My Plasmacam Review MUST READ!

I am 70 and I bought a new plasmacam a few years back for hobby use only. It blew the controller twice within the first 24 hours of run time. The cost was about $8,000 plus $1,000 for Advanced Design Software Upgrade plus $1,000 Basic Height Control Plus $1,000 Full 3D Capability.

Total about $11,000 plus shipping and tax.
The second time it blew up I sent in the controller and motors. I asked the support person what would make it blow up twice. He told me I could have a intermittent short in the wiring harness. And that to be on the safe side they would send me a new wiring harness. I received my motors and a new controller but no wiring harness, it was all under warranty.
The wiring harness costs $98 to buy but I never received it.
Now two years later having never used the machine since the second time it blew up, I still have not received the wiring harness!
When I called them about the harness they called me a liar and said I received it.
After spending about $12,000 and at age 70, I can not believe they did this to me for a $98 item!. :-(
I even offered to return my original wiring harness with not a mark on it, in pristine shape, to prove I was not trying to put anything over on them.
PS There is no way to check for an intermittent short from the factory under the plastic/rubber cover. And the plasmacam tech said he has had it happen.

Ok, I think I found the problem. I just received the new harness that I had to pay for because the original was shipped faulty,
Notice the exposed ground wires on original wiring harness.
The new one I had to pay for myself has even the ground wires covered with BROWN heat shrink tubing.
Attachment 365158



Pretty shoddy workman ship for a machine this expensive,
Attachment 365160

I have three of their tables, two Samson 510s and a DHC2 4x4. I feel your pain. I do like the tables and I so LOVE the software, but there is PLENTY of room for improvement overall.

Joe

PlasmaCam / Samson 510 / DesignEdge Users Group on Facebook

http://www.aguyintown.com

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Originally Posted by Joe Jones

I have three of their tables, two Samson 510s and a DHC2 4x4. I feel your pain. I do like the tables and I so LOVE the software, but there is PLENTY of room for improvement overall.

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Joe, my problem with them is, why would they think I am lying about receiving the wiring harness, especially after I offered to return the original one without literally a mark on it? On top of that, it was their suggestion that they give me a new one, just in case.

Their lack of logic bewilders me. Unless they are just hoping I blow the motors again. So they can make more money off me.

I've never seen a company that works so hard to put itself out of business.

Right now, they are on a witch hunt to find some Bozo who is (was?) unlocking their software upgrades for a flat fee, so they are forcing owners to go through endless updates as they tweak DesignEdge here and there, trying to create a world where no one can run or use Designedge on a PC without PlasmaCam's blessing.

In the past few months alone, I have gone from version 4.35, to 4.36 .. 4.37 .. 4.38 ... 4.39 ... 4.40 ... and now there is 4.41 just released. In the process, they have created software that assigns a cryptic 'computer number' to each PC onto which a DE seat is installed, presumably so they can detect if that seat is installed on a PC that is not registered with PlasmaCam. Their newer versions cannot OPEN PCM files created in pre - 4.38 versions, so now owners have no choice but to either export their drawings as DXF files and import them into the newer versions, or swallow the blue pill and update to 4.41.

Lately, I haven't been able to go one single week without DE telling me I need to reactivate the software ONLINE so DE can report back to PlasmaCam whatever DATA it exports from my computers. It seems the software now NEEDS to "phone home" to PlasmaCam every 7 days via an Internet connection, or it shuts down and tells you that the software needs to be connected to the Internet and reactivated. I have NINE legally purchased 'Full Monte' seats, so you can imagine what fun it is to stay on top of that.

The people in the Owners Community have offered DOZENS of suggestions for software improvements that PlasmaCam could add, to make DE even more powerful, but the past SEVEN updates came with NO release notes or any CLUE about what was changed, added, fixed, removed, or otherwise altered. That TRASHES consumer confidence in the software, IMHO. Norton AV won't let you install DesignEdge. It identifies the program as a dangerous Trojan. I am always leery about a company that tells me to deactivate my anti-virus software in order to install their software. The whole purpose of AV software is to PREVENT you from installing a Trojan!

