Machine Choice Confusion ! ! !

[CNCCAJUN]

I now realize that I want a machine that is capable of cutting "detailed intricate files" as possible on thin gauge material. Typically 14 gauge or smaller. Craft type of work. I know I will do some thicker material for parts, but I see the most potential profit for me in products I create rather than parts cut for others.

With that said, would some of you guys post a picture of something with a lot of detail you have cut.

At this point I want to EXCLUDE anything cut on a PLASMACAM or anything running Mach3.

Thanks in advance,
Steve

[drakus]

There just went 95% of your choices by tossing out plasmacam and mach3.

Here is what my pcam can do with a hypertherm 45

[I Lean]

I won't post anything since I'm a happy Mach3 user...but I am curious why you want to exclude it?

[CNCCAJUN]

At the risk of angering many . . . .

Mach3 is out because I will constantly be saying to myself, "why didn't you just go to Tom @ C&CNC buy system and build your own table."

Won't fly at my house, whole other story.

PlasmaCAM - I know it is not flimsy . . . I don't like the belt drives, the boom overhead or their package selling system. It's like buying cable service for your house. Why would a company offer a plasma table today without THC . . . they do . . .

No flames accepted . . . . lol lol lol

Now on the other hand some of the best work I see on this site comes off of Pcam & Mach3 tables . . .

That is why I asked Jim Colt for the "TEST FILE" . . . hoping I can do something with that . . .

Steve

[I Lean]

Fair enough, I suppose...since I have CandCNC controls and a homebuilt table.

So what options are you left with?

[CNCCAJUN]

Fair enough, I suppose...since I have CandCNC controls and a homebuilt table.

So what options are you left with?

Dynatorch, Tracker, ShopSabre I can think of at the moment . . .

I need something turnkey that my wife can run as well. She will never learn all the intricacies of Mach3.

Steve

[abmagrum]

DOESNT tracker and dynotorch use mach 3 ?
ARCLIGHT BUILDS a awesome table , best bang for youre buck in my opinion

[cindy carlisle]

Wish you had come by at the "Work Boat Show" in New Orleans, would have liked to have met you in person

[CNCCAJUN]

DOESNT tracker and dynotorch use mach 3 ?
ARCLIGHT BUILDS a awesome table , best bang for youre buck in my opinion

No, they do not . . . .

Steve

[CNCCAJUN]

Wish you had come by at the "Work Boat Show" in New Orleans, would have liked to have met you in person

Stuck at my "evil" job . . .

Your system also uses C&CNC with Mach3, correct?

Steve

[drakus]

Fair enough, I suppose...since I have CandCNC controls and a homebuilt table.

So what options are you left with?

Dynatorch, Tracker, ShopSabre I can think of at the moment . . .

I need something turnkey that my wife can run as well. She will never learn all the intricacies of Mach3.

Steve

plasmacam has IMO the easiest software out there. If my dad can use it and he is computer illiterate, than any one can use it.

[cindy carlisle]

Our system DOES NOT use CandCNC. We use Mach3, but our controller and THC are much more robust than CandCNC. Mach3 is just motion control software. CandCNC is just one of many companies that use it. There are a lot of industrial machines out there using Mach3. One of the most critical components in a plasma system is the THC. CandCNC and SoundLogic (Now TX Micro) are hobby level THC's as they use Mach3 to control THC motion, which has severe limitations. Our THC operates outside of Mach3. Mach3 controls X and Y. The THC controls Z.

Check out our THC page.

http://www.trucutcnc.com/trutracthc.html

[CNCCAJUN]

Software is the least of my concern.

I have spent the last 20+ years of my life as an industrial designer on AutoCAD.

Just purchased AutoCAD 2014 . . . yikes, the price hurts . . .

Steve

[abmagrum]

DOESNT tracker and dynotorch use mach 3 ?
ARCLIGHT BUILDS a awesome table , best bang for youre buck in my opinion

No, they do not . . . .

Steve

Had the best deal when I bought mine in the spring.

nobody would deal . Scott did
AND its a solid table

[DXF]

Here's a CNC router table a friend of mine built out of 80/20 for around $1200. A link to his facebook post. I have an older version of Plasma Cam that I bought in 2000 and it still works fine after I redesigned and reworked parts of it.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

Dave Hanks

[muzza]

Software is the least of my concern.

I have spent the last 20+ years of my life as an industrial designer on AutoCAD.

Just purchased AutoCAD 2014 . . . yikes, the price hurts . . .

Steve

I think you may be getting confused, you say software is the least of your concern, as Cindy explained to you "Mach3" is motion control software and not a drive system.
You put the best software available on crap motion and you'll end up with a crap job yet you can put pretty basic software with a good motion system and turn out some excellent and very detailed products.
Murray

[CNCCAJUN]

I think I have got it resolved . . . I'm back on target thanks to a call from a very knowledgeable source . . .

