KCR-HD3070 Project: Retrofit Komatsu Rasor KCR-0951 w/ Hypertherm HD3070/Sensor PHC

[racesol]

This thread will document the process we've undergone in taking a Komatsu KCR-0951 industrial plasma table and retrofitting it with current Hypertherm HD componentry, Edge Control and Sensor PHC THC.

We purchased this Komatsu Rasor KCR-0951 back in August of 2010.



Machine was #3 into the county, circa ~1995. $180k+ new. We even got all the original receipts and documentation on the machine. The machine came with an incredible amount of consumables, spare parts, boards, etc. We could probably rebuild everything in the control boxes with the parts we have.



The control table - old but functional hardware. Left side "suitcase" THC. Right side "suitecase" servo driver cards & motherboard.



Machine is a down-draft design. Has a huge blower that mounts to the back of the ducting that runs along the back of the machine. You can see both the Komatsu "HD" power source & water cooler to the left.

[racesol]

The machine was delivered, and set into place. It was approx 6000lbs and was quite difficult to move. The frame is all aluminum weldment and machined parts. But since it's a 5x10 capable machine, the frame is actually 8' x 14' roughly. Big pig.

When we purchased the machine, the control was considered DOA. We were able to negotiate the price down quite abit due to that fact so we had to approach Komatsu for new control software.

Komatsu was very helpful and provided us with a 30 day free trial of their latest and greatest "Rasor Server" DNC software with CAD/CAM & Nesting. It's a DNC serial server software that you setup the cut path's in their Pathmaster software (import your dxf), nest the parts as required then download them into the control board on the machine and hit go (yah I wish it was quite that simple).

The result (cutting a Chevy LS1 flange - 3/8" 30 IPM)

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv-onSQFDc8"]YouTube - LS1 Flange on KCR-0951 Plasma[/nomedia]

[racesol]

After about 4 days cutting, we had blown through about 15-20 electrodes and about 20-30 nozzles. We had been in contact with centricut and komatsu trying to figure out why our consumable consumption seemed to be high, as we weren't able to get more then 250-300 pierces before the set was basically toast. Most of the time we were getting 150 or less. You had to have an attentive operator tending the machine as the sound would slightly change when the nozzle went and your parts from that point on were complete crap. Cutting charts in hand, operators manual in the other, we dialed and dialed on this thing but couldn't get it to do much better. We had one nozzle last almost 450 pierces and then the stupid THC crashed it into the part as it was a very poor design which would bend and twist and screw up every 300-400 or so contacts with the plate.

Since there didn't seem to be much of a solution to the consumables issue, and we'd tryed damn near everything anyone suggested including digging a 30 foot ditch for a new concrete encased electrode (ufer ground) 5 feet from the machine through the wall, we opted to retrofit. I wanted more of a set it and forget it type of setup, so we decided not to purchase the komatsu software and instead purchased a Hypertherm Edge 2 control, Hypertherm HD3070 Power source w/ Manual Gas Console and Hypertherm Sensor PHC. We took delivery of the retrofit parts in January.



HD3070 High def power source. Manual gas console. Machine was purchased used without cabling. ~2000 hours on the meter.



Edge 2 Controller. Pulled from a machine that upgraded to an Edge Pro.



Sensor PHC Slide



HPR Torch upgrade for HD3070.



PHC Control Box

[racesol]

The bane of my existence removed and headed to the dumpster. The "crashing bandit" as we so nick-named it. Never should there be a THC built like this:



The new sensor PHC mounted. We tried mounting the control to the side of the machine where komatsu put their controller box for awhile. But ended up remove it later.



And the final product. Encoder covered, bracket finished painted. Torch leads run.

[racesol]

Edge 2 control / PHC mount was designed & machined to give us 180 degree rotation and control swivel, so we could turn the control in either direction and rotate it into position when we were setting up odd plate sizes. It took 2 people to setup odd plates on the komatsu control as you needed someone running the control box and someone looking at the plate trying to find the corner under the torch. We ran all the cabling through the arm so as to avoid cabling damage from spatter. The dangling cables waiting on the tech to build the amphenol connectors in this pic.



Planning on buying & using dynatorch's little laser setup gem that they've got here:

http://www.dynatorch.com/LaserPointer.htm



Swivel in action. 90 Degree swings control about 2.5 feet in each direction. Then swing it back out of the way when you are good to go.

[panozeng]

I'm disappointed that you got rid of that old THC sensing rig! That thing was hysterical to watch in the video! I didn't realize anything like that was produced...

I'm currently updating a 5' x 10' Koike table that seems similar in size and build, but I don't have the budget to go with the high end stuff you're using.

Also - I see your username on youtube referenced mandrel bending. Where are you located, and what is it you do? I have a large old non-cnc mandrel bender and do mostly automotive stuff.

[racesol]

Getting close.

Torch installed and all the hoses run.



Edge 2 finished wiring.



Re-installing the slats for test cutting.



The company is columbia river mandrel bending. We have 6 mandrel benders up into the 6" size capability with full cnc positioning on 3 of them. I responded to your PM on the spare parts.

[jimcolt]

Nice looking job, and thanks for using all the Hypertherm equipment! Keep us posted on how well it works!

Jim Colt Hypertherm

[racesol]

Jim, I'm hoping it works rather well. This has been a delicate balancing act of getting used but excellent equipment. I wish I had the budget to throw at a Edge Pro, HPR260 and Arcglide for this, but not quite yet.

Minor/slightly major burp: The servo dynamics SDF1020 cards from the original machine, one of them gave up the ghost the last couple day we used the machine and I completely forgot. Went to start testing each axis and remembered quickly enough - doh!

Luckily I'm a pack rat and had a new 3 axis rack of servo dynamic's SDFP01525s which is basically just the studlier brother of the cards that were in the machine. Some minor trimming with a 4.5" angle cutter and a cut off wheel and the card rack fits into the cabinet. Now where to mount this huge transformer ...

[racesol]

Cutting 1/2" plate @ 80 inches per minute. 1.5 deg taper or less. Going to be testing some 3/8" stainless plate tomorrow.

Notice the high-tech plate remove device to the left.

The laser finder we added is pretty sick. Makes for setting up jobs really simple. When the torch is fully raised it gives a point and cross-hairs 90 deg to the table.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMC5Wp_4B8g"]YouTube - KCR-HD3070 Hybrid[/nomedia]

We are now at 780 pierces on the same consumables. We just pulled them to measure electrode depth and they looked barely used. Huge props to hypertherm.

Evaluating nesting software solutions. Sigmanest 9 vs ProNest 2010.