| Nozzle orifice is clogged or dirty. | The daily buildup of dirt and grime on the nozzle can clog the orifice which greatly affects the swirling of the plasma arc. This can lead to decreased lifetime for both the nozzle and electrode. Make sure that the plasma nozzle remains clean before each use. |
| Supply air pressure is incorrect. | If air pressure is too high, this can greatly reduce the lifetime of the electrode. Conversely, if air pressure is too low the nozzle orifice will wear which can affect cut quality. Consult your plasma cutter manufacturer for ideal air pressure settings for your specific plasma cutter model. |
| Cut height is not set correctly. | When the plasma cutter initiates the arc, it can take several moments to completely pierce the material depending on the thickness of the material. During this pierce, molten metal is ejected from the topside of the material which can be blown back onto the nozzle orifice. As a result, it is important to use a cut height that is not too low to avoid this blow back of material which can damage the nozzle orifice over time. Conversely, if the cut height is too high the arc will not transfer which will degrade the lifetime of the electrode. Consult your plasma cutter manufacturer for the correct cutting height parameters for your given project. |
| Supply air is not dry. | The plasma cutting arc is especially sensitive to moisture. Air compressors take humidified air from the atmosphere which always contains some amount of water. Make sure that you either have a water separator on your plasma cutter or that you have a water separator in line with your air compressor before the air is delivered to your plasma cutter. Moisturized air can greatly decrease the lifetime of your consumables and can negatively affect cut quality. |
| Incorrect cutting parameters. | Every plasma cutter is different. We encourage you to contact your plasma cutter manufacturer to get a complete list of proper cutting parameters to use with your machine to optimize the lifetime of your consumables. |