Again, thank you to every one for your input. . . .

Buying a CNC Plasma Table is like trying to decide who to marry . . .

Thanks
Steve

[muzza]

I'll put it another way.
What I am telling you and I think others where you have posted the question is that is more the mechanics of the system than the fact it is MAch3 or proprietary software which will affect the performance at high speed.
Murray

[abmetal]

You say you need something turnkey and that your wife can run. We purchased our Pcam with the agreement that the wife would operate it and she had NO computer experience whatsoever. It was a long learning curve but she's done it.
I don't know what experience your wife has, but I personally think Pcam has one of the most user friendly programs on the market. We did, several years later, purchase a Torchmate but she couldn't get used to the programming and kept going back to the Pcam to do her work so we sold it and upgraded to the Samson. And she loves it.

Allen

[jimcolt]

CNCCajun,

I have the test files....but just noticed tonight they are in .dwg format.....and I do not have the CAM software on my home computer to convert them.....I'll get them to you tomorrow as a .dxf .

Jim

At the risk of angering many . . . .

Mach3 is out because I will constantly be saying to myself, "why didn't you just go to Tom @ C&CNC buy system and build your own table."

Won't fly at my house, whole other story.

PlasmaCAM - I know it is not flimsy . . . I don't like the belt drives, the boom overhead or their package selling system. It's like buying cable service for your house. Why would a company offer a plasma table today without THC . . . they do . . .

No flames accepted . . . . lol lol lol

Now on the other hand some of the best work I see on this site comes off of Pcam & Mach3 tables . . .

That is why I asked Jim Colt for the "TEST FILE" . . . hoping I can do something with that . . .

Steve

[CNCCAJUN]

DWG should be no problem. I am running AutoCAD 2014.
I should be able to convert them to DXF. After all, DXF is an AutoCAD file type . .

Thank you Jim,
Steve

[jimcolt]

While motion control software is certainly important as it has the math algorithms that control diection and speed for x and y axis....the most important things to get the best cut quality on any material is the machines ability to stay on the programmed cut path (known as "following error") while maintaining speeds as close to the manuafcturers suggested speeds for the torch you are using. To do this properly the drive systems must be geared correctly and the motor torque must be adequate to overcome the machines mass. Good acceleration is necessary to maintain adequate speeds on fine features and small holes and is critical. Machines with poor inertia matching can generally cut thick materials well....as cut speeds are slower, but will have issues on thinner materials as speeds get higher. There are many "name brand" machines with sluggish acceleration and top speeds limited to less than 150 ipm.....and the blame is often put on the plasma when the cut quality is not so good.

As Cindy mentioned, next to acceleration and speed capability, height control is the next most critical parameter with plasma cutting. Height control during the cut is based on a feedback loop of arc voltage....and its characteristics change when cornering and cutting features that will cause machine slowdowns....as well as during kerf crossings and at the beginning and ending of cuts. It is complex, yet there are major brand machines that ignore all of the necessary internally programmed height control features...the result being short consumable life, varying cut edge quality and torch to plate collisions (often). Height control is optional on some machines......don't let it be an option, it is neccesary unless you cut one part at a time and plan on babysitting you machine while doing so.

Plasma likes to cut at the correct speed, the correct height, and the machine cannot have mechanical backlash. Good cut quality is then possible....oh yeah, you need a decent plasma as well!

Jim Colt Hypertherm

[CNCCAJUN]

"oh yeah, you need a decent plasma as well!"

You mean a PowerMAX, right . . . . lol lol lol

Sorry, could not resist . . .

Steve

[Metriccar]

I've looked at a lot of table manufacturers myself and I would say my choices for this price range would be between Plasmacam and Dynatorch. I asked for both of them sample cuts of what I would consider the most difficult for a CNC plasma cutter to cut: a square with sharp corners and a 1/4" hole in the middle, cut on thin sheet metal. Plasmacam gave me a picture of not what I wanted but something similar, and from what I could see in the picture, it looked pretty good. Dynatorch did not give me a picture.

If someone told me today you need to buy a plasma table, I'd probably go with the Plasmacam. It seems they put the money where it matters and skimped where it wasn't important to make a good entry level machine. I can't verify the Dynatorch Super-B because I don't know as much about it. The boom overhead on the Plasmacam keeps weight off the gantry so I see it as a feature.

I'm sorry but Mach3 interface seems like it was written in 1995 for Windows 3.1 and when I try to adjust the cut speed manually before I start the cut it gives me some bogus number, like 1.10, so I have to keep track of what my previous cut speed was and click up or down a few times to change it 10% at a time. But it is what it is and I can't say I wouldn't buy a Mach 3 machine because of it.

[Metriccar]

You said you talked to someone and came up with something.... what was it?