08/24/2016
Maintenance! Maintenance! Maintenance!
It cannot be stressed enough that if production is important, and it always is, proper maintenance must be a top priority. Take care of the equipment, and it will provide good service.
AT-1200
The most common call from customer is "The unit was working fine, and now it is taking "x" amount of time longer to do the same job.
1. Perform maintenance as shown in the Thermach maintenance section of the manual. If you don't have a manual, please contact Thermach for an electronic copy of the manual. The maintenance schedule in the manual is just a general rule of thumb. Depending on usage and the powder, maintenance intervals might be much shorter.
2. Pressure check the powder feeder once maintenance has be done. This is the number 1 item missed in performing maintenance. It cannot be over stressed how important the loss of carrier gas affects the process. All AT-1200xx systems that are new or serviced at the Thermach facility do not leak over .3 psi in 15 minutes.
3. Bearing check and/or change in the lower housing. Even the best sealing systems get compromised over time. The bearing in the lower housing must be inspected periodically, and if the movement isn't smooth as silk, replaced. Change the quad o-rings when the bearing is being inspected. Use just a light coating of o-ring l**e on all sides of the quad rings when re-installing them. If too much o-ring l**e is used, it simply makes the buildup of powder happen that much faster.
AT-400
The most common issue customers call about is that the system "worked fine but is now spitting or sputtering".
1. Change the liner in the coax cables! Liner is a wear item, and the wire running through it will eventually cut a groove on the inside surface, which then will pinch the wire while the system is running.
2. Don't cut the liners short. This is the most common mistake made by customers when changing the liner in the coax cables. The liner should be very tight in the coax cable when the guides are screwed in to the ends of the coax. General tips for liner replacement: A. Take the coax cables off the torch when replacing the liner. Generally the whole process goes smoother when the whole torch and coax cable are placed flat on a surface long enough to accommodate the assembly B. Remove the wire guides from the system side of the coax cables. C. When installing the new liner, push the liner into the torch first, until it bottoms out (standard torch), or it 'pops' into place (extension torch). D. Once the liner is installed properly in the torch, thread the nuts on the coax cable on to the torch 2 or 3 threads. The remainder will be done after the proper length has been set. E. On the system end, push the liner into the cable to ensure it hasn't moved, and cut the liner approximately 2" longer than the coax. A good rule of thumb is to hold the wire guide next to the liner and in contact with the end of the coax. The final length cut should be just slightly beyond where the threads of the wire guide stop and the cone begins. Flush cutting of the liner cannot be over emphasized. F. Thread the wire guide on to the end of the coax. There should be resistance from the liner when pushing on the wire guide to start threading. Turn the wire guide in about 2-3 threads. G. Complete the treading of the nuts on the torch end of the coax and snug them. H. Complete the treading of the wire guides on the system side of the coax cables and snug them.
3. Pull the tips out of the torch periodically for inspection and to make sure that there isn't an accumulation of dirt and debris behind them. Blow the end of the torch out with compressed air to dislodge any accumulation. Dirty wire and liner wear are two of the most common contributors to debris accumulating behind the tips. The debris can then pinch the wire passing into the small wire guide hole in the tips.
AT-3000
The most common customer complaint with the plasma system is with the AT-4100 chiller. The call generally goes like " For some reason, I am no longer able to achieve xx gallons of flow when the system is running." In most cases this is the result of not cleaning out the strainers and/or particulate matter in the water wears away components.
1. Check the debris strainers. There are two in the system and they should be cleaned regularly. One is a coarse mesh, and the other is a fine mesh.
2. Change the distilled water at least once a year, more if needed. The water should be clear and dirt free. Particulate matter accumulates in the water over time, wearing out flow sensors and pump turbine blades, neither of which are inexpensive to repair. Warmer climates can experience algae issues.
These are just a small cross section of the issues that can be avoided with regular and thorough maintenance of systems.
If you have questions, please feel free to call (920) 779-4299 or email [email protected] or [email protected].
Please visit the website at www.thermach.com
