[thkoutsidthebox]

Our system is made to snap together in just minutes (like plugging in a printer to a computer).

I might have missed something..... :rollyeyes: ........ when you announce this system, what exactly does it come with ?

Is it a true 'plug and play' system that I can use with my machine?
Will you offer servo/stepper options with it as part of the package(Different torques) ?
Is the 'we' you speak of TorchMate, or do you work for a different company?
What kind of prices are we talking about, I've only seen one plug and play system available online so far?
Will it be available only in 120V, or 220V aswell?
If only 120V, will it be 50/60 Hz compatible, or only rated for US mains frequency?

Sorry for all the questions, Im not buying soon, have to do another router first, but I will be eventually, and getting a plug and play package will allow me to go with servos, which I have the impression are better for plasma tables.... thanks. (Or I could learn about servos and do it myself....but anyway....)

[mlaws1172]

Samak
If you can tell me what parts you are going to use I will try to come up with a diagram.

But this is our busy time of the year so it will be slow going

mike

[vcooney]

Here is my estimate and I built it for less.
1. Mach software $159
2. Sheetcam $150
3. THC1000 $689
4. Enclosure,servo motors,wiring, power supply, limits, encoders, 3 ea. Gecko320s $1650 (all wired and set up)
5. Metal for Frame $300
6. sheetmetal for slats $80
7. rails and bearings $1000 (got to do some ebaying)
8. Aluminum $150
9. Fan for Plenum $200
10. Sheetmetal for Plenum $90
Total $4468

add $1000 for misc
add $1500 for a good torch

Keep in mine this price has a THC and software

hope this helps
mike

Hey Mike were is the best place to get all the electronis/motors?

Vince

[Torchhead]

I might have missed something..... :rollyeyes: ........ when you announce this system, what exactly does it come with ?

Is it a true 'plug and play' system that I can use with my machine?
Will you offer servo/stepper options with it as part of the package(Different torques) ?
Is the 'we' you speak of TorchMate, or do you work for a different company?
What kind of prices are we talking about, I've only seen one plug and play system available online so far?
Will it be available only in 120V, or 220V aswell?
If only 120V, will it be 50/60 Hz compatible, or only rated for US mains frequency?

Sorry for all the questions, Im not buying soon, have to do another router first, but I will be eventually, and getting a plug and play package will allow me to go with servos, which I have the impression are better for plasma tables.... thanks. (Or I could learn about servos and do it myself....but anyway....)

"We" alludes to CandCNC owners and employees. We are not associated with TorchMate. We do sell electronic controls and THC units to some other OEM's but not Torchmate. We have been designing and selling low cost Torch Height Controls (THC300 ; MP1000-THC) and other CNC interface and add-on cards for several years.

Let me try and address the questions:
1. The "true" plug & play systems are our Plazpak and RouterPak systems.
http://www.CandCNC.com/SolutionsMenu.htm

2. We have been selling the complete systems for several months. The initial design was not as modular. You had to buy our Power Control unit with the Gecko drives, power supply, enclosure, mounting plates, fan, fuses, etc. The Step & Dir interface was part of the power control main card. The announcement will be for a line of components from basic breakout to the Gecko interface cards. We will also offer the mounting plates, hardware and instructions to mount the cards. You can still buy the complete packages or you can buy the parts ala carte and furnish your own power supply.
3. We are making all our components available in 220V 50/60HZ. Up to Jan of 08 the units are classified as industrial controllers and are not subject to RoHS restrictions BUT EU countries will be off limits after DEC 31'st.
4. I do not agree that servos are "better" for plasma. The type of motor and interface depends a lot on the size of the table and the level of performance (speed and torque) you need. With properly designed and used stepper systems they can perform to high accuracy and do not lose steps. Servos have the advantage of maintaining torque with RPM so where heavy loads need to move quickly servos can be the better choice. In the plasma world where the loads are lighter (typically a single use machine will have a lighter gantry) and there are no cutting forces the advantages of servos start to diminish. A poorly designed servo system can have more problems than a well designed stepper. Take the encoders. You have to try and get a small 5 v logic signal down 20ft of wire running close to motors, plasma noise and general shop noise. If you use single ended encoders and wiring the probability of picking up noise and having that cause position problems is high.
We sell about even amounts of stepper and servo systems.

I don't have complete pricing available. I will post the link to a "configurator" that will let you see how the pieces fit together and get pricing on each piece. You can take it as far or as short as you want. Each stage just cuts out a lot of the wiring and time in any build....plasma or router.

I have built enough tables to know that the wiring , testing and troubleshooting take the most time.

Tom Caudle
www.CandCNC.com

[mlaws1172]

Vince
I would recommend CandCNC. They will take care of you after the sell.
I have bought from Tom several times and he always helped rather it was his problem or mine.

His product is based on Mach software and Gecko drives, both of these products also have great support.

mike

[sheff92869]

are the plans on this thread mike, if not was wondering how i could get a copy of them, thanks [email protected]

[mlaws1172]

They can be downloaded from page 3 of this thread. If this dosent work, let me know
mike

[sheff92869]

don't know what is wrong, try downloading but nothing will open it,

[Weldtutor]

nothing will open it,

Try this link posts #43 & 44.
The plans are in PDF.

[sheff92869]

thanks , i finally got it downloaded from that page, is there a good company to get the ball screws and linear shafts from, all i have found is short ones, and not the long ones like the plans take

[mlaws1172]

VX Bearings (on Ebay) has linear bearings at cheap price. Ball screws are a little harder to find. You might look at using belt drive, or chain drive (see Weldtutors machine), or rack and pinion.

Any one of the three are better suited to plasma machines anyway and are cheaper to buy.

If you want to stick to the plan, use Acme screw and nut, they are alot cheaper.

This machine has worked great for me but don't be afraid to change things or ask for help.
Thanks

Mike

[sheff92869]

thanks Mike, i really liked your plans

[sheff92869]

mike, on the linear rail of the plan how far out should the rail be from the frame

[mlaws1172]

Just by th width of the rail supports

[guylopes]

Mike,

I am very impressed with your design! That opinion is only surpassed by my gratitude to you for sharing virtually everything about this machine with all of us.

I have printed out the plans and am now assembling my collection of parts and materials.

I read in an earlier post that you had developed a control station/box that you would be willing to sell. Is that offer still available?

How is your machine running? Do you have any updated pictures that you could share with the rest of us? Any pics of parts created with it?

Thanks again for everything,

Guy
www.737guy.com

[topkote]

I am looking to build a table for a CNC plasma and router setup. Are the plans listed here still the ones you folks recommend using.

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showth...e+plans&page=8

Thanks... Mike

[ogdak]

Fantastic thread.
Great site, read about it on mig-welding.co.uk
I'll be doing some reading en searching here

Thanks

[FPV_GTp]

great stuff guys

share share alike

cheers

[Miguel Toko]

Hi everyone on this thread,

Special thanks to Mike L. for providing the plans and pictures. Also thanks to all the contributors !!
I have a cars suspension shop in Colombia and im gonna get started on building a CNC plasma because of the several services it provides and things it can do.

thanks again and greetings from Colombia.

Miguel.

[nikhilgohill]

hey there , my self nikhili need your cnc plasma plans and i also want to build small machine 8ft x 4 ft for my fabrication workshop , i was wondering build machine with minimum cost and in my shop so need your help , new to plasma and cnc systems so please help me as much u can

thanks a lot


Nikhil Gohil .