0 items in your basket
Total £ 0.00 EX VAT
Multi Process Welders
MIG Torches
TIG Torches
Welding Helmets
Welding Gloves & Clothing
MMA Electrodes
MIG Wire
Shop 55,000 Products
SERVICEDEPT.
RAPID BLOG
FEEDBACK
HIRE
Plain answers on the front-end wear parts of a hand-held air plasma torch: what each one does, how to tell it is worn and how to order the right ones.
Most hand-held air plasma torches use a stack of consumables. The electrode carries the current and is the starting point of the arc. The nozzle shapes, directs and squeezes the arc into a narrow jet. The gas distributor or swirl ring spins the gas around the electrode to centre the arc. The shield protects and cools the nozzle from molten spatter, and the retaining cap holds the stack on the torch head.Exact names, numbers of parts and the order they fit vary, so follow the torch manual or parts diagram for your torch.
The electrode has a small insert in its tip, and as it is used the insert erodes and forms a pit. The maker's manual gives the pit depth at which to change it, and the limit differs between torches, so do not rely on a number from elsewhere or on a set number of hours.A nozzle should have a round orifice with sharp edges. Change it if the orifice is nicked, oval or has rounded edges. A worn nozzle also shows in the cut: a wider kerf, a bevel on the edge, and a bevel that changes from one side to the other, which usually points to a failed nozzle.
Yes, treat them as a set. Plasma makers advise changing the nozzle and electrode together, because a worn part left in the stack can quickly damage a new one and spoil cut quality. Running an electrode past the end of its life is also one of the things that damages nozzles.The other parts last longer. The swirl ring, shield and retaining cap usually last through several electrode and nozzle changes, but look at them each time you change the set. Replace any that are cracked, damaged or clogged.
A drag shield lets you rest the torch lightly on the metal and drag it along the cut, which protects and cools the nozzle and helps you keep a steady height by hand. A spacer or standoff guide is a separate fitting that holds the nozzle a set distance off the plate, for cutting without resting on the work.The shield's centre hole and vent holes matter: a damaged orifice or blocked vent holes cause problems and the part should be replaced. A cracked or bent spacer should also be replaced. Both are torch-specific, so check the manual for which fits.