Great Plasma Fusion workflow information. We will be upgrading to a 5 x 10 plasma table this fall so anything you can share regarding your table and programming is greatly appreciated. SheetCAM is a nice program we have been using for years so it's very interesting seeing how it works with your table. Please keep the plasma videos coming if you can. Thanks!
A handy tip is start your pierce for the outer perimeter at the top right. If you constantly set the origin of your nest to the bottom left having the pierce at the top right will mean the final cut runs along where there is still a lot of material. With some plate you will see your cutout move when the material expands so having the last area of cut where there is maximum material will reduce this shift.
When you got the message that open paths were not offset sheetcam will automatically not cut on the inside or outside and will pierce directly on the cut line and will be cutting on the cut line instead of being offset to the inside on the the inside cuts for example, it can't said the lead ins and outs. When this happens it's a CAD issue likely a disconnected node. Those rapids are awesome !
I actually have something to add to one of these finally. In SheetCam, you got a warning about not offsetting open paths. If you look, the middle of your "A" is white, which means it's not a closed CAD line. You can go back into your Fusion sketch and find the place where the lines don't join together. (Any hints on how to do this easily in F360?) Again, in SheetCam, outside cuts should show up in red, and will cut so that the kerf edge is on the outer side of the line; and inside cuts should show up in yellow, and will cut so that the kerf edge is on the inner side of the line (compensating for the kerf width, so that your parts come out with the correct dimensions). Open cuts will be white, and sometimes you want this, for bend perforations or internal tabs and such. What the warning was saying is that the open cuts won't have an offset, so the kerf will be directly over the line, instead of offset to one side or the other, as you get with outside and inside cuts.
Hey John I'm not sure how familiar you are with sheetcam yet but a lot of times when it says you have open contours you may have over laying lines. A good indication of this is look for multiple start points after you tool path it. You should only have one start point (lead in) for an outside or inside interior cut. Also you can select contours from sheetcam. Right click and select all open contours and put on its own layer and sheetcam won't cut that layer because it's not selected when you tool path. I don't know what kind of touch off the mad table has but if it's ohmic, with a lot of cutting you can get blow back inside cap which will touch the tip and cause an error. I got away from ohmic and just cut with the floating z switch. I look forward to more videos!
Also when the machine stopped, did you have an alarm on your hypertherm? Its pretty common to get the 030 error message really for no reason. Its quite annoying. One last thing. How is your water level? If its not already, raise it up until it almost touches, or touches the bottom of the sheet and thank me later for less dross and less smoke :)
Ramsey Customs - turbocobra I have been told for steel having the water level up is ok, but if you cut aluminum, you want at least a 1/2" gap. Cutting aluminum creates hydrogen gas, and it can be dangerous if you create a pocket of it under your sheet.
If he's using the ohmic tip for height and collision sensing, water will interfere with proper operation. I wonder if it was a water droplet that caused it to stop?
gratifying to see im not the only one that cant figure out why my machine just stops sometimes and on other occasions looses positioning, i thought it was just me , great video thx
Actually you can just create a new sketch by clicking the button 'new sketch', select the face you want and close sketch. No need to use the projecting tool. By using the projecting tool, you get double lines, which were removed by your plasma CAM as seen. So just more work than needed, but same results :)
I learned this the hard way, our plasma software doesn't handle it as well as this. It took me far too long to find the source of the double lines. Also found if you want to project several things or leave parts out of the dxf sketch create it on an offset plane
daniel lyall even more important is it to show it the right way. John does a great job, I just saw something I struggled with by my self and wanted you all to know that there is a way to save time and prevent hiccups further down the workflow ;)
You only get double lines if you click twices on a given area doing this does nothing Actually you can just create a new sketch by clicking the button 'new sketch', select the face you want and close sketch
the problem with the "s" is almost definitely a design flaw not a problem with the cam. That font looks similar to copperplate and the "s" has a small serif at each end. Creating a base line that connects the lowest parts of the letter can create a problem with the "s" because you are leaving a little gap in the layout and the cam is trying to cut what you told it to cut. That's one of the hardest parts of laying out text, the details. If you didn't layout the design, then you should let the designer know. It's an important lesson for them and will help whoever did the layout get better.
SolidWorks does handle DXF's, and actually quite a bit bitter. Right click on the face of a part file, then click Export to DXF. You can also save a sketch as DXF using Save As.
hows the dross with the preset settings? The guy that cuts my cnc parts now has a lot and it takes a lot in the post processing before the part can ship
That doesn't tell me something new...I'm actually surprised that the plasma costs that much as I expected a price of 10K$ for the higher end ones. And if plasma is so much easier and cheaper to maintain how did laser catch up? what makes people wanna but laser cutting machines for metal working jobs?
