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  #1  
Old Tue 13 December 2011, 00:40
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Another MM as Plasma Table

Time to get on with a Plasma Table.
The initial specifications are as follows
Cutting area : 1850 x 6100mm
Fume control :Water bed with down draft fan using this type of fan.
Stepper Motor :86HS9801
Motor Driver : TinyDriver
Motor Power supply voltage : 48Vac
Grate surface height : 600mm
Structure : 75 x 50 RHS nominal thickness 3mm
Torch Height Controller :- CandCNC DTHC-3000
Motion control software :- Mach3
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  #2  
Old Tue 13 December 2011, 01:26
IN-WondeR
Just call me: Kim
 
Randers
Denmark
u want a cutting area of 1860x6100mm and only use 50x75 RHS tubing, is that not gonna be a bit flimsy??
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  #3  
Old Tue 13 December 2011, 01:33
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
My maths says its ok. I'm surprise too
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  #4  
Old Tue 13 December 2011, 02:10
Gerald D
Just call me: Gerald (retired)
 
Cape Town
South Africa
How many legs to the floor?

The biggest load is going to happen when somebody drops the steel plate onto the table . . . . .
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  #5  
Old Tue 13 December 2011, 02:17
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
only 4 legs.
The side rails will be truss beam made out of 2 parallel 50x75 RHS with the top & bottom 200mm apart...
My calculation load is for 50mm thk 6'x20' MS plate. but 25mm is about the thickest sheet which may go in.
There will be a rolling gantry for hoisting the plate to the grate.
Sorry, I'm just too lazy to draw at the moment. That will come as the build progresses.
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  #6  
Old Tue 13 December 2011, 02:39
danilom
Just call me: Danilo #64
 
Novi Sad
Serbia
Ken try with this THC,
http://www.agelkom.com.tr/prod02.htm
as the Cand wont send you one piece outside USA, and this is what some others recommended to me, and I ordered one for a friends plasma.
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  #7  
Old Tue 13 December 2011, 22:22
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Danilo, thanks for the pointers
Interest!
The Agelkom work differently from the Cand. Agelkom use capacitive sensor to dictate the torch height where Cand control the torch relative to the plasma current & play with the voltage... which is more suitable... that is a question...
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  #8  
Old Wed 14 December 2011, 00:38
Quadro
Just call me: Anthony #77
 
South Australia
Australia
If the acceleration of the machine is slow the when cutting on corners the sensing voltage rises or lowers (I can't remember) due to slow cutting speed causing the torch to dive into the material the same thing happens for crossing over a cut. The Agelkom Cap04 sensing ring could/can get in the way but it isn't really an issue.
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  #9  
Old Wed 14 December 2011, 01:04
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Antony, thanks for the heads up.

Delaying my THC order turn out to be a blessing

Also learnt that Agelkom is coming up with a new product with voltage control + capacitive sensor...
So now is Cand Vs Agelkom.

Would most appreciate more suggestions
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  #10  
Old Wed 14 December 2011, 01:41
Quadro
Just call me: Anthony #77
 
South Australia
Australia
Ken,
You could do that now with a Agelkom CAP 04 and a voltage divider sensing the arc voltage via a micro (did some one say Auduino?) to handle the logic.......... would it be nice? yes, is it necessary? not sure.

Anthony
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  #11  
Old Wed 14 December 2011, 05:10
nisma
Just call me: chris
 
bz
Italy
I have a pic (microchip) to do that. Hovever on the mach2 manual, there is a free schematic (if you have buyed mach*) that does a pretty good job.
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  #12  
Old Thu 15 December 2011, 01:39
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
I am aware of the Mach2 THC but do not have enough info to get serious with it. BTW, I'm using EMC2.
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  #13  
Old Fri 30 December 2011, 00:40
bluesea
Just call me: bluesea
 
riverside
Indonesia
Good luck Ken!,
Just find the THC on ebay, search for proma-elektronika.pl
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  #14  
Old Fri 30 December 2011, 12:53
danilom
Just call me: Danilo #64
 
Novi Sad
Serbia
I just made some first cuts with oxy fuel, man thats scary ! what a flame and it really cuts the hell out of that sheet metal.
Ken, consider the oxy fuel attachment its nice to have it arround in addition to plasma.
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  #15  
Old Fri 30 December 2011, 20:12
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Yes, did keep oxy-acetylene cutting for thicker steel plates, hence the table is designed for 50mm MS plate For what I understand cost benifit of plasma cutting is best below 12mm MS plate.
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  #16  
Old Thu 12 January 2012, 12:17
javeria
Just call me: Irfan #33
 
Bangalore
India
hello Ken, did you get the Tiny step 's
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  #17  
Old Thu 12 January 2012, 19:45
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Talking

Been busy moving to a new location. Can't start work on the plasma table at the old place.

New place has 1100sq.ft floor space with a 700sqft mezzanine floor.

not a lot of space to work with but that will do for now.

Shop Front.jpg

Most of the moving jobs are done, what remains are the details....

Stock steel for table.jpg

The steel stock came in too

PC cab.jpg
& gave my MM a new PC cab salvaged from wooden crate I made for the shop move.

Now I can start work on the Plasma table.
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  #18  
Old Thu 12 January 2012, 20:31
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
These BOB & Driver came in from http://www.tinycontrols.com/

Tiny Driver + BOB.jpg

They are really Tiny!!! Can fit in my palm!
I can now use a 400x400 control panel with plenty of space to spare!
Palm top Driver.jpg

Here I place a a steel ruler to give a good perspective of the actual size.
BOB plan view.jpg
Tiny drive closeup.jpg
BOB plan view.jpg

Great stuff!!!

