Plasma Cam Controller, Tube Cutter, Config and able to modify?

I have a local shop that i introduced to rotary tube cutting awhile back, and he is considering adding the capability to his shop. He currently has a plasma cam table, and in order to add tube cutting, he has to get the tube table upgrade $2k and the software update $2k and not sure if there is any more needs. That may work for him, but some things that would be nice is better handling of long lengths of tube and possibly square tube.

I had talked to him about building him a tube cutting setup using Mach 3 and Sheetcam, but he is not a computer guy and is comfortable with the Plasma Cam software as he has learned it. I personally have not used it. I am curious if anybody has any experience in either making a modified setup using the Plasma Cam controller and motors and/or with the software as far as configuration capabilities, if anything is adjustable like Mach 3?

Ideally I would build him a standalone tube cutter for round with 3 axis (think square wouldn't be an option with plasma cam) using plasma cam motors and then configuring it in the software for tube, and maybe a separate install or easy way to switch to normal sheet operation using the same controller, just swapping cables??

Is this doable with the plasma cam software and controller?? Or is this a horrible idea? If i can convince him to let me use mach 3 and sheetcam and build it like i normally would, that would probably solve a bunch of headaches for me. Is it possible for him to use his plasma cam software for drawing and such and then save the file and import it into sheetcam for round and square tube if he so chooses???

Thanks,
Brian

Actually that is not a very smart idea. SO, let me get this straight, you have never used plasmcam's software before?
There are in fact may perimeters that are adjustable and it is really easy, especially with designedge.

What you are proposing, most likely will be complete waste of time and money. You might want to call plasmacam and talk to somewhere. I think you might have the wrong idea about a lot of things and you may need to go to the horses mouth before finalizing any decisions

There a whole of of things that you can do with the plasmacam machine much better and way easier and especially with the designedge software which is...really easy and awesome to use. A DIY, will never be as awesome, mail because the software that you have to deal with is not very good. Mach 3, and sheetcam, are toe programs that at this point, after using something as good as plasmacam's designedge, No one could offer me money to use. It would be going from a really nice car to a YUGO of something.

Been there and done that with a cnc router and MACH. It will be first and last time that I WILL NEVER DO anything MACH 3 related again, nor will I ever want to spend as much time as I did with that project. It took a lot of time for everything to be perfect and, the machine looks good, but in my opinion, MACH is not that great.

I appreciate your input, thats why i asked. No i have never used Plasma Cams software, i have been around it ever so slightly, but definitely not enough to poke around in it for this purpose. As far as calling them and talking to them about it, i doubt they would even be willing as they would just want to sell him their tube cutting setup and would not endorse 3rd party modifications i am sure. I am not finalizing anything anytime soon, just poking for information to make a decision as to if any further effort should be put into investigating the option.

I personally use Sheetcam and Mach 3 for Plasma Sheet and Rotary Tube Cutting with plate marker for both as well as some milling and yes there was alot to configure and adjust, but it was a complete custom system. It works for some and not for others. The amount of in depth customizing can be overwhelming for some, but it has allowed me to do whatever i want without sending many checks to Plasma Cam for constant hardware, software and computer upgrades. I know the prior owner of the business that i am discussing this with has had countless problems and spent plenty of money and now the new owner is thinking of dropping another $4k on it.

Thank you for your input, i will keep it in mind.

I am working on an electric rail lift system for the PlasmaCam and Samson 510 tables that will give table owners 4" or 6" of static gantry bottom to grate clearance, or up to 27.5" of gantry bottom to grate clearance via electric linear actuators, with either 2", 4" or 6" of Z-axis travel anywhere in that range. These will be sold as bolt-on accessories for the tables. This will allow a user to place dimensional steel across the table frame and cut into one side. For instance, with the electric lift system, you could easily lay down a 12"x12" square tube and cut into one side of it at a time. It will also allow an owner to use the pipe cutter WITHOUT dismantling the table gantry. I am ironing out the details now. The (CSB) Customizable Size DesignEdge software upgrade would be required to use a Z-axis greater than 2"

As for the tube cutting, be patient. I am also designing a 10-foot free-standing gantry tube that will allow a person to rotate a pipe and cut up to ten feet at a time, rather than the four-foot limitation of the PlasmaCam or the five-foot limitation of the Samson 510 table. Users will also be able to mount a router and route into long composite or wooden columns, clear acrylic tubing and other materials. I am aiming for a tube diameter capacity of 36", and I am also researching a way to allow owners to cut square and rectangular tubing, I-Beams, angle iron and C-channel by rotating the extrusion in the same way the pipe cutter rotates a round tube. The DesignEdge (HCA) Advanced Height Control software upgrade would be required to cut non-round shapes. The DesignEdge pipe-cutting software upgrade would not be necessary in order to cut round pipe.

It will take me a few months to get it all together. I hope to set up a web site and begin selling them this summer.

If you need something right away, you will have to go with what is currently available, but if you can wait several months, I believe I will be able to offer you something better.



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Thanks for the info, any idea on pricing and do you have a demo video and/or pictures at all yet, or is it just concept at this point? Does that mean you believe that the plasma cam software is easily able to be modified for custom user setups as i mention? I think we are leaning towards me making a dedicated tube cutter that he can load half or full lengths using other software, and as he is mainly going to be doing mass quantity of a handful of different parts, if he is not comfortable drawing and programming in the other software, i will do it for him so he can just load and go.

Brian

The DesignEdge software can cut tubing without the PlasmaCam designed tube cutter apparatus or the pipe cutting software upgrade.

My products are still in development. They should be ready for testing by this summer, and possibly available for purchase by late summer. No videos or photos are available yet.

I was wondering if you ever completed some of the Plasmacam add ons that you refer to in your post. I just found the post which was from some time ago. I would be interested to see what you came up with.

The rail lift kit for both the 4x4 and 5x10 tables are nearly completed, and will be available soon. I will announce when the kits are available for purchase.

My own 4x4 table has an electric rail lift system of my own design on it, but I do not market it. I will tell you how to buy it and build it for yourself, should you decide to go that route. This would cost about $1,200.00 to do on your own table, and it ONLY is tested on the 4x4 table (so far)

https://youtu.be/Klc1zRpfHu8

Another pipe cutting concept for the PlasmaCam table

http://youtu.be/hssteGLoBuA