With an established presence in nearly 150 countries and over 25 manufacturing plants to its credit, ESAB is a household name for welders across the world. ESAB also owns over 40 international and regional brands, making it one of the most trusted welding brands on a global scale. Among the many stellar products the company offers welding professionals and experts in allied industries, the ESAB plasma cutter is one of the most impressive tools.
If you are planning to buy an ESAB plasma cutter for your welding toolkit, that may be an excellent investment to make. But while buying a plasma cutter from ESAB is one thing, maintaining it well is an entirely different game. It is important to maintain your plasma cutter well, and this guide can help.
A 9-Step Guide to Maintaining Your ESAB Plasma Cutter
Here is what you need to do to keep your ESAB plasma cutter in excellent working condition.
1. Clean up the Body of the Torch
The first thing you need to do is check the torch’s body and look for any damages, leaks or cracks. Get rid of any metal dust particles, so they don’t lodge in the torch body and damage it.
2. Keep the Torch Leads Clean
Next, clean the leads of the torch and clear them of any metal dust or other dirt particles. Such dust can dissipate the high voltage required to start the cutting process.
3. Check the Power Supply
Metal dust is also harmful to printed circuit (PC) boards, so you need to check and clean the power supply area of your ESAB plasma cutter as needed.
4. Clean the Cooling System
If your plasma cutter is a water-cooled tool, you need to regularly check different factors like the coolant resistivity and the return flow. You also need to replace the coolant filters as needed.
5. Ensure the Water Quality is Good
In a water-cooled plasma cutter, the quality of the water is also important. For maximum efficiency, the water should not be hard or contaminated. A water softener can help with this.
6. Also, Check the Gas Quality
You can use a clean paper towel or a tissue to check if the plasma gas is contaminated in any way. The contaminant could be water, oil or oil mist, or any other kind of particulate matter.
7. Clean the Rest of the Machine
Once you’ve checked the above aspects of your ESAB plasma cutter, you need to take a look at the racks, gears, rails and other areas of the machine. Use a dry lubricant wherever necessary.
8. Check and Align the Rails
The rails in your ESAB plasma cutter need to be precisely and accurately leveled. You may need to check the rails periodically and align them if they are not correctly leveled.
9. Adjust the Bearings
The gears and bearings in your ESAB plasma cutter must be correctly aligned with the gear racks. For this reason, you need to periodically check the alignment of the gears and bearings.
Conclusion
An ESAB plasma cutter is one of the most efficient tools in its category. If you frequently weld and cut as a part of your job or even as a hobby, an ESAB plasma cutter is less of a purchase and more of an investment. Following the tips outlined above diligently can help you keep this tool in excellent working condition for several years at a stretch.
On the other hand, compromising on maintenance and upkeep can prove to be a costly mistake in many ways. So, ensure that you take care of your ESAB plasma cutter diligently.
