Hey all... So i have a question, why else would i be posting here right? And be for tech support flames me i know i know the pp256 is not designed for cnc use, but that's what i currently have set up . now that is out of the way. I have been mainly cutting signs made of 16gauge steel. I have done thicker and not had any problems but again i know its not recommended. I am looking to replace my pp256 on the plasma table and have a dedicated unit for it and looking heavily at the 80s looks like it should work for the stuff i want to get into cutting and then some and i can stay at 100% duty for most what i would be cutting.

So i will start out with this, i cut this sign the other day and i noticed a problem. And trust me i know this is long winded but it will all make sense. So this sign i was cutting out had several trees in it and the are VERY jagged lots of movement on my table not smooth at all. What i was noticing was lot of jumping between pilot arc and main cutting, i can try and correct this by changing some setting on my table but during this switching i noticed once and a while i am loosing arc all together, at which point it will relight the torch and it keeps on trucking away as if nothing happened (by the way when i mean "it" relights the torch i mean the plasma unit itself, right now my machine is not setup to detect whether the plasma is on or not). When it does this it must send out some nasty emf because one of my drivers picks it up and i lose a step. which isnt a huge deal if it is only once or twice but these trees wrecked havoc on my machine because i at the end of cutting a 24" sign i was off by about a 1/8". So ignore the issues with the cnc table they are more for story purposes as this table is emf proof minus these nasty spikes.

So on to the questions.

1. When switching between main and pilot arc, there really shouldn't be any delay or cut out of the torch should there?

2. I have noticed random cut out of arc before, could moister in air be a cause of this? i know that it is bad on consumables and mine seem to be doing good. but i have no good way to tell. i am running three air driers like the one that was originaly provided with the unit, the first see moisture but the next to are always dry.

3. Is the hf actually supposed to relight the torch automatically with out "letting up on the trigger" if you will?

4. with blow back start if there is loss of arc will the torch automatically relight?/ what is the length of time loss of arc that it can relight with in?


I know i can change some setting to try and minimize the amount of jumping between pilot and main but with some of the designs i have it is impossible to eliminate it completely and i need to know what is causing my cutting out before i get a new unit. Well that and prove to the wife that this can make some side money before i spend anymore on it.... i already tired all my angles, and she said what i am making now looks great why do i need to spend more... "because tech support said so" didn't work sorry boys.