Selecting Hypertherm Plasma System

[kcoffield]

This should be right in the Mod's wheel house but input from all is welcome.

I'm looking for a recommendation on mech/machine ready Plasma cutting system. This will be more of a hobby level system but I have a pretty well equipped shop and am an avid fabricator. I recently acquired a CNC Router and am learning the ropes there. I have 3-Axis motion control and water table. It has a (sort of cheesy) break away torch mount. All of my CNC plasma cutting would be <=1/4" mild steel. This will be occasional use, meaning maybe a couple of hours a day, several days per month, but 100% duty for 1/4". Any cutting capacity above that is just gravy. I have plenty of single phase 240vac power.

I presently have a Miller Spectrum 625 Extreme for about 5years. It's, OK, done all the manual guided work I've need thus far but is very lightly used. It's not presently machine compatible, so I'd need to by an automation kit for it, and preferably a machine torch as well. Those would run about $900-$950. Problem is although they're both readily available I've made inquiries of Miller about the automation kit specs and features with no reply. From other reading I know it includes a voltage divider but that's about it.

In contrast, there is plenty of information about machine automation, torch height control, etc for a light duty CNC available from Hypotherm. As a bonus, most all of the plasma/CAM software packages I've looked at specifically reference Hypertherm interface as well. So, I'm thinking as opposed to going in another $1k on the Miller, sell it and buy a Hypertherm Powermax XP45 package like the 088123 Mech and Hand Torches.

https://www.weldingsuppliesfromioc.c...torches-088123

I may be better served with a 50ft torch cable. I've read references to the Hypertherm PHC height control system, but I'm having a bit of difficulty finding information on the Hypertherm site.

https://www.hypertherm.com/en-US/hyp.../?PageNumber=1

So I can do more reading on the THC

https://www.hypertherm.com/en-US/search/?search=thc

But here are my questions.

Does the 088123 sound about right for the duty/use I've described or is there a better combo package offered by Hypertherm?
Is there somewhere I can get a little more detail about the XP45 package(s) like what is or isn't included in the way of THC, and machine interface?
Anything else you'd recoomend?

Thanks in advance for replies.

Best,
Kelly

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[rodw]

If you think you will use the hand torch, thats a good package. If you just got the machine torch only it might be cheaper and you could keep you Miller for hand cutting. There is another RS485 option for the 45xp that allows you to control the machine from the CNC controller. But its pretty expensive for what it is, it might be something you could add later.

You won't be buying a Hypertherm THC for home and hobby use. The best and also the most cost effective plasma controller and THC is LinuxCNC's Plasmac controller. We have a prebuilt table that uses it coming in Australia and the USA but it might be premature of me to suggest it as the design is incomplete. But if you could wait a little while, feel free to PM me and I'll put you in touch with our US counterparts.