MATEC Web of Conferences 213, 01010 (2018) https://doi.org/10.

1051/matecconf/201821301010
ACMME 2018

Investigating Parameters That Effect to Wear of Plasma Nozzle

Paphakorn Pitayachaval1 and Muhammatsoifu Sato2

1
School of Industrial Engineering, Institute of Engineering, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
2
School of Industrial Engineering, Institute of Engineering, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand

Abstract. Plasma cutting machine normally applies to cut metal in electrical conductivity industrial according to an
accuracy dimension and rapidly time consuming. A quality of this process is depend upon a cutting surface and kerf
by controlling diameter of nozzle and size of electrode. Since kerf shape is crated base on nozzle diameter, while
electrode is served plasma arc. This paper presents an investigating three cutting parameters: cutting speed, pressure
gas, current ampere that affect to wear of plasma nozzle. The fixed variables are a plasma-cutting machine,
Hypertherm powermax 45 xp, Bindee control CNC machine and specimens (100x100 mm.). The cutting speed was
holed at 200, 300, 400 mm/min. The gas pressure was controlled at 6, 7, 8 bar. The current Ampere was handled at 40,
42, 45 A. The diameters of nozzle was measured using digital microscope. The experiments conducted based on
ANOVA to establish the relationship of those parameters. The nozzle wear depended upon the current Ampere, the
high gas pressure while the cutting speed was not effect to nozzle wear.

1 Introduction Beside those parameters, heat of plasma gas,

Generated by the plasma beam during the cutting
A metal cutting process is wildly used in general industry operation, also conducts wear of plasma device
to cut several metal spare parts and framework such as components, especially nozzle wear for the consumable
railway, aircraft, automobile, etc. Even through there are part [7]. This wear introduces inconstancy frame diameter.
a variety of metal cutting machines such as laser cutting, In order to obtain the acceptable cutting quality, larger
oxy-fuel gas cutting, water-jet cutting, these machine orifice nozzle and electrode were applied [8]. Moreover,
provide a cutting edge quality that contradicts with variable factors that affect tool life of nozzle and
product cost. The laser cutting gives a high quality while electrode depended upon many factors that are a number
demand more expend. However, a plasma-cutting of cutting pierces, cutting duration, material thickness [9],
machine gives acceptable cutting quality and production including degree of erosion of the nozzle around the
time while the product cost is admitted [1]. orifice nozzle [10]. To investigate those parameters, this
The plasma cutting machine is a machine to cut metal paper attempts to conduct experiments for cutting speed,
with high temperature [2]. This machine contains DC pressure gas, and current ampere in order to identify state
power source, pressure plume and cutting head, which of parameters that affect to wear of plasma nozzle.
composes of torch (cathode), electrode and nozzle, as
shown in figure 1. The plasma art is conducted by heated
gas based on extremely high temperature [3], then it
transfer via nozzle to work pieces that becomes
electrically conductive. After that, the metal is to be
melted and removed along cutting pattern. An advantage
of plasma cutting is a clean process [4] that produces
dross free with minimal heat input. Plasma arc frame is
conducted by nitrogen gas and oxygen gas. This frame
can be used to cut a conductive material including ferrous
and nonferrous metal. Since there are several parameters
of acceptable quality for plasma cutting such as cutting
speed, current ampere, height of cutting head and gas
pressure [5]. To control process parameters that are
affects quality of cutting; there are only three key
Figure 1. Schematic diagram of plasma arc cutting.
parameters; cutting speed, current ampere and gas
pressure, respective [6].

© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
MATEC Web of Conferences 213, 01010 (2018) https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201821301010
ACMME 2018

Table 1. The factors comparison of fuel-gas cut, laser cut and plasma cut from [11]. (Publication Section 5: Electromagnetic Heating
Department of Alternative Energy Department and Efficiency http://www.dede.go.th)

Machine Fuel-gas cut Laser cut Plasma cut

best cut quality get minas Good cut quality get
Pool cut quality get burns burns
most burns and
Quality cut
Finishing work piece

Fast
Cut speed Quite slowly Fast ( cut < 0.25 in )

Around 200,000-
Around 120,000 for
500,000 for machine Around 300,000 for
machine cut metal
cut metal diameter machine cut metal
Machine price diameter 20x6.5 ft .0.4
20x6.5 ft .0.4 in diameter 20x6.5 ft .0.4 in
in thickness
thickness thickness

Protective glass, gas

Cutting nozzle,
Consultable Tip cutter nozzle
electrode
Dust filter

2 Experimental
There are three factors that were investigated on this
experimental: current ampere, cutting speed, gas pressure.
The current ampere (40, 42, 45A), cutting speed (200,
300, 400mm/min) and gas pressure (6, 7, 8 bar) ware
applied to cut metal (588GrA, 242 Type I) 10 mm.
thickness. The cutting parameters were established as
presented in Table 2.