Stay tune, the build is now officially in motion!!!
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  #19  
Old Fri 13 January 2012, 03:36
Kobus_Joubert
Just call me: Kobus #6
 
Riversdale Western Cape
South Africa
Send a message via Yahoo to Kobus_Joubert Send a message via Skype™ to Kobus_Joubert
I raise you one ...My UIM-ROBOT drives are even smaller .
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  #20  
Old Fri 13 January 2012, 07:41
javeria
Just call me: Irfan #33
 
Bangalore
India
Hi Ken,

I have mounted the Tinysteps on a 1mm thk aluminum sheet with a 90mm fan behind, they don't heat up, just luke warm -

I work them up at 50V DC and 4 A - we have smooth motion.

Regards
IRfan
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  #21  
Old Fri 13 January 2012, 21:54
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Irfan, thanks for the heads up.
I am considering off the shelf 48Vac tranny.
50Vdc, give around 35~36Vac transformer which is also available off the shelf
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  #22  
Old Mon 23 January 2012, 07:50
Claudiu
Just call me: Claus #43
 
Arad
Romania
about the THC

Quote:
Originally Posted by bluesea View Post
Good luck Ken!,
Just find the THC on ebay, search for proma-elektronika.pl
Hi, I'm too looking for a suitable THC. I'd like to use my licensed MACH in combination with Agelkom or Proma-elektronica.
Did I understand correctly that you need only this one component from Proma-elektronica to make a reliable THC?
By the way I use a Hypertherm Max100.
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  #23  
Old Tue 24 January 2012, 03:14
Kobus_Joubert
Just call me: Kobus #6
 
Riversdale Western Cape
South Africa
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Have a look on www.cncdirect.co.za THC available there.

http://www.cncdirect.co.za/htm/mach.html

Last edited by Kobus_Joubert; Tue 24 January 2012 at 03:17..
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  #24  
Old Thu 01 March 2012, 03:51
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Some update on my build.

Finally grounded all the rails.


This time round, I went with the P38 sand paper with steel support disc.
The sand paper support disc cost less than US1... so I got a few more just in case anything went wrong...
Verdict. Easier to handle & no worries over flatness when using grinding disk.
Grinding gear.jpg

The results are better than my 1st time round & sand paper method give better control over depth, I just set the final grinding depth on the grinding jig & went through all the rails without any further adjustment.

Couldn't resist spending extra-time to grind the rails nicely this time round... Not difficult, just dirty & laborious.

Grounded rails.jpg
Grounded Y rail.jpg

PS, yes the stack of plywood in in the way of this built... Gotta get rid of them tommorrow.

Hi Claudia,
Long time no see. For the THC, I'd placed an order for the Cap 04 by Agelkom. Still waiting for delivery...
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  #25  
Old Mon 07 May 2012, 01:45
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
The built progress is slow, but moving nevertheless,

Did some modification to the table, using 50x100x3.2mm thk RHS instead of the channel. The cross bearer is bolt on. These modification added more work than I wished for.

The table is suppose to take 5 ton static load according to my calculation.

Pix of the current state of the built.
Partial plasma table 1.jpg

another
Partial plasma table 2.jpg

My version of bolt on joint with locator/stopper.
Blot on joint with locator.jpg

Last edited by KenC; Mon 07 May 2012 at 01:53..
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  #26  
Old Mon 07 May 2012, 06:09
Guillermo
Just call me: Guillermo
 
Puerto Ordaz
Venezuela
Hi Kent.

What type of work are you going to do with this new machine.

Wishing success.

Guillermo.
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  #27  
Old Mon 07 May 2012, 06:30
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
I honestly haven't a clue what I'm gonna do with it...
Surely it will be good for something when its running
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  #28  
Old Wed 09 May 2012, 04:30
alan254
Just call me: Al #95
 
mystic ct
United States of America
Built mine with no plan in place Now use it daily

al
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  #29  
Old Sun 05 August 2012, 21:36
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Some progress

The installed Rails are aligned & shimmed

Table is painted with hammertone finish

The Gantry & Car are assembled & painted & glazed in 2K auto paint
Painted Table.jpg
Painted Gantry & Car.jpg Painted in automobile 2K paint
Painted parts.jpg
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  #30  
Old Sun 05 August 2012, 22:48
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
I am using the new Intel Atom board D425KT mobo.
I packed the board with only 2Gb 800MHzDDR3 ram & uses a Seagate 160GB SATA hard disk (this is the smallest hard disk I can find off-the-shelve in a hurry) and a economical off-the-shelf PSU with the largest fan that I can find (in a hurry).
I heard & read lots about nasty things that plasma fume caused when they get to the electronics. Hence a seal chassis is called for (well almost seat, but not ventilated that is for sure) another 400x500x200deep off-the-shelve control panel is called for the duty.
This improved atom mobo draws 25~30W at max load & has a huge processor heat sink with very long fin. This should improve its processor's passive heat management, by right more the improved mobo is better suit in a sealed environment which I have in mind. The hard disk should emit more heat than the mobo
I may connect an additional fan if internal panel temperature exceed 60deg C during actual operation.

Here is the pix of the Work in progress
Titan PC in progree.jpg


##PS, It is not my intention to go compact on the electronics, i.e. the PC & motor control system. I don't see any advantage in do so a part from reducing the actual panel cost.

Last edited by KenC; Sun 05 August 2012 at 22:53..
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