General Cutting Information - ESAB Cutmaster 40 Operating Manual

ESAB CUTMASTER 40

4.05 General Cutting Information

WARNING
!
Disconnect primary power at the
source before disassembling the
power supply, torch, or torch leads.
Frequently review the Important
Safety Precautions at the front of
this manual. Be sure the operator is
equipped with proper gloves, cloth-
ing, eye and ear protection. Make
sure no part of the operator's body
comes into contact with the work-
piece while the torch is activated.
CAUTION
!
Sparks from the cutting process can
cause damage to coated, painted,
and other surfaces such as glass,
plastic and metal.
NOTE!
Handle torch leads with care and
protect them from damage.
Torch Standoff
Improper standoff (the distance between the
torch tip and workpiece) can adversely affect
tip life as well as shield cup life. Standoff may
also significantly affect the bevel angle. Re-
ducing standoff will generally result in a more
square cut.
Edge Starting
For edge starts, hold the torch perpendicular to
the workpiece with the front of the tip near (not
touching) the edge of the workpiece at the point
where the cut is to start. When starting at the
edge of the plate, do not pause at the edge and
force the arc to "reach" for the edge of the metal.
Establish the cutting arc as quickly as possible.
Direction of Cut
In the torches, the plasma gas stream swirls as
it leaves the torch to maintain a smooth column
of gas. This swirl effect results in one side of a
cut being more square than the other. Viewed
along the direction of travel, the right side of the
cut is more square than the left.
OPERATION
Left Side
Cut Angle
Side Characteristics Of Cut
To make a square - edged cut along an inside
diameter of a circle, the torch should move
counterclockwise around the circle. To keep
the square edge along an outside diameter cut,
the torch should travel in a clockwise direction.
Dross
When dross is present on carbon steel, it is
commonly referred to as either "high speed,
slow speed, or top dross". Dross present on top
of the plate is normally caused by too great a
torch to plate distance. "Top dross" is normally
very easy to remove and can often be wiped off
with a welding glove. "Slow speed dross" is nor-
mally present on the bottom edge of the plate.
It can vary from a light to heavy bead, but does
not adhere tightly to the cut edge, and can be
easily scraped off. "High speed dross" usually
forms a narrow bead along the bottom of the
cut edge and is very difficult to remove. When
cutting a troublesome steel, it is sometimes
useful to reduce the cutting speed to produce
"slow speed dross". Any resultant cleanup can
be accomplished by scraping, not grinding.
4-8
Right Side
Cut Angle
A-00512
300X5394