Plasma Table (2011)
                                   Something updated 02/11/2012()
                                   PlasmaCAM video







2009 a shaky start:
I found, I have a couple parts I'm able to reuse from a 2009 start. I'll recover 4 Gecko drivers, that's about it. Lost money on that deal. I had motors turning, and .dxf drawing loaded into it's CAM software (SimpleCNC). When I hit the "Cycle Start" button, it started changing the blue and black cut lines to red as it moved around the tool path on the computer screen.

This is my plasma table build. This page will get very detailed as things get finalized.

2011 second start:
Hardware:
Will be a rack and pinion table, ACME 10 tpi lead screw on Z. The plasma torch will have a 45 degree swivel built in. Four stepper motors (3 - NEMA 34, 400 oz/in, 48v, and 1 - NEMA 23 frame 250 oz./in, 24v). Software: CorelDraw (CAD), SheetCAM (builds final gCode and post processer chooses), Mach3 (CAM).

New shop layout, pink (tan), area.

Water table, Down Draft, or it's own room. See above. Separate room takes up a lot of space in a small shop. The table has to get smaller to accommodate room size. Exhaust fan for plasma room in the build, unless the garage door is open.

Exhaust fan material:
3905 CFM blower

Note:
1) Table has ability to roll around.
2) Table size ends up 4' x 4', cutting area of 3' x 3'.
3) Planning on cutting 1/2 inch mild steel plate. 3' x 3' is a heavy chunk of 1/2" steel.
4) Edge cut 1" steel. 

TABLE BUILD
Material:
80' .180 wall 2" x 2" square tube mild steel.

Table legend:
Orange (brown) - Cutting surface rails
Blue - Y rails
Yellow - X rail - grantry
Green - Lower leg support
Gray - K2 Gantry
Black X, Y, Z carriage cars
Tan - Rollers for material handling

Plasma torch
Got a PowerMax30 for the shop. Hopping for a PowerMax45 for plasma table.
Material:
Hypertherm

K2 gantry, powered with NEMA 23 - 250 oz/in stepper. Float torch slide switch, with 1/4" float travel built-into gantry, below.


Material:
Gantry -K2 gantry


Adding scribe (engraver). Torch will have 2" wide mount on floating plate, with 45 degree swivel plates. Scribe will have 4" mounting plate off floating slide. Brackets not drawn yet, got a plan.

Note: Scribe mechanism needs width for dual pneumatic cylinders, see video below.

Material:
Pneumatic air scribe
Pneumatic regulator 125 psi
Pneumatic solenoids
Pneumatic cylinders

Info: detail plate maker video Build
 

Warning:  There is no table built like this. This warning will be replaced with Video's of my working table. Until then you have the info I have.

Note: Aluminum "V" rails jump a table cost by $2,000 to $3,000. 

Carriage cars mounted on  2" x  2" - .180 wall - square tubing. Makes for a strong carriage car table system, with .030 cutting tolerance expected. No rail distortion, because no drilling. There will be end plates welded to 2x2 X rail for bolting to Y carriage cars. X rail will almost be level with Y rails, see table drawing above.

I know it seems that there would be some amount of backlash with this type of carriage system. I'm looking for a low budget build. This system, using 2 x 2" 3/16" square tubing, should be one forth the cost of V rails, not including motors. The tolerance might be much better then I expect.

Material: 
Carriage car Video
Carriage car - nosleep


All carriage cars will use design, below.

NEMA 34's direct drive carriage cars for both X and Y rails.

The 54" X rail will bolt to Y carriage cars, using welded end plates.

Tuning  rail cars: Table build allows 36" and 48" travel, with over run for down draft duct and gantry 6" width. Will clamp Y rails to - 2" x 2" legs, just for tuning. Then push  X rail to other end, trying to figure out why carriage cars wont move smoothly. Back and forth until their smooth and tight. Of course parallelism is a big deal also. Once turned, Y rails will be welder to legs.

I'm building rails outside of  down draft area, see drawing above. These end rails will be same height of slats. That makes indexing material across the 36" cutting grid much easier. With roller stands, indexing a 8' length of material is possible.

 Have .dxf  files for cutting slats, thank you, winegar. The legs will have wheels, and leg levelers, lifting wheels off floor with impact wrench access.

The torch will have torch height control (THC).
Electronics: CandCNC .
THC control - Video

NOT my table, below. This is winegar's table build (screen name at cnczone.com). He's using V rail design on his table. Slats made from 16 gage. V rails cost including the Z drive. Add $2,000 for table build.

 

Things slowing me down. No place to build it. See shop_consolidation.