[cmadki4]

I've got my table up and running with a Sharpie in place of the plasma cutter. I'm about ready to pull the trigger on a plasma cutter and have my heart set on Hypertherm Powermax series.

My question is:

Which will offer the best quality cuts on thin (0.063") 5052 aluminum? The PM45 or the PM65 with Fine Cut consumables?

And if both offer similar cut quality on thin aluminum, what should be the tie breaker?

Cut quality is more importance than speed, but with this material I don't think speed will be an issue.

I'll be ready to by within the next 3 to 4 weeks. Thanks!

[jimcolt]

Cut quality on .063" aluminum will be almost identical with either the Powermax45 or the 65. With both systems I would use the 45 amp shielded process (as opposed to FineCut) consumables to cut aluminum down to .018" (26 gauge) with good quality.

If you do want a narrower cut path and slower cut speeds you can use the non shielded 30 amp consumables in the 45, and in the 65 you could use the FineCut consumables....cut quality would be very similar between these two processes.

The reason I prefer the 45 amps shielded consumables is that these consumables will provide the best consumable life...this is a result of their shielded design which is especially advantageous on aluminum. The difference in kerf width between the 45 amp shielded and the 30 amp (or FineCut) process is about .006"....which in most cases will not affect the parts you are cutting.

Speed can be an issue when cutting thin materials....the book specification for cutting .060" aluminum at 45 amps is 360 inches per minute. Cutting this same material with the 30 amp consumables requires 240 inches per minute. Aluminum can be cut at slower speeds...however if you cut too slow the kerf will get wider, and warpage could be an issue. I normally cut parts that have intricate detail at around 180 ipm with the 45 amp shielded consumables running at about 30 to 35 amps...excellent cut quality with just a small amount of "fuzz" on the bottom edge....this fuzz wipes off easily with a gloved finger.

So...the decision between the 45 and the 65?

- The 45 is less expensive, and has a piercing limit of 1/2" when used with a height control system.
- The 65 can pierce 5/8" when used with height control.
-The 65 uses the newest technology Duramax torch from Hypertherm, longer consumable life and better expected long term reliability will be the benefits.
-The 65 has automatic air pressure settings (manual only on the 45) and has a higher duty cycle rating, a digital display with onboard diagnostics, as well as optional CPC and serial interface ports for more advanced cnc machine connections.

Hope this helps. Attached are pictures of some .090" and 3/16" aluminum as cut with the 45 amp shielded process.

Jim Colt Hypertherm

I've got my table up and running with a Sharpie in place of the plasma cutter. I'm not ready to pull the trigger on a plasma cutter and have my heart set on Hypertherm Powermax series.

My question is:

Which will offer the best quality cuts on thin (0.063") 5052 aluminum? The PM45 or the PM65 with Fine Cut consumables?

And if both offer similar cut quality on thin aluminum, what should be the tie breaker?

Cut quality is more importance than speed, but with this material I don't think speed will be an issue.

I'll be ready to by within the next 3 to 4 weeks. Thanks!

[cmadki4]

Hi Jim, thanks for the great response!

I will be using height control. LCTHC to be exact.

It would seem that for my application/material, the PM45 is a good fit. Consumables and piercing capacity are right in the sweet spot.

I'm still debating if the additional $700 or so is worth it to me for the additional features and capabilities of the PM65 over the PM45.

Thanks again, Jim.

[cmadki4]

Received my PM45 from Harris Weld Supply along with the PM30 consumable kit.

Also received a remote switch. Did I get a bonus or is that normal?

[jimcolt]

There are part numbers for a Powermax45 that include the remote pendant....they are more expensive than the ones that do not include the pendant. The pendant is used for mechanized applications (such as pipe cutters and track burners) that do not have the means to start the plasma.

If I knew the Hypertherm system part number that you bought...I could let you know if it was supposed to have a pendant.

Jim Colt

Received my PM45 from Harris Weld Supply along with the PM30 consumable kit.

Also received a remote switch. Did I get a bonus or is that normal?

[cmadki4]

It's a 088022 w/ 25' machine torch.

And I can't wait to get it up and running. I'm pumped!

[cmadki4]

Just an update:

I've long since been cutting parts out of 1.6mm 5052H32 aluminum with great success. I get pretty clean cuts with the following setup:

- PM 45 w/ machine torch
- 30A consumables
- 130 ipm
- 40A power setting
- 0.06" cut height (+ LCTHC)

I get better cut quality the higher my feedrates, but my table can't hold true at those speeds. It gets squirrelly in the corners, with waving lines leading out of hard turns.

To try to get up to the 180-200 ipm range and keep the lines straight and true, I've decided to rebuild the table and carriages.

1. The current table from Procut CNC is their older model, with a frame constructed from bolt-together sheet steel. I'm replacing this with welded 2" steel tube frame.

2. The carriages are 3mm sheet metal which clearly flexes with hard acceleration of the gantry. These have been replaced with sturdier 4.5mm plates.

3. Also, the Velox 4" floating Z axis has play in it. The carriage can wobble away from the floating linear bearing. This has been temporarily fixed by shimming the gap.

I might do a quick overview of the build with pictures once I get it all squared away.