6
Compressed Air or Gas
Connection
A source of clean, dry air or nitrogen must be
supplied to the machine. Oil in the air is a severe
problem and must be avoided, use an oil filter if
necessary. The supply pressure must be between
4.5 to 10.3 Bar and the flow rate is approximately
6800 LHR. Failure to observe these precautions
could result in excessive operating temperatures or
damage to the torch.
Output Connections
This machine is sent from the factory with a PCT-
20 cutting torch and work clamp installed. The
work clamp must be securely connected to the
work piece. If the work piece is painted or
extremely dirty it may be necessary to expose the
bare metal in order to make a good electrical
connection. Do not remove the work clamp during
cutting, plasma cutting generates high voltages
that can kill.
Front Control Panel
The POWER SWITCH controls the input power to
the machine. After input power is connected and
this switch is turned on, the back lit POWER
symbol on the control panel will light up to indicate
the machine is ready.
The PURGE button is used to turn on the flow of
compressed air through the torch. While pressing
this button the air pressure supplied to the torch
can be regulated using the built-in regulator and
pressure gage. Set the air pressure to 4.4 Bar
while air is flowing through the torch. Air flow is
required for proper adjustment.
The OUTPUT CURRENT KNOB is used to set the
output current used during cutting, from 12A to
25A. The pilot arc current does not change, it is
always 12A.
The back lit GAS PRESSURE symbol on the
control panel will light up to indicate when the inlet
air pressure is too low. The inlet air pressure must
be between 5.0 and 10.3 Bar. The machine will
not operate when this GAS PRESSURE symbol is
lit.
The back lit THERMAL symbol on the control
panel will light up when the machine is overheated
and the output has been turned off. This will occur
if the ambient temperature is above 40°C and the
duty cycle of the machine has been exceeded.
Leave the machine on to allow the internal
components to cool, when THERMAL symbol turns
off normal operation is possible
The back lit SAFETY symbol on the control panel
will light up when the machine detects a parts-in-
place error. A parts-in-place error means that a
problem with the torch consumables has been
detected and the output of the machine has been
disabled. To correct this error, turn the machine
off and inspect the torch consumables. The
consumables must be in good condition and
installed correctly for the machine to operate. For
safety reasons, the machine must be turned off
and then back on to reset this error.
Operation
When preparing to cut, make sure you have all
materials needed to complete the job and have
taken all safety precautions. Install the machine as
instructed in this manual and remember to attach
the work clamp to the work piece. Check the
regulation of air pressure by pressing the PURGE
button and adjusting the gas regulator. Do not set
the air pressure when air is not flowing through the
torch.
When ready to cut make certain all safety
precautions have been taken, be prepared for the
pilot arc to ignite, and pull the trigger.
• The air will flow for a preflow time of 2 seconds
and the pilot arc will start. (Exceptions: The
first time that the trigger is pulled after the
machine is turned on, or after a thermal
overload, it will be ignored. This is a safety
feature to prevent the pilot arc from firing
unexpectedly or if the torch button is pressed
because it is laying up against something. The
other exception is if the machine is in postflow,
then the preflow time is skipped and the pilot
arc will start immediately.)
• The pilot arc will run for 3 seconds and shut off
automatically unless the arc is brought in
contact with the work piece and the arc is
transferred. Avoid excessive pilot arc time by
transferring the arc to the work piece quickly.
• When the arc is brought within 3 to 6 mm from
the work piece the arc will transfer, the output
current will increase to the setting on the control
panel, and the cut can last indefinitely (or until
the duty cycle of the machine is exceeded).
If you must pierce the work piece,
lower the torch onto the metal at a
30° angle away from the operator.
This will blow the dross (melted
metal) away from the torch tip.
Slowly rotate the torch to the
vertical position as the arc
becomes deeper. Once the work
piece is pierced normal cutting can
occur.
Keep moving while cutting and
cut at a steady speed so that
the arc leg is 10° to 20°