[xalky]

After much soul searching, I just ordered a hypertherm powermax85 with the machine torch. I know that CandCNC pretty much designed thier system to work with these hypertherm machines So I'm feeling pretty darn confident that my power fault problems are behind me.

[lukewarm]

You will thank yourself for buying a hypertherm, they are amazing machines. Even if it doesn't fix your ground fault problem (it probably will) it's a great investment.

[Torchhead]

After much soul searching, I just ordered a hypertherm powermax85 with the machine torch. I know that CandCNC pretty much designed thier system to work with these hypertherm machines So I'm feeling pretty darn confident that my power fault problems are behind me.

Thread update:

I am now the proud owner of the Longevity cutter that is the subject of this thread! :cheers: When he called to get the connection kit for the PM 85 I offered to buy the system as a test unit for our cutting lab where we test all our DTHC's and controllers. We have the equipment and experience to track down noise issues. I am looking forward to finding a really noisy unit (and this one sounds like the worst of the worst) and figure out how to make it work with our electronics. I suspect part of the problem is that this machine is a combo TIG welder and plasma cutter and who knows what kind of arc start it must use!

The choice of the 85 will bring him a relief from the frustration and also added features that are only available on the 65/85 line.

TOMcaudle
www.CandCNC.com

[xalky]

Thread update:

I am now the proud owner of the Longevity cutter that is the subject of this thread! :cheers: When he called to get the connection kit for the PM 85 I offered to buy the system as a test unit for our cutting lab where we test all our DTHC's and controllers. We have the equipment and experience to track down noise issues. I am looking forward to finding a really noisy unit (and this one sounds like the worst of the worst) and figure out how to make it work with our electronics. I suspect part of the problem is that this machine is a combo TIG welder and plasma cutter and who knows what kind of arc start it must use!

The choice of the 85 will bring him a relief from the frustration and also added features that are only available on the 65/85 line.

TOMcaudle
www.CandCNC.com

Yes you are! I'm glad I could help the cause. You helped my cause too! I love it when a plan comes together.:wee:

I can tell you that it uses a points gap to generate the arc, Tom. But that's all I know. I even checked the gap between the points to make sure it was in spec. Everything I read says it should be .035" gap. It was out a little bit (over by .010or .045"total), i set it as best as i could to something close to .035, you have to bend the tab to set it, but it really didn't amount to much help, if any. With your equipment maybe you'll be able to see what effect changing that gap has on the noise.

Kudos to Tom and CandCNC for constantly improving their systems and for bearing with me thru my trials with the noise issues...

[lukewarm]

Great news xalky and TOM hope you guys can figure out the noise issues and I'm impressed you went that extra mile.

xalky did you buy a hypertherm??

[xalky]

Great news xalky and TOM hope you guys can figure out the noise issues and I'm impressed you went that extra mile.

xalky did you buy a hypertherm??

Yes I did. Look 4 posts up.

[BBchevy396_]

That's excellent Tom. Thanks for going the extra mile to continuously improve your product. If i had the funding, and the need, I'd buy a thousand of your units just to help keep you in business!

Big thanks for giving all of us little guys a fantastic and affordable option! Keep it going!

[xalky]

My Hypertherm Powermax85 came in yesterday. :cheers: I must say that it just screams QUALITY everywhere. I gotta modify my torch holder a little to accommodate the new machine torch. I should be cutting parts this week...I'm very hopeful.

[Torchhead]

Conversely your Longevity "camel" (designed by a committee) just came in here. I have not seen it yet but my Production Manager and CNC plasma manager was astounded. We will hook it up and see if we can cause disruption of satellite signals in this area!:banana:

[riyad]

Xalky,

You made a good decision going with hypertherm!

I have one question regarding the aluminum 'v' rails you are using, how are they holding up against those steel rollers? Any signs of significant wear as yet? I'm in the process of sourcing some v rails for my steel rollers, I am considering the alu rails on eBay but not sure if they would hold out.
BTW my gantry would be light weighing under 40lbs and i'll be doing plasma cutting. Thanks

Riyad from Trinidad

[johndjmix]

If they are same v rails I'm using they are aluminum but the v part is hardened steel!

--John

[xalky]

Xalky,

You made a good decision going with hypertherm!

I have one question regarding the aluminum 'v' rails you are using, how are they holding up against those steel rollers? Any signs of significant wear as yet? I'm in the process of sourcing some v rails for my steel rollers, I am considering the alu rails on eBay but not sure if they would hold out.
BTW my gantry would be light weighing under 40lbs and i'll be doing plasma cutting. Thanks

Riyad from Trinidad

I can not give you a good answer on the aluminum v-rails. The table as of yet has not really seen any work. I'm still having a few problems with the electronics due to the previous Longevity plasma machine. I'm now waiting on some parts from candcnc. I chose the aluminum v rails primarily because they were inexpensive and light weght. The e-bay vendor also sells those rails in hardcoat anodized. If he doesn't have them listed, send him an e-mail and he will put up a listing for you for the exact size and quantity your looking for. Common sense tells me that they won't wear as well as steel v-rails . This table was never intended for full scale production. If I start to get some major work for the table then a v-rail change might be in order. But then again maybe a completely new table would be the way to go. I'm learning a lot with this build. If there is a next build, I'm sure there will be some design changes.



Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2

[xalky]

Conversely your Longevity "camel" (designed by a committee) just came in here. I have not seen it yet but my Production Manager and CNC plasma manager was astounded. We will hook it up and see if we can cause disruption of satellite signals in this area!:banana:

Camel??? Astounded??? Enlighten me. I'm all ears. I can't wait to see what you guys find out about that machine. I'd try it first in a lead lined farraday cage just to be safe.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2

[xalky]

I have been redeemed. Yes, Tom has hooked up the Longevity 256PI and heres what he wrote on his support site;

> Well before we can figure out the use of the CNC connector we need to get past
the fact that as soon as we fire the torch every piece of electronics in the
room crashes! i guess it is good I don't wear a pacemaker because I would
probably be dead now.
>
> Our nest step is to see if we can isolate the noise source (yes we know it's
the Longevity!) and figure out how and what to shield against it. Since we
were not even electrically connected to the torch except though the AC it either
has to be through that OR through the air (RFI) All I can say is ....wow. I
am totally surprised that unit could pass any FCC noise ratings for industrial
equipment.
>
> i wanted this unit for this very reason. It is probably the nosiest unit we
can find even including the old TD StalPaks and MAX200 machines!
>
> The HV saart machines (ESAB is one) have other problems. They use a spark
generator (Capacitor Discharge) of several kilovolts to start the arc and any
spark or arc has noise not to mention possible arcing on anything connected to
it. The RAV-01 was designed to handle CD start units after earlier designs came
back fried.
>

I'm so damn Happy. Here's what I wrote back:

Thats great news LOL...So I'm not totally insane. I'm laughing so hard over here
That my wife just came to ask me whats so damn funny! Phew, you have no idea
what a relief it is to me. I swear to Almighty God that machine gave me a case
of PTSD, yes... post traumatic stress disorder. It screwed me up so bad that I'm
reluctant to fire my Hypertherm, even though you guys are telling me it will be
fine. I'm paranoid as hell, like a combat vet on the 4th of July... no
joke..even though I'm laughing.I think i need therapy!

You guys have no idea what a relief it is to know this news.

So this concludes my Longevity multipurpose trials. Onward and upward with the Hypertherm. I'm looking forward to making some sparks...:banana:

[xalky]

First table movements running a file.

video-2012-06-23-20-51-39.mp4 video by xalky99 - Photobucket

Next move.....firing the torch

[xalky]

I'm making sparks and I cut out a simple square a few times. No videos yet because I'm trying to get the THC dialed in. But it's pretty damn exciting. The first few cuts were with no THC. I have an 85 amp machine and it came with 85 amp tips which is presenting a problem when cutting 16 guage with the THC on. The material is too thin for the 85 amp tip and the THC to work in tandem. I have a scrap piece of 3/16 sheet that I'm gonna try and cut with THC and the 85 amp tips. I need to order some smaller tips for the Hypertherm to be able to cut this thinner sheet with THC.

I've been doing a whole lotta reading on Sheetcam and was finally able to get something going.

The obstacles I've had to overcome to get to this point have been just huge. The learning curve is very steep....and right now I need to focus on getting more proficient at sheetcam and CAD. The issue I have is, staying on this thing . When I walk away for a few days, it feels like I forgot 1/2 of what I learned. My wife is getting pissed at me because I've been in the garage every spare moment. I need huge blocks of time to get anything done otherwise its 3 steps forward and 2 steps backward. This will not be in vain...I promise you that.

[xalky]

First cuts video:

video-2012-07-05-22-50-13.mp4 video by xalky99 - Photobucket

My down draft is hooked up also. I'm still having some problems with THC, this cut is without THC activated. I'm experiencing torch dive on pierce. The pierce delay is set to 0 but something else is causing a delay when THC is on. I don't have tis problem when THC is off as you can see. Anybody have any tips? Things to try?

[xalky]

I think I figured it out. I increased the THC delay in the cut profile to 2 seconds which seems to have straightened out the torch dive. Is a 2 second delay Excessive?

[ajclay]

I think I figured it out. I increased the THC delay in the cut profile to 2 seconds which seems to have straightened out the torch dive. Is a 2 second delay Excessive?

The manual that came with the power unit gives recommendations on amperage, arc voltage, pierce delay for a given metal thickness..... That's a good place to start.

You lucky that the THC is from Tom.. With excessive pierce delay on my rig the torch will dive after the pierce if it's to long. On 11 gauge my pierce delay is only 180ms.

[xalky]

The manual that came with the power unit gives recommendations on amperage, arc voltage, pierce delay for a given metal thickness..... That's a good place to start.

You lucky that the THC is from Tom.. With excessive pierce delay on my rig the torch will dive after the pierce if it's to long. On 11 gauge my pierce delay is only 180ms.

The pierce delay is set to 0 seconds in sheetcam. The THC delay which is in Mach on the cut profiles is 2 seconds. Thc delay, i gather is how long it takes after beginning of pierce,that it takes the thc circuit to kick in, because during a pierce the voltage spikes quite a bit confusing the thc and sends it a torch down signal. If you wait till the torch is moving on a cut and the voltage has stabilized the THC functions the way its supposed to.