HTP MICROCUT 600, Owner'S Manual

Page: 8 / 18

8
DESCRIPTION
Your new Plasma Cutter is designed as a clean,
distortion free means of cutting through metal,
up to 1/2” inch thick. The plasma cutter power
generator consists of a transformer, an inverter
unit, and a PC Board. The PC Board controls the
unit safeguards and governs the work cycles
of the various components which make up
the unit, such as the solenoid valve, the power
contactor, etc.
Table 1 lists your Plasma Cutter specifi cations.
Primary (input) volts 230 Vac
Primary (input) Imax Amps 28,5
Phase Single
Frequency 60Hz
Secondary (output) volts 96
Secondary amps 18
Duty Cycle 40Amps@20%
25Amps@60%
20Amps@100%
PLASMA CUTTER
OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS
DUTY CYCLE
The duty cycle rating of a plasma cutter defi nes
how long the operator can cut and how long
the unit must be rested and cooled. Duty cycle
is expressed as a percentage of 10 minutes and
represents the maximum cutting time allowed.
The balance of the 10-minute cycle is required
for cooling. This plasma cutter is designed for
20% duty cycle at 40Amps. This means that
you can cut for 2 minutes out of 10 with the
remaining 8 minutes required for cooling.
INTERNAL THERMAL PROTECTION
CAUTION
Do not constantly exceed the duty cycle or
damage to the unit can result.
If you exceed the duty cycle of the plasma
cutter, an internal thermal protector will open,
shutting off all functions except the cooling fan.
If this happens, DO NOT SHUT OFF THE UNIT.
Leave the unit turned on with the fan running.
After cooling, the thermal protector will
automatically reset and the unit will function
PLASMA CUTTER SPECIFICATIONS
normally again. However you should wait at
least ten minutes after the thermal protector
opens before resuming work. You must do this
even if the thermal protector resets itself before
the ten minutes is up or you may experience
less than specifi ed duty cycle performance.
ELECTRIC SHOCK PROTECTION
An electric shock protection device prevents
the operator from coming into contact with
electrically live parts of the torch (such as the
electrode, etc.). This consists of a safety device,
built into the body of the torch, which puts the
unit in safety mode when the end part of the
torch is removed to replace the electrode or the
nozzle. NOTE: When the electrical protection
device is activated, the unit is prevented from
operating.
PLASMA ARC AND BASIC PRINCIPLES
FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF PLASMA
CUTTING
• Plasma is a gas that is heated to an extremely
high temperature and ionized so that it
becomes a conductor of electricity.
• This cutting procedure utilizes the plasma
to transfer the electric arc to the metal
workpiece, which is melted by the heatand
then separated.
• The torch uses compressed air from a single
source, for both the plasma and cooling and
protective gas.
• The plasma cycle is started when the airfl ow
moves the electrode away from the cutting
tip, which initiates the pilot arc.
• When the torch is brought into direct contact
with the workpiece to be cut (connetcted to
the positive polarity of the power source) the
pilot arc is transfered between the electrode
and the workpiece itself thus striking a
plasma arc, also called cutting arc.
• The duration of the pilot arc is set in the
fatcory at 3 seconds; if the transfer has not
been made within this time, the cycle is
automatically stopped except for the cooling
air which is kept on.