PlasmaCam

------------ Their web site is

I helped get one of these units with a 4 X 8 table [now up to 20 on the web site] installed and running at the welding program in a college in Texas just before I retired. My contribution was get the computer interface aperational and program generation software installed.

Everything considered it seemed to be working well and be straight forward in operation. Major intended use was to cut HWAC and other developments, but very extensive use was being made to fabricate HD signs for the college and other ornamental projects.

The only thing that I would be careful of is that operation generates *LARGE* amounts of black dust, so you will need some sort of protective enclosure for the control computer or will want to pony up for the water table. An attached garage installation is almost sure to blow black dust through out the house without a water table. [A water table is probably cheaper than a divorce...]

The program generation software will run on an older computer but is slow (at least the version we had) and you will want to run this on a late model computer for acceptable performance. An older [cheaper] computer seems to be adequate for the actual plasma cutter control. While the PlasmaCam software does have limited CAD capabilities, it can import files generated in DXF and other common formats from CAD programs such as AutoCAD and IntellICAd. (These also have extensive development and nesting add-ins available) The learning curve for the software is not bad, but there is a tendency to skip around and make repeated cuts unless you are careful with the layouts. The output file for the cutter is a g-code dialect.

Note that you will need to supply a good HD plasma arc cutter in addition to a PC for operation. The duty cycle for the plasma arc cutter is quite high, so an industrial rather than a hobby level unit is required. Given the price, I would call this far more of a light industrial machine rather that an occasional use hobby machine.

Good luck to you and your friend, and let the group know you experiences.

Unka' George [George McDuffee]

------------------------------------------- He that will not apply new remedies, must expect new evils: for Time is the greatest innovator: and if Time, of course, alter things to the worse, and wisdom and counsel shall not alter them to the better, what shall be the end?

Francis Bacon (1561-1626), English philosopher, essayist, statesman. Essays, "Of Innovations" (1597-1625).

Other things to keep in mind are the requirements for a good sized compressor, an air dryer, a good amount of power to run everything, and a pretty significant amount of floor space to dedicate to the table, including work area clearances.

I have been running my PlasmaCam 20-25 hrs a week for 5 years and have to replace only about 75.00 worth of parts. Pretty reliable I thought. If you are looking at a used one there is the first PlasmaCam the 98Z not much for height control. The next model is the DHC and it features a height control but has a crude way of sensing the sheet height before pierce. The latest model the DHC2 that sets pierce height using a tab on the torch that touches the sheet to complete a circuit. I just installed the DHC2 upgrade on my machine and it is a vast improvement over the last model. Unless your neighbor is going to be doing a lot of metalwork he might be better off buying a CAD program and having someone with a plasma or laser table do the cutting for him. By the time you buy a table, computer, software, compressor, dust control, air dryer and a bunch of other stuff your looking at $18,000 or more. Steve

Greetings Steve, Thanks for the reply. My neighbor isn't computer literate. Even though I have shown him several times how to use the internet he just doesn't get it. So replies like yours that I can relay to him are really helpful. What do you do for dust control? I know that using my plasma cutter generates loads of dust and I'm only doing a little cutting, all outside. I have heard that using a water filled table beneath the work is OK for a while but soon fills with mud and gets rancid, becoming a real crummy job to clean out. Cheers, Eric