If you want your plasma cutting machine to continue to perform at its best, you need to make sure that it is well maintained. From cleaning the torch body to checking the water quality to adjusting the gears and bearings, keep reading to find out everything you should be doing to prolong the life of your CNC plasma cutters and reduce the likelihood of it breaking down.
Clean the torch body
You need to make sure that you remove all the torch parts and examine the inside of the torch to ensure that there is no damage. You should also clean the inside of the torch using an electrical contact cleaner and a cotton swab and blow out any accumulated metal dust.
Clean the power supply
Metal dust can accumulate in the power supply of profile cutting machines which can lead to damaged components, particularly PC boards, so you must take the time to blow out any metal dust. You should also check the air filters and replace, if needed.
Clean the torch leads
Again, metal dust and dirt can accumulate in a torch lead, so you need to make sure you clean these thoroughly. Also, check for kinked or worn down hoses, exposed wires and cracked fittings.
Check the torch-cooling components
For water-cooled torches, you need to check the coolant stream for signs of aspirated air or reduced coolant flow. Also, check the coolant filters and pump screens and clean or replace, when necessary.
Check the water quality
Hard water can cause a whole host of problems, including reducing the lifespan of CNC plasma cutters and increasing the need for spare parts. You can use a commercial water softener if the water hardness exceeds 8.5ppm or 0.5 grains.
Check the plasma gas
If you want to continue to enjoy a clean cut and a fast cutting speed, you need to make sure that you regularly check your machine’s gas quality. You can do this by holding a clean towel under the torch whilst purging air through the system in test mode. You should also check for water, oil, mist, and particle contamination.
Clean all the components
You should clean all the machine components such as the rails, gears and racks using a degreasing agent and an abrasive pad. You should lubricate both the gears and racks but not the rails, as this can attract contaminants that cause excessive wear.
Align and adjust gears and bearings
The gears on your plasma cutting machine should not overlap above or below the rack. If they do, you need to adjust them accordingly. You also need to make these adjustments for rail and cross drives.
Other key maintenance tasks:
- Check torch-mounting device
- Check safety limits
- Tune the drive motors and controls
- Level and align rails
If you need further help and advice on how to carry for your plasma cutting machine or you need a new cutting system and aren’t too sure about which one to get, contact us here, and we will be only too happy to help.
