Re: Now for a change of pace: PlasmaCAM

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "Dennis Schmitz"
<denschmitz@...> wrote:

>
> All of this talk of water jet cutters and occasionally lasers led me
> to this website.
>
> http://www.plasmacam.com/
>
> Apparently you're supposed to buy your own plasma torch, but in any
> case, it's a very spartan design of an xy table with a little bit of
> z. They claim accuracy of 0.0005 in the xy, making me curious how they
> built the actuators and bearings. Getting both ends to move together
> on the first axis seems an issue -- maybe a rod with rack and pinion
> at both ends would work if you could get rid of the backlash.
>
> Notice that almost all the structural elements are bent sheet metal
> and the cable holder saves a bunch of expense from using a flexible
> wiring channel.
>
> A small handheld plasma torch is a bit expensive at $1500, but it's
> way cheaper than a laser.
>

Dennis, come over to the CNCManualPlasmaCutting group and post that
same question. All plasma guys over there. We talk about the actual
accuracy of the plasma cutting process itself and about specific
brands of tables and plasma cutters.