no machine wont turn off automatically if it does cut out you will be well over the duty cycle
If you have a look at the manual and the front of the machine you will probably have a thermal overload light.
Mines orange and only comes on when the cutout has tripped. Once the orange light is off you are below the threshold again.
If the machine will cutout before damage occurs should we forgot about worrying about times and just run it till it cuts out?
not really the duty cycle is there to get the maximum life from your machine if you use it until it cuts out the temperature will be significantly higher then it would be if you had stuck to the recomended duty cycle
If the machine will cutout before damage occurs should we forgot about worrying about times and just run it till it cuts out?
If you're constantly hitting the thermal cutout then the machine simply isn't man enough for what you're using it for.
Trust me on that one, I have first hand experience of buying an underpowered machine with a poor duty cycle and paying the price for my mistake.
Out of interest are the big industrial Miller machines and Murex machines etc. limited by duty cycles aswell. ie. In a big factory enviroment do the welders have to let the machine rest every few mins.