Process categories

The cut charts have five process categories. Each category has a unique process category number (1 – 5) that identifies the performance that is possible when you select that process.

The category number for the process that you select changes how the cut quality and the cut speed are balanced. For best results, Hypertherm® recommends that you select process category number 1 when possible. Category 1 supplies an optimal thickness (or Process Core Thickness (PCT)) for that cut process that balances cut quality and cut speed.

These tables identify the possible results with different process category numbers.

Table 1. Process options and possible results for mild steel
Process category number Process category condition Category description Quality Speed
Category 1 PCT
  • The process best balances cut speed and cut quality.
  • The process is optimal for this thickness.
  • The cuts frequently have no dross.
 Very good Very good
Category 2 Thicker than PCT
  • The process is a good selection when edge quality is more important than speed.
  • Some low-speed dross is possible.
 Very good to excellent Lower
Category 3 Thinner than PCT
  • The process is a good selection when speed is more important than edge quality.
  • The cuts frequently have no dross.
 Lower Higher
Category 4 Edge start for most processes
  • An edge start is necessary, but not for argon-assist processes.
  • Thick, low-speed dross is possible.
 Good Low
Category 5 Severance
  • This is the maximum thickness for these processes.
  • An edge start is necessary.
  • Cut speeds can be very slow.
  • Cut-edge quality can be rough.
  • It is possible to get a lot of dross.
  • Thick-metal cutting techniques can be necessary.
  • There is a risk that the voltages that are necessary for severance cutting can prevent the system from operating at 100% duty cycle with extended cutting intervals.
 Very low Very low
Note:

In general, Hypertherm recommends lower amperage processes for the best cut-edge quality and higher amperage processes for the best dross-free cutting. When speed is more important than quality, use a higher amperage process. For information about process selection, refer to the XPR Cut Charts Instruction Manual (809830).

Table 2. Process options and possible results for non-ferrous materials
Process category number Process category condition Category description Quality Speed
Category 1 PCT
  • When possible, select Category 1 for optimal edge quality and speed, with minimum dross.
  • The process is optimal for this thickness.
  • The cuts frequently have no dross.
 Very good to excellent Very good
Category 2 Thicker than PCT
  • In most conditions, it is possible to get square cut edges with sharp top edges.
  • A darker edge color is possible with stainless steel.
  • Some dross is possible.
 Good to very good Lower
Category 3 Thinner than PCT
  • Select Category 3 when speed is more important than edge quality.
  • Some dross is possible.
 Lower Higher
Category 4 Edge start only
  • An edge start is necessary.
  • A darker edge color is possible with stainless steel.
  • Thick dross is possible.
 Good Low
Category 5 Severance
  • This is the maximum thickness for these processes.
  • An edge start is necessary.
  • Cut speeds can be very slow.
  • Cut-edge quality can be rough.
  • It is possible to get a lot of dross.
  • Thick-metal cutting techniques can be necessary.
  • There is a risk that the voltages that are necessary for severance cutting can prevent the system from operating at 100% duty cycle with extended cutting intervals.
 Very low Very low
Note:

In general, Hypertherm recommends dross-free processes. Non-ferrous dross is not easy to remove. The plasma cutting system supplies these non-ferrous cutting processes, but the processes that are available are different for different gas connect consoles: Air/Air, N2/N2, N2/H2O, F5/N2 and mixed-fuel gas/N2. For information about process selection, refer to the XPR Cut Charts Instruction Manual (809830).