Hypertherm is adding Timestamp to Consumable Labels

In the coming weeks you will notice the addition of a timestamp to all heavy industrial consumable labels. This change will affect both the circular label (pictured below) and the electrode label. This addition was made to enable Hypertherm operations teams to more precisely track any non-conformances through our value stream.

John B. Goodenough The University of Texas at Austin, USA

Press release: The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2019

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2019 to

JOHN B. GOODENOUGH

Born 1922 in Jena, Germany.
Ph.D. 1952 from the University of Chicago, USA. Virginia H. Cockrell Chair in Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, USA.
Ph.D. 2005 from Osaka University, Japan. Honorary Fellow at Asahi Kasei Corporation, Tokyo, Japan and Professor at Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan.

M. STANLEY WHITTINGHAM
Born 1941 in the UK. Ph.D. 1968 from Oxford University, UK. Distinguished Professor at Binghamton University, State University of New York, USA.

AKIRA YOSHINO
Born 1948 in Suita, Japan.

“for the development of lithium-ion batteries”

They created a rechargeable world

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2019 rewards the development of the lithium-ion battery. This light- weight, rechargeable and powerful battery is now used in everything from mobile phones to laptops and electric vehicles. It can also store significant amounts of energy from solar and wind power, making possible a fossil fuel-free society.

The Official Press Release

Friendly reminder regarding the HPR130XD

Lately the technology in our industry seems to be changing over night. This is definitely something we like to bring up with our clients. Contact us to see how our CNC Cutting Edge Plasma has been designed to flow with the industries changes and upgrades.

Subject: HPR130XD obsolescence scheduled for end of 2019

This is a reminder notification that we plan to stop taking orders for the HPR130XD as of October 31, 2019 and will no longer produce or ship HPR130XDs after December 20, 2019.

We have seen an enthusiastic response to the XPR170 among our partners and end users it continues to do very well in the market. We provided initial notification of our plans to stop taking orders for the HPR130XD cutting system last October at the launch of the new XPR170 and announced the October order deadline and end of the year obsolescence in a notification this past April. This is a short reminder notification of that decision.

As with all our products we will continue to support the HPR130XD with service, consumables and replacement parts for a minimum of 7 years after obsolescence. In the HPR family, the HPR400XD and HPR800XD will continue to be available for sale.

XPR Nozzle Cap Material Change

A small note from Hypertherm regarding the XPR Nozzle Cap.

Subject: XPR Nozzle Cap Material Change

In the coming weeks you will notice visual changes to the outer material of the 420365 XPR nozzle retaining cap. Due to feedback received from the field where cap failure was observed under extreme applications, Hypertherm engineering has been evaluating an alternative insulating material that meets specifications. This new material has been found to better handle extreme conditions with no loss in performance in comparison to the current material.

The picture below illustrates the difference in appearance between the current cap material and the new material.

Inviting everyone to our June 3rd Open House

Counterfeit consumables

A lot more trouble than they are worth

According to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the value of global counterfeit goods is expected to exceed USD 1.7 trillion in 2015. And if you are thinking this is only a problem in the consumer marketplace, think again.

Counterfeiters are also targeting highly engineered, high-value industrial products, and our industry has not been immune to this growing threat. Plasma cutting consumables — nozzles, electrodes, swirl rings, etc. — are now being seen in all regions. Be alert, be smart, and don’t let counterfeit consumables compromise your work, or your safety.

Five reasons you should always buy genuine products through authorized distributors and avoid counterfeit products:

1. Quality
   Counterfeit suppliers have one thought in mind: a quick profit. They use the lowest cost materials and the cheapest, fastest production techniques; no stringent manufacturing processes, no quality control. Their products are inferior, inconsistent, and unreliable.
2. Performance
   Plasma torches are precision devices requiring precision consumables. Any deviation from specified tolerances will impact overall performance. Result: poor or inconsistent cuts, reduced cutting speed, and significantly shorter consumable life. Or even a ruined or damaged torch.
3. Safety
   The low quality metals used in counterfeit manufacturing may not be able to withstand the thermal demands of plasma cutting, putting equipment and, more importantly, operators at risk.
4. Aftersales support
   If unknown parts have been used in a damaged torch or plasma system, it will make troubleshooting difficult, if not impossible. The use of unauthorized parts may also affect your warranty coverage.
5. Overall operating costs
   Those “low cost” counterfeit consumables can be a lot more expensive than they look. For starters, they do not last as long as genuine parts — often only a fraction of the cutting life. Poor quality cuts may require costly rework, and valuable equipment could be irreparably damaged. There’s also downtime to consider, not to mention the risk to your business or your brand.

