[TT350]

I have been looking into the water jet market and I found out real quick
that I don't have the funds for one.

So I'm going to build my own 5x10 table go plasma using Mach as the controller software.

My plan is to use the plasma to build a customer base and either build
a new table and put a water jet pump on it or put the pump sytem
on the existing table.

Could you guys refer me to some nesting software that will generate
cut paths?

From what I understand the software the water jet software slows cut speeds when cutting around corners to keep the cerf to a minimum so the soft ware will need to work with plasma or water jet.

[Torchhead]

Are you SURE you want nesting software or just a good CAM software? I'm not sure how slowing the feedrate on corners would do anything but make the kerf wider (??) maybe I'm too stuck in plasma technology but slowing it down increases the kerf.

It's financially dangerous to buy equipment and/or software of any dollar amounts over what you can comfortably write a check for BEFORE you can even project what kind of business you will have, what the potential market is (no, REALLY what people are will to write a check for) or if there is a demand big enough to support the overhead (and hopefully pay you too.

I think you will find that 90% of the cost of the water jet is in the pump, head, and recycling equipment. couple that with the fact you will need a commercial location with 3phase power (you can do plasma in your garage) and it should push you to research the technologies intensely. Your plan to put a waterjet on a plasma (and lose the plasma capability) may need deeper thought as well. I talk to guys every week that are building plasma tables to avoid having to pay a company to do waterjet cutting on metal. The amount you have to charge puts you out of the range of a lot of customers.

Just the operational cost of WJ or Laser makes them not price competitive with plasma or conventional routing for anything but the most demanding jobs.

Back to nesting. If you don't know exactly WHY you need nesting software and WHAT it does you will either: End up with junk that does not work, OR spend a lot of money for a tool that you will seldom use.

Just my personal observations.

TOM caudle
www.CandCNC.com

[jimcolt]

CAM software for plasma cutting is often referred to as nesting software....as many of the CAM packages offer nesting. What the CAM software does in its minimal form....is to essentially convert a drawing file (usually an Autocad style format such as .dxf) into a set of machine codes that tell the cutting machine which direction and at what speed to be travelling, the CAM also adjust dimensions on the drawing file to compensate for the kerf width of the plasma system...so the finished part will be dimensionally correct. The CAM also applies lead ins and lead outs that will start and stop the plasma process so that it will not create anomallies along the cut path......and generates machine code that tells the plasma when to turn on and off, as well as telling the Torch height control when to be active, or when to freeze.

More complex CAM systems can automatically nest any number of parts on a given plate...effectively providing less waste through better plate utilization, hence the nesting software name.

Even more complex CAM software can generate cut cost data, scrap data, can inventory metals and remnants of plates, and interface with existing inventory control systems. The CAM on the latest technology industrial plasma systems from Hypertherm also takes over much of the cnc operators job by automatically recognizing features from the CAD drawing and applies proper lead ins, on off timing for the plasma, as well as changing process gases and cut speeds, and all of the parameters involved with torch height control....these new capabilities allow for almost perfectly round holes with no taper and no ding and divot that may plasma / cnc systems produce.

So....the CAD nesting type software can be a simple post processor....or it can be a very complex software that pretty much takes over the control of an automated mechanized plasma cutting operation. Kind of depends on your needs...as to what type of CAM software is required! Take a look at MTC CAM software if you need the very sophisticated versions......and there are a lot of lower cost entry level CAM softwares if you simply need to post process your CAD drawings.

Jim Colt Hypertherm

[ger21]

We use AlphaCAM for nesting cabinet parts. They have a version for waterjet.
http://www.alphacam.com/profiling

Bring your wallet.

[TT350]

Kerf was not the right word to use, I mint to say bevel, from what I understand the WJ
cut speed is slowed around corners to keep the bevel to a minimum.

I have Autodesk Inventor 11 Pro that I model in and I regularly convert files to .dwg
format for parts to be cut by laser and WJ venders that I use.

All processes have there pros and cones.
WJ will do things that no other process can.
The three phase power is not a problem.
I'm not working out of my garage,
I make my living operating a full blown job shop
with cnc mills,lathes and support all types of welding.
I use cam software for my mills and lathes every day,
But I'm not familiar with the nesting software and whats out there.

I can buy a 50hp 60k WJ pump system for about 50k.
O-Max and Flow-Jet are asking 200k for a turn key 6x12 setup.
there is no way there's 150k in software and motion controls , software and motors.

I called Mach Motion and there top of the line turn key system with motors, drivers
and cables ready to plug and play will run me about 10k.
And buying the best drive racks ,ball screws and gear box's is about 5k and
a all out table fabbed buy myself paying me my shop rate and mounting
everything will run about 3500.

That's $18,500 for a table that I can work all day for years and it will hold tolerances
that will be worthy of a WJ when the time comes.

I do appreciate the heads up guys but I'm not a hobbyist.
I'm looking for software that will nest generate cut paths handle THC for the plasma
and set cut speeds for material type and thickness vs psi for the WJ.

I only want to buy and learn this software one time.
Learning the software will be my biggest challenge
and I only want to do it once.

The Mastercam salesman calls me all the time
to tell me how much better his stuff is than mine.
I told him the other day the only way I would buy any
new software to replace what I'm using now is if my shop burned
to the ground and I couldn't buy my version any more.

Thanks for your time guys keep it coming.

[bogger44]

I don't know mach motions stuff but check out tom's offerings at candcnc.com I run his equip. on my table and prob. cost less than half of mach motions. my 2cents

[WSS]

Checkout these guys:

http://www.wittlockeng.com/Products/products.html

Great support and service.

The we-cim software does a great job for us. Gary got me up to speed in just a few hours of on-line instruction.

WSS

[Signmaker]

Waterjet control software has a "look ahead" tool path feature which slows the feed rate automatically whenever a small radius is present. You are correct in saying this feature is used to minimise "kerf". When a jet is cutting the water stream bends and deflects as it cuts through the sheet, slowing the feed rate allows the bottom of the water stream to catch up with the top. Without this auto slowing your parts will have flared corners.

For waterjet cutting you don't really need digital control over pump pressure.. if you are cutting delicate material then digitally controlled "low pressure piercing" is an advantage, although you can compensate by running a special low pressure start point file before cutting.

We have a manual hydraulic pressure system on our system.... for easy to cut materials we whack up the feed rate, for hard to cut materials we simply slow the cutting speed. This adjustment works great and there is no need to tinker with water pressure between different materials.

If you want an idea on cutting speeds then Ward Jet have a very nice feedrate estimator on their website. I asked a lot of questions relating to waterjet and Ward's were very helpful and appear to know their onions.... they could probably help you out with your software requirements.

Nesting software can be over rated.... if you buy Corel and use this to draw your vector parts you can simply set the page size to a 1:1 scale and slot parts into place by eye.