I like the tables, and I LOVE the DesignEdge software. It works exceptionally well on a Surface PRO Tablet PC. However, the company is quickly losing my confidence and trust.

Joe

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Do you remember America Online? They were the hottest service provider going, period. They had a sterling reputation and sterling hardware. Then one day they decided they wanted to stop the piracy of their product. That started their downfall. After a while their protection got so good a subscriber could only get logged in one out of 3 times. Finally everyone gave up on America Online because of overprotection. They were a brand name, as fully recognized as IBM, before they screwed themselves.

A lot has happened in the past few months. While I was once perhaps the biggest cheerleader for PlasmaCam and DesignEdge software, I am now completely disillusioned, and looking to replace all of this stuff with another manufacturer. I am looking HARD at the new JD Squared tables. They are not far from me, so one day soon, I will hop onto my Gold Wing or into my truck and head over to see their stuff.

The last straw was the complete chaos I went through to purchase two GoTorch machines from them on eBay. I won't go into details here, but suffice it to say they ROYALLY pissed me off. I could not believe what was happening.

The two machines are supposed to arrive on 9/26. I HOPE they are at least complete and functional. I bought them mostly for spare parts, but also to experiment with going mobile, using a router on one, and a low powered laser on the other at craft fairs and car shows, etc.

Something has happened at PlasmaCam in recent months, and if they don't get their act together SOON, I predict a HUGE flood of used PlasmaCam machines appearing on eBay and Craigslist. A growing segment of table owners are FED UP with the bull crap.

Joe

I hope you guys have an update to this very bad story !
Leo

01/21/19 - PlasmaCam has calmed down a bit, and so have I. They stopped the piracy of their software, and recent updates now bring us to version 4.46 or 4.47 if you want to take that extra step.

They killed ANY use of "Remote Desktop" software such as Team Viewer and Go To Meeting.com, so your PC with DesignEdge ("DE") on it can no longer be used for teleconferencing, online classes, or be accessible by Best Buy's 'Geek Squad' for remote troubleshooting and repairs.

I do agree with PlasmaCam's concerns about remote access to a DE computer, but they could have addressed the problem in a different way. I used to train people on how to use DE, using Team Viewer, which was fantastic for remote online training use. That is a thing of the past, but I believe I have found a close alternative, which I now use in experimental online sessions.

I did finally receive the two Go Torch machines for the eBay price of $2,995.00 + $645.00 shipping each (obscene prices for two medium boxes) but now they have raised the price of the Go Torch to $3,995.00.

I now have five machines, two Samso 510 tables (one plasma, one router), one DHC2 4x4 for various tasks, and the two Go Torch machines I use mainly for experimentation and measuring things for accessory prototypes in the comfort of my home.

Their 4.47 DE software works well. I think all of the endless version updates are basically done, and I do have 4.47 on several of my computers. My main 510 table's DE License has ten seats now.

For the moment, I am staying with PlasmaCam, mainly because I do like the software, and I have about $130,000.00 invested into their machines, software, upgrades, parts and accessories. My favorite expression is, "When they work well, THEY WORK WELL!"

Joe

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At the beginning of the Spring of 2019, I sold two Go Torch machines and one of my Samson 510 tables. I tried to sell the other 510 and the 4x4 DHC2, but ran out of time. So now it is November 2019. I have two tables (The 4x4 and one 510) and I am considering getting back into it. However, I am still not happy about their ARBITRARY "rule" they pulled out of a dark, smelly place, that says additional seats do not transfer with a used table sale. If I ever do sell my two remaining tables, I believe I will let my attorney explain to PlasmaCam that they cannot RETROACTIVELY alter a license agreement.

I am looking seriously at a nice KERN laser machine, but the $174,000.00 price tag takes it out of the "home hobby shop" category.

thank you. I'm in the process of buying a cnc plasma and they were on my list. Not anymore

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Originally Posted by BrentRedmond

thank you. I'm in the process of buying a cnc plasma and they were on my list. Not anymore

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Yes. Thank you everyone for the information. I think I'll just free hand instead and deal with those headaches.