The only real bargain is real value

Counterfeits are usually very close copies of the genuine product, so it is easy enough to be misled, and think you are getting a good bargain. But this is one bargain that can be a major liability to your business.

The answer, of course, is to be alert for counterfeit scams, and to mistrust any consumable offer that sounds too good to be true. Be sure. Only purchase genuine Hypertherm consumables and only through an authorized distributor.

Genuine	Counterfeit

It’s not always easy to spot a counterfeit. Packaging is relatively easy to copy. Quality and performance are not.

How to make sure you are getting original consumables

To avoid being scammed by counterfeit consumables, here are a few things to watch out for:

• A claim of “genuine” consumables from an unauthorized distributor, an unknown agent, or off the internet
• Suspiciously low pricing for “genuine” consumables or software, or any offer that sounds too good to be true
• Discrepancies in the physical appearance of the label, packaging, or product, compared to that of the original consumable
• Poor or inconsistent consumable performance when compared to a genuine product — only 50% of usual service life, for example, or any abnormal signs of burning, metal deformation, etc.

Original article posted on Hypertherm Website

Plasma technical tip: How to properly maintain the O-rings in your plasma torch: Due to their small size, low cost, and straightforward design, the vital function of an O-ring is frequently overlooked and regular maintenance checks are often ignored, but operators can avoid serious downtime by getting into the daily habit of properly maintaining the O-rings on their consumables and in the plasma torch.

Plasma technical tip: How to properly maintain the O-rings in your plasma torch

By Ann Thompson, Hypertherm

Posted on 01/22/2019 in  SPARK the blog,  Plasma cutting

Due to their small size, low cost, and straightforward design, the vital function of an O-ring is frequently overlooked and regular maintenance checks are often ignored, but operators can avoid serious downtime by getting into the daily habit of properly maintaining the O-rings on their consumables and in the plasma torch.

Two key factors are critical, the silicone application and O-ring condition. Damaged, worn, dirty, dry, or over-lubricated O-rings can cause unwanted disruptions to production. Here are some common signs of O-ring trouble.

• The torch assembly is tight fitting and does not glide together easily
• Gas blockage or inconsistent gas flow
• Coolant is leaking from the torch
• Cut quality is prematurely diminished
• Your consumable life is shorter than normal

O-rings need to be replaced anytime there is visible wear or damage. If an O-ring is cracked, then it needs to be replaced. This applies not only to HyPerformance systems, but to air and conventional plasma systems as well. Check to make sure the O-rings on your consumable parts are securely situated and have not rolled out of place. If you have a HyPerformance system or conventional plasma (with the exception of the original torch found on our older MAX200 systems) you also need to inspect, and if necessary replace, the O-rings found on the bullet plugs inside the torch. We recommend routine visual inspections to determine replacement frequency.

When re-installing or replacing the O-rings, you may find it helpful to use a silicone lubricant. Put a small amount on your index finger and then rub it together with your thumb, as shown in the photos on the opposite page. Now apply the thin film to all the torch and consumable O-rings. You only want to give the O-ring a “wet” look. If you can see a physical build-up of silicone left behind, you have applied too much. Silicone can clog or plug ports and for that reason you need to be especially careful with its application around the swirl-ring so that the gas flow will work properly.

Hypertherm does offer silicone lubricant, part number 027055, through its network of authorized distributors. At around $7 a tube, the lubricant is affordable and should last for months. In addition, a tube is included in our preventative maintenance, torch rebuild, and starter kits. Hypertherm’s silicone is specifically formulated to condition and maintain consumable O-rings. Hypertherm does not recommend the use of substitutes, like petroleum based lubricants, as they can lead to burning or spark fires within the torch.

Questions about this tip? Contact Plasma Systems Inc. 

Posted in  SPARK the blog,  Plasma cutting
Tagged with  Powermax,  XPR,  HPRXD,  plasma consumables