Re: burn table to cnc?

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, brad holland <skippyxyz@y...>
wrote:

>
> What is it going to take to convert are burn table
> from opticle to CNC?
>
> Thank you
>
>

After dropping by a local shop to look at a burn table (triple head
oxy/acet) that they had been given I came away with several
observations.

The rails were hardened steel but had been painted (!?). The drive
appeared to be a fricton wheel running from a geared motor on one of
the Y rails and another on the X. There was no electronic Z
adjustment; just knobs to set the height manually. The electronic
all fit in a small cabinet on the gantry. The bearings were pretty
much shot and the paint on the rails will have to go. The speed was
pretty slow unless you were going to cut 2 inch thick steel or
thicker.

We talked about what it would take to convert it to CNC. If they
wanted to keep it as a flame cutting table for cutting thick plate
steel it could probably be done with a change out of the controller
(maybe) using the existing motors but I had to question the logic of
taking that type of machine with it's inherent inaccuracy and
spending the money when at the end of the day you have a system that
is computer controlled and still inaccurate.

This is kind of like converting a 42 passenger bus into a sports
car. It can be done but it's probably more economical to build an
accurate machine from scratch.

YOur machine may be different and not need as much work.

What is you intended usage? Will it remain a flame cutting table?
Is your intent to go to plasma? what kind of material and detail are
you wanting to cut?

There have been members make the conversion. Perhaps we can hear
some stories of success that would help your decision.

One thing is for sure. It's a LOT more economical to
build/retrofit/convert machines with the advent of low cost motor
drivers, controller software, PC based controls and cheap software
than it was a few years ago!