USA facilities, it certainly is possible (but rare) to have defects. Most there are other issues such as inlet dynamic air pressure or pierce heights that can affect starting of a plasma....everything has to be right for it to work as designed. For this reason it is always best to call the experts, Hypertherm's tech service staff. They can help determine if there is anything wrong with your consumables....and will help solve your issue. 1 800 643 9878 or technical.service@hypertherm.com Jim Colt