Hey there,
Welder here thats been doing plasma by hand for too long…
Just assembled my crossfire table with the XL and water table add ons.
Hoping to get the hang of using the table / pc to do the work for me.
Any tips would be greatly appreciated…
Thanks
Bruce
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Welcome to the forum. I see you also asked about plasma cutters. As for general tips I would suggest starting with the general understanding of the work flow:
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Welcome to the forum. Since you already know about Plasma Cutters, one thing you might have missed is that a CNC system won’t tolerate RF Start cutters. It needs to be Blowback start to reduce electrical noise to the system.
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Welcome to the forum @bmdodge1 !
Since you already know plasma cutting, you probably only need to learn about the new parameters associated with CNC usage. For example, pierce height and time, cut height, travel speeds, compensation side of the cut, lead-in/outs,… If you know what metal gauges you’re most likely to start with for CNC cutting, study up on those parameters. If you don’t have one, a cut chart for your cutter is a great place to start.
As for software, that’s probably where most new people get frustrated first. That software flow info Jim provided is a crucial piece. Then deciding what to use for CAD and then CAM. Most here use either Fusion 360 (steeper learning curve) or SheetCAM. There are sections explaining the usage of these in the same section of Langmuir’s website as where the software flow is located.
Good luck and have fun!
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I was in a bit of a hurry when I posted the first time. You may also want to review the info on air drying and assess whether your current system is adequate. I found when I moved to CNC from just hand cutting, I needed a lot of improvement to keep from having issues related to moisture reaching the electrode.
A machine torch is also something to consider. Not mandatory by any means, but nice to have. Easier to maintain perpendicular to cutting surface angle and therefore get cleaner cuts.
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