Powermax45 XP in use, cutting and marking.

[jimcolt]

I am just finishing up a project building two demo hand cutting tables with raise lower eye shields and downdraft / filtration fume controls. These will be used at the upcoming Fabtech show to demonstrate the new technology that the Powermax45 XP gives us. Higher powered gouging, precision gouging, marking and cutting. I installed a Powermax45 XP on my home shop table (Plasmacam DHC2) and CAD designed all of the parts, including marking a plate that identifies me as the machine builder. Here are a few pics of the (almost completed) project! I used a single set of Fine cut consumables to cut every piece on these two downdraft tables.....the Fine cut nozzle and electrode were used when I started this project and are still cutting perfectly at the end....mostly 16 gauge panels, though some internal parts were 12 ga and 10 ga, and the rear "Built By" tag is 10 ga stainless (304) Jim Colt Hypertherm

built by Jim Colt marking.jpg (100.66 KiB) Viewed 667 times

[Capstone]

Very Slick Jim! Good looking design

The marking feature looks pretty cool, but it seems a little fuzzy. How would you grade it compared to pneumatic markers?

[East German]

Nice work!

Unfortunately the Fab Tech is too far away for me.

Regards Peter

[jimcolt]

Capstone.....here is what I wrote on another forum in regards to the expectations of plasma marking:

" A pneumatic marker will do a better marking job. Plasma marking is much more dependent on speed, height, amperage....where a vibrating pneumatic marker is more forgiving.

Plasma marker advantages:

- Not as noisy
- Extremely fast
- No offsets to deal with (so if dimensions between mark and cut are critical....no worry that you may have bumped the torch or set the incorrect x-y marker offset.
- No material contact (small pieces need to be held / clamped down with pneumatic marker.

We have been plasma marking on industrial machines for over 25 years. Industry uses them for layout work (bends, weld locations, bevel locations, hole locations) and occasionally part identification (part number, PO number, etc.). On entry level and light industrial that want to mark I see these needs...as well as artistic marking, opens up a whole new way to do art with variable depth / width marks that can show definition in art (as opposed to having to cut all the way through)

The small ("Built By") letters in my picture are about 1/2" tall. I suppose if you had a machine with better motion (acceleration) you may be able to do lettering a bit smaller.....but this is definitely not a jewelers engraver! When the plasma starts from 0 ipm....and has to accelerate to the speed that provides the best mark....expect a deeper mark, when you slow in corners, expect a deeper mark.

The marking nozzle can handle to 26 amps. When the Powermax45 XP senses below 26 amps and the selector in the marking mode.....air flow is lowered as well as post flow time is reduced (so if using argon there is less consumption). Using this nozzle at 20 to 26 amps makes a deeper, wider gouge which you can compensate by going fast.....however slowdown for corners and fine features makes for ugly, deep gouges or blowthrough in those areas. Just changing up or down 1 amp seems to make a big difference in the mark. Argon makes the lightest gouges.....you could experiment with other gas mixes....our development was based on the research from over 25 years of industrial plasma marking."

Jim Colt Hypertherm

Very Slick Jim! Good looking design

The marking feature looks pretty cool, but it seems a little fuzzy. How would you grade it compared to pneumatic markers?

[jawslandshark]

I will be at Fabtech and would like a demonstration of the marking when I am there. If I could achieve the results you got from doing your nameplate I would be happy, of course mine is a Powermax 85 that only goes down to 25 amps.....

[Capstone]

Jim,

Convince me that buying the PM45XP to replace my 3yr old PM45, which still works pretty good, is a good bet in the long run.

Specifically...

Can I use the machine torch or consumables for the PM45?

How does the ability of the PM45xp voltage selector change things for me in the case of a CandCNC DTHC IV Ethercut system?


Anything else I'm missing?

[jimcolt]

Capstone,

If I knew more about what you use the Plasma for (mechanized, hand cutting, both) and what materials and thicknesses you spend most of your time on....then maybe I could. If all you ever do is hand cut 10 gauge to 1/2" steel.....then the original 45 is pretty equal (well....slightly slower, a bit shorter consumable life). I am not in sales.....and I don't like to suggest plasma cutters just because we like to take your hard earned money....I'd rather help you improve your cutting processes.....so I would need more info! Jim Colt Hypertherm

[Capstone]

Capstone,

If I knew more about what you use the Plasma for (mechanized, hand cutting, both) and what materials and thicknesses you spend most of your time on....then maybe I could. If all you ever do is hand cut 10 gauge to 1/2" steel.....then the original 45 is pretty equal (well....slightly slower, a bit shorter consumable life). I am not in sales.....and I don't like to suggest plasma cutters just because we like to take your hard earned money....I'd rather help you improve your cutting processes.....so I would need more info! Jim Colt Hypertherm

I have a DIY CNC 4x4 Plasma table with CandCNC DragonCut DTHC IV upgraded to the Ethercut setup using the PPL 80/20 HD Gantry with 3:1 gear reduction. I only use it as a CNC cutter, with a cheap Eastwood 40amp hand cutter that has served me pretty well.

I do a good mix of thin stuff (16ga) and thicker and going beyond 1/2 hasn't been a requirement yet, but I do want to cut more Aluminum and Stainless as well with better cut quality. (softball setup intended)

I'd like very much to go thinner, but that depends on my gantry and its inability to remain stable above 100ipm.

You can see a bunch of examples of my work from the link in my signature below

[Nacs Fab]

Jim,

Nice job on the display! I am curious, what type of filter did you use in this unit? I am thinking about making a couple portable welding fume extractors to use one over my table this winter and one for my welding fab table. Just curious where you sourced the filter and did you make some sort of guard over the filter to keep the sparks from entering?

Thanks!

Neil

[jimcolt]

The filters are welding fume filters as used in a Torit brand "Porta Trunk" welding fume unit. You can see one in this photo during the build...they are flame resistant, pleated paper filters. any hot sparks are separated by a 12 gauge steel floor....which is ducted with a few angles to slow down the travel speed of the sparks before they make their way to the filter chamber below. I have built a bunch of similar deigns over the years....and learned early on that you must keep red hot sparks off the filters....fire retardant does not really work (I had two different design early units catch fire!). Jim Colt