Many issues

[miketodesca]

Hi,
I have been running a 4 X 8 PPLLC gantry, Candcnc control, Hypertherm Powermax 65 setup for almost 3 years and have been having cut quality problems right along. I haven't spent too much time correcting the problems because most of what we do is machined after being rough cut.

Finally, the plasma side of the business is starting to get busy, and I need to get this machine running correctly.

I have done the following:

Earth grounded the table
Cleaned and checked all of the drive sprockets
checked the arc gap
light bulb tested
cleaned/changed the ground clamp
constantly changing consumables
added a motor guard filter
added a small air storage tank to maintain air pressure
slow feeds down, speed them up etc.

The last job we ran- 1/4" plate:

Same plate, new steel,same settings, 2 different parts, 1 was acceptable, the second was awful. I changed the consumables, still the same result. Forget doing any kind of holes!

I am drawing most of our parts in Bobcad & converting to dxf. Have also had parts drawn in Autocad, same problems.

In addition to the cut problems, I am also looking to replace the overhead swing arm to cable track, and looking for something to use in the water table that will not: (A) Kill us
(b) Rust and corrode the slats & machine.
I am replacing the table slats today.

I believe that this machine should be running more efficiently and accurately than what it has been. Accuracy seems to be within 1/16" is this acceptable?

Thanks for any help that you can provide.

[islander261]

Mike

Can't comment on your motion issues as I don't know anything about your controller or mechanics, would think you could do better. Even my cheap Torchmate 2 will do better than that, when dialed in (the mechanics require constant attention on these machines) it'll do about +/- .015 in motion measured with a dial indicator. My TD A60 with 40A tips will give kerf of .055 to .065" on 14ga HR steel, wish I had a Hypertherm that used finecut consumables. I have never been able to get dross free with this setup but dross comes off easy with wire cup brush on angle grinder. For water treatment you can use proprietary compounds sold for plasma water tables or go to wally world and buy washing soda (sodium carbonate) also used in spas and pools to raise the pH. I tried a lot of water treatments and finally settled on washing soda, cheap, works and doesn't stink. I use about 2lbs in my 100 gallon tank.

John

[miketodesca]

Thanks,
went back to the machine today and decided to clean it and look for problems that I may have missed. Was running the gantry manually and the machine stopped moving. I haven't been able to move it at all. No error indicator LED's are lit, everything connected, no movement. I think i have made a mistake with this machine. Have a friend with a plasmacam. not as heavy,but runs with ease every day.
This is really frustrating!!

[BTA Plasma]

If your table isnt hexed, cursed, owed a life debt or on top of an indian burial mound it should be able to be ran. Ever thought you may have a pc issue?