Thermal Dynamics Econo-Pak 50, Operating Manual

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Manual 0-2450 17 OPERATION
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, clothing, eye and ear protection. Make sure no part of the
operator’s body comes into contact with the workpiece while the
torch is activated.
Sparks from the cutting process can cause damage to coated,
painted, and other surfaces such as glass, plastic and metal.
Handle torch leads with care and protect them from damage.
Piloting is harder on parts life than actual cutting because the
pilot arc is directed from the electrode to the tip rather than to a
workpiece. Whenever possible, avoid excessive pilot arc time to
improve parts life.
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. Reducing
standoff will generally result in a more square cut.
For edge starts, hold the torch perpendicular to the workpiece
with the front of the tip on 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.
In the torch, 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. To make a square-edged cut along an inside diameter of a
circle, the torch should move counter clockwise around the circle.
To keep the square edge along an outside diameter cut, the torch
should travel in a clockwise direction.
On carbon steel, dross on top of the plate is normally caused by a
fast torch travel speed or a high torch standoff. This dross is
usually hard to remove. Dross along the cut line on the bottom of
the plate is more easily removed and is often caused by torch
travel speeds that are to slow.
WARNING
WARNING
CAUTION
NOTE
Piloting
Torch Standoff
Edge Starting
Direction of Cut
Dross
4.03 OPERATING THE SYSTEM