peckham4
Aluminum
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2005
- Location
- Castle Hayne, NC 28429
I have a customer who has promised me 3-4 jobs a week for a CNC plasma cutter. This will just pay for a plasma setup. Also I know if I had the setup I could sell other jobs for it, which at that time I will start making a profit. So now I must decide on how to go about getting a CNC plasma setup, and this is where I would like to hear your thoughts. I want something that will accept a full sheet, so 4 x 8 or 5 x 10 is the size I am looking at.
My first option would be to buy a complete setup. This would cost me more but would be less work for me and I could get up and running faster. So I guess here I am asking if anyone has any experience with off the shelf units.
My other option would be to build my own setup. Now keep in mind I build custom machines. I have already built X, Y gantries for customers before. I have also developed my own software for converting .dxf files to X, Y motion. So software is not a problem. However I have never built a plasma table before. While it seams pretty simple I always like to ask how other have done it. No reason to reinvent the wheel here.
And last how does plasma work with painted surfaces. I will be doing a lot of cutting on pre painted panels. While the cut edges will be covered I can’t burn the paint to far back from the cut or it will show. I have heard of cutting panels in water to help pull the heat out to keep from burning off to much paint. Is this standard practice? Do I need to design my table so I can fill it with water to just above the part?
Pete
My first option would be to buy a complete setup. This would cost me more but would be less work for me and I could get up and running faster. So I guess here I am asking if anyone has any experience with off the shelf units.
My other option would be to build my own setup. Now keep in mind I build custom machines. I have already built X, Y gantries for customers before. I have also developed my own software for converting .dxf files to X, Y motion. So software is not a problem. However I have never built a plasma table before. While it seams pretty simple I always like to ask how other have done it. No reason to reinvent the wheel here.
And last how does plasma work with painted surfaces. I will be doing a lot of cutting on pre painted panels. While the cut edges will be covered I can’t burn the paint to far back from the cut or it will show. I have heard of cutting panels in water to help pull the heat out to keep from burning off to much paint. Is this standard practice? Do I need to design my table so I can fill it with water to just above the part?
Pete
