Edge start and hole cuts in thick metal

Hypertherm Plasma Cutter discussion forum.
Post Reply
Jcam450
1/2 Star Member
1/2 Star Member
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2020 6:29 pm

Edge start and hole cuts in thick metal

Post by Jcam450 »

Hello, I am a newbie with plasma cutting. We have a Hypertherm 65 mounted to a JD Squared 4' x 4' plasma table and we use Sheetcam to send the files to their software. I would like to cut some items from 3/4" plate but the Hypertherm 65 will only pierce 5/8" according to the charts. I have seen posts about doing an edge start for the out side cut and drilling a small hole in the center of the larger hole I want to burn out which I assume I would do an edge start on as well. Can anyone explain the procedure for doing an edge start on each of the cuts.
Attachments
Bucket Ears.pdf
(73.36 KiB) Downloaded 61 times
User avatar
djreiswig
4.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
4.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 1930
Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2015 10:02 pm
Location: SE Nebraska

Re: Edge start and hole cuts in thick metal

Post by djreiswig »

Just either put your start point on the edge of the material, or if you want to do the hole method, step through your code until you get to the pierce and mark where the pierce will be. Then move the torch and drill a hole so the edge is near the center of the pierce. You have to leave enough material so the arc can start to cut. Then start your code over and let her rip.
Also, you don't want a pierce delay if you edge start.
2014 Bulltear (StarLab) 4x8
C&CNC EtherCut
Mach3, SheetCam, Draftsight
Hypertherm PM65
Oxy/Acetylene Flame Torch
Pneumatic Plate Marker, Ohmic, 10 inch Rotary Chuck (in progress)
User avatar
djreiswig
4.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
4.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 1930
Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2015 10:02 pm
Location: SE Nebraska

Re: Edge start and hole cuts in thick metal

Post by djreiswig »

If your table is capable of doing a ramp pierce, I've had good luck piercing 3/4" using that. Make the plunge rate the same as the feed rate and no pierce delay. It will rooster tail the sparks away from the moving torch.
2014 Bulltear (StarLab) 4x8
C&CNC EtherCut
Mach3, SheetCam, Draftsight
Hypertherm PM65
Oxy/Acetylene Flame Torch
Pneumatic Plate Marker, Ohmic, 10 inch Rotary Chuck (in progress)
Jcam450
1/2 Star Member
1/2 Star Member
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2020 6:29 pm

Re: Edge start and hole cuts in thick metal

Post by Jcam450 »

Thanks, I’ll give these a try.
User avatar
SeanP
4 Star Member
4 Star Member
Posts: 950
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 11:50 am
Location: Co Kerry, Ireland

Re: Edge start and hole cuts in thick metal

Post by SeanP »

What I do is place a small circle over the pierce point's on the part in sheetcam, then using a drill operation peck mark each pierce point, then drill with a 3-4mm drill and then run the cuts with a tool for edge starts, it works well for a few parts but I don't want to many parts to do!

I have attached a sheetcam job file that you might follow better.

(it's a pity this forum doesn't allow .job file to be uploaded?)
Attachments
change pdf extension to job.pdf
(71.46 KiB) Downloaded 56 times
Powermax XP45
Home built table, Candcnc DTHC 2, Dragoncut 620-4
R-Tech 210 Tig, Jasic 250 mig
Sheetcam, Scanything, Coreldraw
Table build gallery
adbuch
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 8602
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:22 pm
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Contact:

Re: Edge start and hole cuts in thick metal

Post by adbuch »

Sean,
I was not able to open your pdf file.
David
Cannot open pdf file.jpg
User avatar
djreiswig
4.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
4.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 1930
Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2015 10:02 pm
Location: SE Nebraska

Re: Edge start and hole cuts in thick metal

Post by djreiswig »

It's a .job file, not a pdf. You can't upload job files so he tricked the site by changing the extension.
2014 Bulltear (StarLab) 4x8
C&CNC EtherCut
Mach3, SheetCam, Draftsight
Hypertherm PM65
Oxy/Acetylene Flame Torch
Pneumatic Plate Marker, Ohmic, 10 inch Rotary Chuck (in progress)
adbuch
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 8602
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:22 pm
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Contact:

Re: Edge start and hole cuts in thick metal

Post by adbuch »

djreiswig wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 7:09 pm It's a .job file, not a pdf. You can't upload job files so he tricked the site by changing the extension.
OK. Thanks.
David
Post Reply

Return to “Hypertherm Plasma Cutters”