Hypertherm (www.hypertherm.com) said its new SilverPlus electrodes dramatically extend electrode life.

The company said that patented electrodes have, on average, double the life of comparable electrodes, and provide lower costs to welding shops.

Hypertherm offers the SilverPlus electrodes in amperages of 130, 200, and 260.

The company said the electrodes are created by fusing a solid silver tip to a copper electrode base, then inserting a hafnium pin into the tip. Because silver disperses heat better than copper, the hafnium wear rate is slowed dramatically. In addition, the company said a superior bond between the hafnium and silver enables more consistent wear rates, deeper pit depths, and more robustness to ramp down errors and hard failures.