Need help trying to Install a Plasma cutter on CNC Router table

[Tysonvandyck96]

Need help. I am trying to install a hand held plasma cutter onto an old router table. The table is made out of aluminum not steel so I don't believe that it has to be grounded. The machine works every time I test it without the plasma arcing, but as soon as I turn the plasma cutter on (arcing) the table just stops. I have tried starting the plasma in the middle of the process, but it just stops as soon as the plasma turns on. I have tried moving the table further away, but it still doesn't work and I have tried moving the cords for the plasma as far away from the stepper motors as possible and it still doesn't work. I'm wondering if it is a grounding issue, but I don't want to install a steel pole into a concrete garage floor. I am really hoping this is a small an inexpensive issue.

Similar Threads:

• Africa Plasma Cutter Table
• Big plasma cutter table
• CNC plasma cutter/table
• Install a laser cutter in a plasma machine??????
• plasma cutter table

[whimsical]

arcing of any sort generates huge amounts of interference and a plazma cutter is very good at it.
If it was my machine i would be pulling all the cables that are not good quality shielded types and replacing them wit cables that are good in a noisey environment.
I would also replace any limit/home swithes that are voltage signalling with some current driven ones and still make sure of the shielding for them. your description of it just stopping sounds like this.
Whole machine needs very detailed look at the grounding arragements inside and make sure all earths go directly to ONLY ONE point not just to the nearest ground point.
Any electronics housed in a nice steel earthed box and any plazma cables kept as far as possible from the table electronics and cabling. Maybe bring the plazma cabling in from overhead and not in the same cable tray as the table cables.
Thats for a start and more to come if still having problems.

Mike

[coherent]

You don't say what type of Plasma cutter you have. If it's an import with HF arc start as stated by whimsical they create tons of electrical interference and will disrupt your computer/driver. I even seen florescent shop lights cause this issue. There a re a number of posts regarding the subject and depending on your driver, computer etc, even grounding and shielding may not fix issue. You can try grounding your plasma cutters tip (do a little searching on the subject or help). Only thing to do is test. That's one reason why the better plasma cutters like Hypertherm's cost more. Their circuitry is better regarding this issue.