Welding Tips and Tricks

Are there settings to go by or do you just plug the machine and cut?

There are settings. They should be listed in the manual for your unit.

As cj737 said, there are parameters and your manual should help.

There are not many though, as with welding, there is much to do with technique.

You need a supply of clean, dry (usually) air with sufficient flow at the required pressure. Depending on the machine you have, you either have to adjust the pressure to what is required for the job, or you set a minimum pressure and the machine regulates it to the required pressure.

You need to set the current for the job and fit the appropriate sized tip for that current.

Having said that, many seem to use the machine "flat out" and always use the same size tip. It will depend on the required precision and cleanliness of the cut.

There are also probably settings for 2T/4T, arc starting and for cutting perforated sheets.

There will be hundreds of YouTube videos, some are probably good (just like with anything else).

Jack

When I had a multiprocess that had plasma function, it was up to about 50 amps or so. I always set it to a fairly high current, within reason, and zip through the material at high speed to get the cleanest cut. Meaning I used it to cut 1.5mm stainless at something like 20-30 amps, and for straight cuts I laid a straight edge on it, and just zipped through it. I know there's a rule somewhere for current/thickness but I'm not sure what it is. I think the 50 amps could cut up to 12mm at most, but it was fairly slow going based on the videos I've seen (and not very clean cut either). Based on some training videos I think you cut it at a speed where the shower of spark is deflected at something like a 10 degree angle from your torch, meaning if the spark shoots straight down, you're too slow, if the spark shoots at too steep an angle, you're too fast. But I always viewed it as laser cutting, meaning you want the highest current density you can achieve, and then move through the material at very high speed to reduce heat input and give a clean cut.