Retrofitting

For general topics and questions that do not fit into any of the other categories or forums.
Post Reply
openwheel
1/2 Star Member
1/2 Star Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2015 8:10 pm

Retrofitting

Post by openwheel »

I have an older Saber 3000 machine and need to put a newer controller on it. What would work not planning on using the main power supply right now just a Hypertherm set up.

Mark
openwheel
1/2 Star Member
1/2 Star Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2015 8:10 pm

Re: Retrofitting

Post by openwheel »

Any help I need some info


Mark
whiskeymike
3 Star Member
3 Star Member
Posts: 345
Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2015 5:23 pm
Location: Austin, TX

Re: Retrofitting

Post by whiskeymike »

Have you looked at CandCNC.com?
openwheel
1/2 Star Member
1/2 Star Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2015 8:10 pm

Re: Retrofitting

Post by openwheel »

No but I will now. Thanks


Mark
BTA Plasma
3.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
3.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 590
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 4:28 pm

Re: Retrofitting

Post by BTA Plasma »

A Saber 3000 might have a 1000lb gantry. Unfortunately you will be spending quite a bit of money on a retrofit kit due to the mass of the gantry. The design was never all that efficient or it would not have that kind of weight. It was designed however to take in a tremendous amount of heat with the design trying to compensate for the growth of the gantry. A very high powered NEMA 34 motor might do the trick but the issue with NEMA 34 size is that there are no very well built gear boxes for them. A NEMA 34 size motor gear boxes have classically been limited to gear boxes constrained to the outside of the actual motor case. This means the gears inside are going to be smallish....work for a while and develop slop very fast with a gantry that is even a couple hundred pounds. A Nema 40 series motor has a much more robust gear drive box selection available. The money hits the floor when you are building for CNC plasma with expensive NEMA motors and expensive NEMA gear boxes, you need a drive big enough to handle them, a power supply and you have not even gotten into proper isolation and motion. That is why you see a lot of those older Saber machines going to the scrap bin. They are heavy to handle heavy plate but for thinner cutting which they were never designed to do the smaller lighter gantry machines outcut them. CandCNC has great electronics which have been in the field cutting for almost 2 decades but on much lighter gantrys. But the weight of the gantry will be where you will pay out for a retrofit or suffer a very low acceleration.
Post Reply

Return to “CNC Plasma Cutters General Forum”