NEURON THC User Manual

USER MANUAL
Pre-Cut Setup
Before making a cut with the Neuron.THC system, perform the following setup sequence to
ensure proper operation.
1. Edit the Set Point Voltage. Enter the recommended arc voltage for the material being cut.
• Arc voltage control uses feedback from the plasma system to measure the voltage
between the electrode (negative) and the plate (positive). At a given cut speed and
fixed torch to work distance this voltage remains constant. If the plate is warped
that it moves away from the torch during steady state cutting the arc between the
electrode and the plate gets longer, a longer arc means the voltage gets higher.
The torch height control sees an increase in arc voltage and signals the z axis drive
to move the torch closer to the plate.
• If your torch height noticeably changes during the transition between cut height
and AVC, then you should adjust your arc voltage setting so that there is no change
during this transition. If the torch indexes to cut height, starts moving, then moves
further away from the plate.... reduce the arc voltage setting. A rule of thumb is
that 5 volts will equal approximately 1 mm (.020") torch movement, reducing arc
voltage by 5 volts will move the torch closer to the plate by roughly 1 mm (.020")
and increasing voltage will do the opposite.
2. Edit the Arc Transfer Height. Enter the recommended arc transfer height for the material
being cut. If this data is not listed for thinner materials, try setting the arc transfer height
to the same value as the pierce height. For thicker materials, try setting the arc transfer
height to one-half the pierce height. Default Transfer height set to 150% from Cut Height.
3. Edit the Pierce Height. Enter the recommended pierce height for the material being cut. If
this data is not listed for thinner materials, set the pierce height the same as the cutting
height. For thicker materials, try setting the pierce height to 1.5 or 2 times the cutting
height.
4. Edit the Cut Height. Enter the recommended cutting height for the material being cut.
Things that affect torch height when operating in AVC (arc voltage control)
• Gas pressure fluctuation. Changing gas pressure changes the resistance of the
plasma arc, which changes the arc voltage.
• Speed change. Slower cut speed makes the kerf wider, which means the arc is
longer, which means the voltage is higher...so the THC moves the torch closer to
the plate.
• Worn electrode. Plasma electrodes wear by forming a pit in the hafnium emitter. If
the pit is 1 mm deep, the torch will run closer to the plate by 1 mm....as the arc is
1 mm longer and the height control is trying to maintain a constant voltage.
• The proper physical height is more important than setting the exact arc voltage
that is listed in the plasma torch manufacturer’s manual. Adjust the voltage so the
physical height is correct. Don't worry about the voltage reading!
5. Edit the Pierce Time. Enter the recommended pierce time for the material being cut. The
pierce time should be adjusted such that the torch moves from the pierce height to the
cutting height after the arc pierces completely through the workpiece.
6. Edit the AVC Delay. This is delay before system starts controlling height using arc voltage.
Set in second (0-10.0 sec).
Hint: Set the delay long enough so cutting table is up to full cutting speed, torch has
moved beyond cutting slag and arc voltage has stabilized. But don’t set the delay so long
that the distance to the metal has changed from the initial cut height. To determine the
correct setting, first determine how far you want the torch to move before turning on arc
voltage control. Then considering the cutting speed, figure how long it takes the torch to
move that far.

NEURON THC Specifications

General

Brand	NEURON
Model	THC
Category	Controller
Language	English