Table 2. The cutting parameters for experimental

Level
Factor Symbol Unit
1 2 3
Current
A 40 42 45 A
Ampere
Figure 2. Plasma cutting machine , bindee control.
Gas
B 6 7 8 bar
Pressure
cutting
C 200 300 400 mm/min
Speed

The experimental machine was the Hypertherm

powermax 45 xp and the head moving control unit was
applied Bindee control, as show in Fig 2. The size of
specimens were 100 mm x 100 mm, as show in Fig 3. A
digital microscope model Keyence VHX 700F was
applied to measure diameter of nozzles after cutting, as
show Fig 4.

Figure 3. The size of specimen

2
MATEC Web of Conferences 213, 01010 (2018) https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201821301010
ACMME 2018

Table 3. ANOVA analysis by minitab software

Figure 4. Digital microscope Keyence VHX 700P.

Current ampere Current ampere

42 A 40 A
Gas pressure 7 Gas pressure 8
bar bar

Figure 6. Residual Plots for Nozzle diameter.

Current ampere Current ampere

40 A 45 A
Gas pressure 7 Gas pressure 7
bar bar
Figure 5. The variation of orifice nozzle.
measurement

4 Result
Based on single parameter plasma cutting, the wear of
orifice nozzle depended on current ampere and gas
pressure, respectively. Beside, two factors analysis
founded the interaction between current ampere and gas Figure 7. Interaction plot Nozzle diameter.
pressure that effect to wear orifice nozzle, as shown in
Table 1. The results of the experiment was obtained from
twenty-seven examples, which measure the orifice
diameter to check the wear by a digital microscope, as
shown in figure 5. Minitab statistic software was applied
to analyze interaction effects of those parameters, as
shown in table 3.

3
MATEC Web of Conferences 213, 01010 (2018) https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201821301010
ACMME 2018

3. Plasma Cutting In Atmosphere And Under Water W.

Bach And A. Gruchow 1992
4. Faq: What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages
Of The Principal Cutting Https://Www.Twi-
Global.Com/Technical-Knowledge/Faqs/Faq-What-
Are-The-Advantages-And-Disadvantages-Of-The-
Principal-Cutting-Process/
5. (Experimental Investigation Of The Plasma Arc
Cutting Process , K. Salonitisa,*, S. Vatousianosb
2012 )
6. Analysis In Plasma Arc Cutting Of 21Cr Ferritic
Stainless Steel H.Ravi Kumar And S.Thileepan 2015
7. Nozzle And Method Of Operation For A Plasma
Figure 8. Main effect plots for orifice nozzle diameter. Arctorch (Richard W. Couch, Jr., Hanover; Nicholas
A. Sanders, Norwich; Lifeng Luo, Lebanon; John
The normal probability graphs obtained from the Sobr, Enfield; Patrik Backander, Lebanon, All Of
experiment presents the normal probability of variable, as N.H. 1992)
shown in figure 6, in which the variable values are near 8. A Review On Nozzle Wear In Abrasive Water Jet
the ideal normal line, the data from the experiments was Machining Application H. Syazwani1, G.
distributed under the variation of natural causes. However, Mebrahitom, A. Azmir 2016
the current ampere, gas pressure and cutting speed was 9. Optimizing Consumable Life In Mechanized Plasma
interaction, as shown in fig 7. Cutting online
From Fig 8 The results shown that cutting speed were Http://Www.Thefabricator.Com/Article/Plasmacutti
increased from 200 to 300 mm/min and from 300 to 400 ng/Optimizing-Consumable-Life-In-Mechanized-
mm/min the orifice nozzle damaged diameters were Plasma-Cutting
decreased rapidly. Moreover, plasma gas pressure were 10. Detecting Non-Symmetrical Nozzle Wear
controlled to increase from 6 to 7 bar and from 7 to 8 bar, Naplasmaarc Torch Maciej Wlodzimierz
the orifice nozzle damaged diameter were also expanded. Rogozinski.Bulleen; Subramania
When current amperes were increased from 40 to 42 A Ramakrishnan,Balwyn North; Ashley Grant
and from 42 to 45 A, the orifice nozzle damaged diameter Doolette,Wishart, All Of Australia; Nicholas
were also increased, as shown in figure 8. Therefore, the A.Sanders, Norwich, Vt.; Richard W.Couch, Jr..
increasing of controlled parameters effect to the orifice Hanover, N.H. 1998
nozzle damaged diameter. 11. Publication Section 5: Electromagnetic Heating
Department Of Alternative Energy Department And
Efficiency
5 Conclusions Http://Www.Dede.Go.Th

For plasma cutting, the parameters that affects to nozzle

wear were cutting speed, plasma gas pressure and current
ampere. These parameters were also presented their
interactions for increasing the orifice nozzle damaged
diameter. However, the relationship of those parameters
will be mathematical defined as the future work.

Acknowledgment
This research has been supported by the research and
development supporting fund, Suranaree University of
Technology.

References
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