New Build-12x6ft Plasma Table

[Boyan Silyavski]

Hi,

I am almost ready with my mixed universal machine which will do plasma also, usually at the back side of the table. That for the moment untill i have time to build me a dedicated plasma machine. So i investigated this and that.

here are my thoughts on building a dedicated plasma machine, especially one your intended size. I can further elaborate on the "why" if you have any questions

Preliminary:
- study commercial designs that size
- decide on a budget and don't cut any corners cause that machine size is not for hobby

Machine:

-make machine and table SEPARATE

-build left side and right side as beams only , supported by legs, leveled by screws that screw on integrated in floor plates

-for left right structures, use sth like 120x120x4mm at least, better would be sth like 140x140x4 at least, best would be beam like 200x200x4. The bigger the better, the longer could be the element, the simpler.

-RP obviously, use proven design with community support , don't go for belt to belt drives following a hype, unless you have made previous working machine, you want top make money, not test ideas . Avoid expensive RP, special shapes, special gear boxes, etc. In other words maybe go for the CNCrouterparts design and i would even buy from them the pieces for a piece of mind

-spend time on the design and make it truly modular, cause one day even this one could be short for you

-rails - on such a machine no doubt i would use at least Hiwin20 rail, but best would be the low wide rail / MGW15 size/ which is stainless by the way , so are the carriages and the balls. Other benefit of using the slightly more expensive MGW is that you could make the gantry rail only 1, same with the Z. One rail only.

-motors- no need to tell you to use servo motors, i hope you have that clear already. you will need the speed for cutting thin stuff without bending. If you have doubts forget them and use servo motors, at least for the closed loop, cause i dont want to think what would happen to a geared , even light, RP gantry flying at tremendous speed cutting thin stuff that suddenly racks due to lost steps. i will tell you- it will be bad.

- ATHC, one thing that is clear to me is it must be "real" , no semi THC with simple arc controls there. meaning it must control the motor on the Z somehow, a motion control. I bought the Neuron THC. Its a new one, more or less is same or even better compared to the CANDCNC , who by the way is not my favorite guy to deal with. If you dig deeper you will see some ridiculous statements made by him, here and there, even at his web, talking about chinese machines and warranty and so...
Now i still can not tell you how good the Neuron works, but i can tell you is made in EU, Andrei is very helpful and knowledgeable guy. I received mine without any hassle and Andrey said at the moment the machine is running we will make Skype contact and he will adjust whats necessary remotely for a first run. What more do you want as a support?

-Plasma is not 100% necessary to be Hyper therm . Now here many will cry, but they are the best. Yeah, but ...if i was buying from USA in $$, maybe. Not with that EU price. First of all consider Thermall Dynamics/Victor or re branded as ESAB and other, here in EU. The magic word is CUTMASTER/ . 20-30% cheaper and original consumables are much readily available everywhere and much cheaply.
Secondly consider German-Chinese machine from eBay with quality control better than pure Chinese and with 5 year warranty. I have such and confirm that the MIG, ARC and Plasma work like a charm. Now change the Chinese plasma crap torch with universal Thermal Dynamics torch like SL60 or SL100 and you have a winner.Still not tested though but soon will report. Now even cheaper if you find Radnor which is the sam
Andrey who makes the Neuron told me in some conversation that many people in Russia change the torches with Binzel torches and all works like a charm.


Hope that helps. I am talking a bout a superiour build, that does not necessary has to be very expensive.