Another component you need to examine frequently is the electrode. If you want to know if there are any signs that it is wearing out, measure the pit depth. 

Electrodes are also subjects to wear and tear. The most commonly used material in the manufacture of electrodes is tungsten. Overtime, although tungsten has a high melting point, the elected begins to melt as its particles are expelled through the nozzle.

Furthermore, when the electrode wears out beyond its recommended value, the quality of the cut will be reduced and consequently, it will damage the plasma torch .  To prevent this part from getting worn out fast by ensuring that you do not mismatch the parts.

As time passes, the lining material on the nozzle experiences abrasion. This causes the nozzle to wear out. As a result, the quality of the cut worsens over time since it will be wider and less accurate. It is therefore important to replace the nozzle of the plasma cutter frequently.

As it cuts, this increases pitch depth and eventually cutting and will be made impossible thus it is important to replace the electrode. Another part of great importance that should really be considered is the swirl ring. 

I put great emphasis on this part because it is notable that it does not undergo visible wear or tear like other parts mentioned above. However, it cracks over time due to expansion and contraction it experiences due to temperature changes.

This will affect how air is channelled from the shield, thus it is very important to find its replacement.
When is the best time to replace Plasma Cutting Consumables and MIG Welding Consumables?

Over a long period of time you may start to notice that the performance of your Plasma Cutting and MIG Welding consumables are deteriorating .I have outlined a few ways to enable you to know that your machine parts needs to be replaced.

Getting back to the basics

If you’re having a hard time getting that perfect cut, embark on checking the most basic constituents of your torch. Check if you are using the correct parts and whether they have been correctly assembled.

If you have any clarifications you need to consult the manual accompanying the operator and follow the instructions.

Arc inspection

An arc which is in a good state usually has bright white or light blue colour. However, a change in colour which is not any of the ones mentioned above indicates that there could be contaminants in your gas. 

A warning sign is having a green arc, which implies that you have the electrodes tip burnt and you could now be having the copper melting. Replace immediately when you notice this.

Get your nozzle checked.

There are different types of nozzles and they are used depending on the types of cuts needed. These parts just needs you to examine them visually since the focus of the cat is determined by how small the orifice is.

So if you notice that the orifice is larger than normal, it calls for replacement.

Show some love to your electrode

This part is vital in the setup of the plasma cutting system. This part is mostly made up of copper but the inactive conductivity is made up of tungsten. Ensure that you monitor the pit where the tungsten leaves the nozzle tip. 

It should not go deeper than one millimetre. In fact, when the pitch depth is more than 1/30 should count your electrode inefficient. To save yourself having the whole torch getting damaged just replace it as soon as you noticed this change.

Cost Implications of Consumables on overall performance

We should be able to maximize production yet at the same time economize the methods of output. 

In our maintenance of consumables, money is a very important consideration. As much as we would want to have every part replaced frequently, you will have to consider how deep you’ll have to go in your pocket to get yourself a new and improved version of a worn-out component.

Silver is a far much better material to use when making the electrodes because it’s a good conductor of heat and electricity. But considering its high cost many manufacturers tend to stick to using tungsten. 

More so, most nozzles are relatively cheap ($10-$15) compared to other components, thus, you will find ease in replacing them routinely. When it comes to the best welding consumables, as already stated, you will have to consider the cost implications. 

Fortunately if you need affordable welding supplies, there is a wide variety of welding suppliers, for instance; the cheap nz Welding Supplier that can avail to you very efficient consumable parts at a relatively cheaper price compared to most wholesale suppliers.

Ultimately, if you value the quality of your work it is crucial that you frequently monitor each consumable on your machine. Do not wait until you see that your operator is completely worn out as you may end up having to replace the whole of it.

This will be more costly than when you would have replaced the worn out parts solely. You shall also maximize on productivity if your machine is functioning in the optimum state.