Closed - Internal Stiffeners

That's awesome!

Had a little bit of time yesterday to do some test cuts in 3/16".



The small "gotcha" here for me is that the entire design was done around a different plasma cutter and torch.

In the next few days, I expect to adjust the L bracket on CAD and proceed with cutting out a test part or two.

@NoOne has been especially helpful in taking his time to pinpoint the adjustment for the lower slot, as well as marking where the upper slot is as well. It's just tricky trying to convey pictures to an actual dimension.

 

Seems I may have to strip down the table.

Technical difficulties as I do not like the beveling and there was a lot of beveling on a set of internal stiffeners I just cut out.

 

How easy ***** is that to fix?

 

How who wha

 

I haven’t even had any booze today. Haha

 

To add a bit more context -

I had found what would be, ideal parameters for great cut quality and tolerance to .005" from my CAD.

However, I was running into a beveling issue specifically with two edges being quite a bit more beveled than they're supposed to be. The other two edges were square, and I mean perfect.

I ensured both lead screws on the one axis were perfectly square with one another, on top of having unmounted and mounted my torch multiple times.

I've trammed my Z axis and have ensured my torch mount is perfectly square with my cut piece.

During all this I've ran multiple test cuts in ensuring the ideal nominal voltage for a specified cut height.

I decided to walk away from it today and will proceed to do the following between tomorrow and the rest of this week -

1. Install new consumables, in the event that there may something wrong with the current set

2. Fully remove the new torch and plasma cutter and reinstall the other set, I still have them in my possession

3. If both fail, uninstall the entire gantry tube and start going through frame assembly all over again

The last option can set me back quite awhile on account of my bad back so let's hope one of the first two options solves my issue.

 

It sounds like the torch is tilting at certain parts of travel. Warped ways? Table not sitting flat?

Does it only bevel when you're cutting on one side of the table? (E.g. the right side) *Table or ways may be out of true* Or does it Bevel when you're cutting on one side of an object? (The right side of an object, even if it's on the left side of the table) *may have something to do with backlash*

If I had to guess, I'd imagine some component that should be flat is actually tweaked like a Pringle. Especially if two of the edges are having the same issue. It sounds like its warped, either from corner to corner (if the edges next to each other are having the same issue) or from side to side, if opposing sides are having the issue.

Hopefully you can get away with just some shims under one of the corners. I'd start by making sure the table is dead flat, in *every* direction, (like really really flat) then make sure the torch stays true to the table, at any position. That the support arms are square to the table, in every direction, and in line with each other, so they're not the part that's tweaking, and move on from there.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=THkb-x35fwc&pp=ygUTdGhpcyBvbGQgdG9ueSBsZXZlbA==

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gRB9SXSYZ2Q

Are both videos about leveling, I'd start with the one by thisoldTony first, it's more "watchable" where as abom tends to be a bit less entertaining.

(I know they're for lathes, but the concepts are the same, such as getting the twist out of the ways, which is most likely what you're running into.)

 

More of a rant; very familiar with CNC and none of those cover said issue.

 

Well I'll shut up then lol.

 

Naw you're good. Those are excellent suggestions but a moot point here since -

Table was leveled over a year ago when placed where it is.

Table is confirmed for being level every few weeks; I throw the level on each gantry tube and had done so again 2 days ago.

I methodically catalog everything, and performed way more cuts than I implied looking for the changes in beveling.

The large factor that determines beveling is something I'm attempting to correct which is my nominal voltage - initial pierce collects data in establishing output voltage before it attempts to reach target voltage which in this case is 126v.

When CNC plasma comes around a small radius, programmed speed slows down (naturally) which in itself fluctuates voltage readings causing the torch to compensate for it - voltages rose as high as 128v before it goes down to the target voltage.

My only gripe is how it varies by as much as 1-2v any which way around bends which can cause as much as a cut height of .04" up to .08" even though voltage tolerance was set to 0.5v.

Since tests being repeated with various settings only got a "little" better (or sometimes worse), I opted to perform more troubleshooting by dismantling the torch holder assembly and ensuring things were square before even posting.

I've trammed the Z axis to ensure nothing is twisted and everything is square.

When I ended the day yesterday I decided to swap consumables and continue with testing today.

If all else fails, I will reinstall my other plasma cutter and torch in order to knock the rest of these sets out and just bench the Hypertherm until I get a new table down the road. If this does not fix the issue, I'll be dismantling most of the table to go through ensuring everything is perfectly square and level all over again but as an assembly process, not as a fully assembled unit (the water table has 15+ gallons of water).

 

The issue just blew customer support's mind; they're moving it to higher to try and figure it out.

Lots of "thanks" for painting a perfect picture of all the trouble shooting I've done since Sunday

I even learned that the resistance from the dinse connector to the tip of the work clamp should measure to less than 4ohms otherwise it can introduce interference - mine measured at 0.1ohms.

 

Good to see that things are going smoothly.

 

I don’t know what this means but I wanted to check in and see how you’re doing. How’s your wife and that situation with your MIL?

I failed you today. Went up Lejeune Auto Hobby shop and forgot my drill templates. Ask for a triangle and ruler and they gave me a tape measure. So I’ll go back this coming Saturday and install them. Shouldn’t take too long but ima spray paint the holes just to be safe.

Like I posted in the stickied, “what have you done to your 3rd Gen today” thread. FBC harness and a/c drip mod installed. I was gonna rotate my tires but the wife was ready to go. *sigh*. I’ll go by myself next time.

 

I don’t trust myself to not use that template. Lol

 

I hear you

Everyone's different when it comes to...anything really.

I had buddies that'd carefully mount their bikes via in-bed mounts for the front and rear tires and add a strap.

Me? I would use suction cups as they would hold a bike at +100mph easily



Anyway, drilling into a vehicle can be nerve wrecking so can't blame you for being apprehensive about it. Really though, as long as you use a square and measure the way I posted in the first page there's no way you could mess it up.

 

You’re on fire watch next Saturday. 0600 to 0900.

 

Everything's good though; funeral this Wednesday.

Finally finished cleaning up the waterbed, removed the lead screws, and cleaned up the gantry tubes as well.

Currently the bearing blocks are all loosened up as I'll need to go through and check all 32 bearings.

 

Looks nice!