Hypertherm XPR170, Instruction Manual

Page: 227 / 438

Operation
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XPR300 Instruction Manual 809480 227
How to use cut charts
Electronic cut charts are available on the cut chart screen of your CNC or XPR web interface.
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For information about how to find electronic cut charts, refer to the
instruction manual that came with your CNC.
Cut charts are available in the XPR Cut Charts Instruction Manual (809830).
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The cut charts are for reference purposes. Always use the electronic cut
charts that appear on your CNC or XPR web interface for the most
complete and accurate process-selection information.
Use the cut charts for guidance about process selection, especially if the default process ID
settings are not satisfactory for your application.
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The pre-programmed settings that come with a process ID are designed
to give the best balance between quality and productivity with
consumables that are in average condition.
The results that you want from a process can influence process selection. In some cases, cut quality
is important. In other cases, speed is important. Often, the best choice balances these
requirements.
Process core thickness (PCT)
The cut chart for every cutting process contains a range of possible thicknesses. Process engineers
work to optimize a range of thicknesses (process category 1 for XPR). This optimized range is
known as the process core thickness (PCT). Thicknesses greater and less than the PCT can have
varied results relative to cut quality, cut speed, and piercing capability.
Process categories
The XPR cut charts have up to 5 process categories. Each category has a unique process category
number (1 – 5) that correlates to the performance that you can expect when you select this
process. The process category number for the process that you choose changes the quality-speed
balance.
For best results, Hypertherm recommends that you select process category number 1 whenever
possible. Category 1 represents an optimized thickness (or PCT) for that cut process with the
overall best balance of cut quality and cut speed.
Table 30 on page 228 and Table 31 on page 229 describe the results that you can expect with
different process category numbers.