Anyone with help about plasma CNC what i need...

[ToddAnderson]

Hello, I am looking to purchase a plasma cnc machine, but there are clearly too many choices. My spending range is around 25k complete, I would like to get the absolute most for the money. As of right now the Dynatorch is looking the best. I need to know if it is a reliable machine, can i use a router with it? what amount of waste is produced? is it a good purchase for the money? Does it come ready to use, All i would need is a plasma cutter itself and an air comppressor? If Someone has owned this machine, or anyone that has helpful info please comment. Thank you, any advice is appreciated.

[Weldtutor]

Originally Posted by ToddAnderson anyone that has helpful info please comment. Thank you, any advice is appreciated.

Hi ToddAnderson
Welcometo CNC Zone.

Yes, as you have already found there are many choices & suppliers.

-The plasma arc cutter is usually selected for the thickness range of materials you wish to cut.

-Air supply needed is determined by the plasma arc machine. Both pressure & volume need to be considered.

-A PC to use as the machine controller has requirements that must be suitable for the software selected.

-Some software is proprietary rather than universal.
Does the software have the features that you need for your application?

-Table size should be suited to the work size. Often "hobby" users seem to find they chose a table too large, while industrial users need larger tables.

With the budget you have and careful selection possibly you could purchase or certainly build, machines dedicated to each process. If the volume of work for each can be justified this might be worth consideration.

Generally speaking most plasma machines can also be used for routing.
The residue created by plasma arc could do a lot of damage to fine wood surfaces.
Exhaust systems & water tables are both used to control this but do not totally eliminate the problem.
Wood chips & dust of course are easily ignited.

I'm not a user of either of the tables your 2 posts are considering.
Keep reading & asking questions & the answers will be there.

[ToddAnderson]

Thank you for your reply WeldTutor.
What plasma cutter are you using? Are you happy with it? What software is most commonly used? Which is the best for artistic shapes and rigid machinery parts?

I believe that i am going to go with the Hypertherm 1250 it seems to be the best bang for the buck and a reliable machine. My question is. What is the differences with the machine tip and the manual. I know that the manual is handheld, but do the tips last longer? is it more efficient? Are the cuts more presise? Any comments are greatfuly appreciated.

[Txfatboy]

My son and daughter (age 17 & 14) recently finished building a DynaTorch plasma for a local contest. It is by far the best system out there They built a 6' x 12' machine with a pipe cutting attachment and a water table below with plasma for around 18k.
I will post pics later.

[Weldtutor]

Originally Posted by ToddAnderson What plasma cutter are you using? Are you happy with it? What software is most commonly used? I believe that i am going to go with the Hypertherm 1250. What is the differences with the machine tip and the manual. do the tips last longer? is it more efficient? Are the cuts more presise? Any comments are greatfuly appreciated.

A Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 51 is what I have recently purchased to use on the CNC plasma table I currently have under construction.
It's ratings should meet my needs for mechanized cutting that will be gauge thickness up to 1/4" mild steel.
I have also owned Hypertherm, Linde, as well as an imported plasma arc cutter, all with satisfactory results.

Mach3 is currently a very popular software program for machine control.

Service life of tips is affected by many variables as is the precision of the cut.

Perhaps someone with a Hypertherm 1250 can give you their opinions of it.

[carbidecraters]

Get something with servo's and a servo control. Look to rack and pinion drives and make sure the plasma cutter you buy has arc hieght control to follow the sheetmetal as it warps for accuracy

[ToddAnderson]

Originally Posted by carbidecraters Get something with servo's and a servo control. Look to rack and pinion drives and make sure the plasma cutter you buy has arc hieght control to follow the sheetmetal as it warps for accuracy

Thanks for the reply. I am absolutely going to get something with servos, from what i hear the performance cant be beat. The Dynatorch offers everything i want... I think? I guess what i want to know is what to look out for. The little things that after you put your machine together you say uh oh, how come nobody told me about this. Hopefully this does not happen, but its better to be safe than really sorry. Thanks

[Txfatboy]

One other thing about Dunatorch is the tech support it is by far the best. Their tech seems always available and will stay with you until the problem is fixed. To me that is worth alot. I choose the Hypertherm 1250 the voltage is versitle (220 volt or 208 3 phase) also if you order with a machine torch it comes ready to hook to your machine you don't have to splice into wires in box. For the most part they all cut about the same. I have both brands in my shop and can't tell much difference. One other thing I like about the hypertherm is the quick change from machine torch to a hand held torch. Price is very close the hypertherm 1250 with 50' machine torch was $3250.
On machine design I used rack and pinion I used 1 motor but chose to use 2 right angle gear boxes to make a dual drive system, I would strongly recomend driving the X axis from both sides. On the Y I used a linear drynslide bearing machine works great I have found spending a little more on good parts is worth it.
good luck

[billbob21736]

Hi You should check out the B&B Systems inc. plasma table, it is the vary best

[Edwardo]

Todd
Im not sure what part of Canada you live in, im in Winnipeg.... I bought a 4x8 drop side Dynatorch with duo drives and a 1250 Hypertherm 14 months ago, I cant compare it to anything else because it is the only cnc plasma i ever had, but i will say i have not had any major problems with it at all, any small issues i had when starting up were taken care of quickly by the support people at DT and it has run flawless since. So far i only use fine cut consumables in my 1250 cutting mostly 1/16-1/8 metal, it just flies through that. Im pretty sure you can only use the machine torch with DT. Things to consider when buying, air handler system or DIY water table? these machines create alot of fumes/smoke/dust !!! You need a customs broker to import, we used the shipping co that DT uses, if you are able to build your own table you will save alot of money doing it yourself from DT plans, they provide them, i built mine with 1/4 wall tubing instead of 1/8 on the plan. I set mine up in my garage at home, i ended up having a electrician install a 200 amp service, compressor, filters, air dryer, computer..... I use Corel DrawX3, sheetcam, DT.... since i mostly cut thin material, there new DASH option is on my wish list.

EDD

[asuratman]

Hello Txfatboy,
Have tried using 2 servo motor on X? Do u think will have any problem driving 2 motor in the same axis? I just want to have some feedback on this design since I will use 2 motor on x. Thanks.

[jimcolt]

Todd,

In reference to your question about differences between the hand held and mechanized "tips" for a Hypertherm powermax1250....

- Hypertherm does not call any of its consumables a tip.....what some call a tip, we call a nozzle.

- The electrode and nozzles that are used for the 1250 are the same for both mechanized and hand cutting. Cut quality and cut performance is identical.

- The shield....which is the copper part that screws on the torch retaining cap to "shield" the nozzle....is different for hand cutting or machine cutting. For hand cutting, the shield has longer overall length...as it is designed to drag directly on the plate, providing the proper arc length for best cut quality....this shield also had some slots or "castleations" (looks like the top of a castle tower!) that allow gas to escape when drag cutting. The machine shield is smooth on the face....and is designed for machine use where the torch does not drag on the plate.

You will see different ratings as far as maximum thickness for the hand torch and the machine torch....with the hand torch having a thicker rating. This is because you can manipulate your hand to direct pierce spatter away from the hand torch...so you often can pierce thicker...while with the machine torch you are generally piercing perpendicular to the plate...which limits the pierce thickness.

Hope this helps!

Jim Colt Hypertherm