Hello. You said never control the machine remotely. Why? I've tried x, y, and z movement remotely and it works well. Spindle on, pump on, reset, all working here. Is there any other thing that I missed?
I've webcam setup for that. I plugged the webcam directly to the CNC Computer and the webcam software is open in the same computer. I can watch both mach3 and the webcam software in remote desktop.
PLEASE MAKE A CUSTOM GOLF PUTTER ! If you could do a video like the muzzle brake from designing to milling that would be amazing. LIKE SO HE CAN SEE PLEASE
Occams Sawzall I worked with an omax water jet at a previous job and it had around 1500 hours on it without any problems when I left the company. Just requires the right upkeep and you will be fine
you wasted that plate for no reason. I have a Jd2 5x10 table also. there is a very easy work around that will help you restart from an error. Also, as of now you are correct in stating there is no preview screen as it cuts. they are supposed to be incorporating that into the next release of their software, which we get free upgrades for the life of the machine. if you are interested in help with it let me know.
The only good thing that ever came out of JD squared was their tubing bender dies. The actual bender was junk though which leaves me highly skeptical about this plasma table that they have. I am curious if it is even really theirs or just something that they stuck their logo on like so many of the other 'brands' out there.
Great Plasma Fusion workflow information. We will be upgrading to a 5 x 10 plasma table this fall so anything you can share regarding your table and programming is greatly appreciated. SheetCAM is a nice program we have been using for years so it's very interesting seeing how it works with your table. Please keep the plasma videos coming if you can. Thanks!
A handy tip is start your pierce for the outer perimeter at the top right. If you constantly set the origin of your nest to the bottom left having the pierce at the top right will mean the final cut runs along where there is still a lot of material. With some plate you will see your cutout move when the material expands so having the last area of cut where there is maximum material will reduce this shift.
When you got the message that open paths were not offset sheetcam will automatically not cut on the inside or outside and will pierce directly on the cut line and will be cutting on the cut line instead of being offset to the inside on the the inside cuts for example, it can't said the lead ins and outs. When this happens it's a CAD issue likely a disconnected node. Those rapids are awesome !
I actually have something to add to one of these finally.
In SheetCam, you got a warning about not offsetting open paths. If you look, the middle of your "A" is white, which means it's not a closed CAD line. You can go back into your Fusion sketch and find the place where the lines don't join together. (Any hints on how to do this easily in F360?)
Again, in SheetCam, outside cuts should show up in red, and will cut so that the kerf edge is on the outer side of the line; and inside cuts should show up in yellow, and will cut so that the kerf edge is on the inner side of the line (compensating for the kerf width, so that your parts come out with the correct dimensions). Open cuts will be white, and sometimes you want this, for bend perforations or internal tabs and such. What the warning was saying is that the open cuts won't have an offset, so the kerf will be directly over the line, instead of offset to one side or the other, as you get with outside and inside cuts.
You should get in touch with Andrew Camarata here on YT for a collaboration.
He is interested in getting a cutting device,and lives in the NY state.
Hey John I'm not sure how familiar you are with sheetcam yet but a lot of times when it says you have open contours you may have over laying lines. A good indication of this is look for multiple start points after you tool path it. You should only have one start point (lead in) for an outside or inside interior cut. Also you can select contours from sheetcam. Right click and select all open contours and put on its own layer and sheetcam won't cut that layer because it's not selected when you tool path. I don't know what kind of touch off the mad table has but if it's ohmic, with a lot of cutting you can get blow back inside cap which will touch the tip and cause an error. I got away from ohmic and just cut with the floating z switch. I look forward to more videos!
Also when the machine stopped, did you have an alarm on your hypertherm? Its pretty common to get the 030 error message really for no reason. Its quite annoying. One last thing. How is your water level? If its not already, raise it up until it almost touches, or touches the bottom of the sheet and thank me later for less dross and less smoke :)
Ramsey Customs - turbocobra I have been told for steel having the water level up is ok, but if you cut aluminum, you want at least a 1/2" gap. Cutting aluminum creates hydrogen gas, and it can be dangerous if you create a pocket of it under your sheet.
If he's using the ohmic tip for height and collision sensing, water will interfere with proper operation. I wonder if it was a water droplet that caused it to stop?
Ramsey Customs - turbocobra Yes, you are correct.
3 years later how do you like jd2 ? Really curious long time subscriber
In order to save material and time, you may rotate bottom (or top) text and connect two long, straight line.
gratifying to see im not the only one that cant figure out why my machine just stops sometimes and on other occasions looses positioning, i thought it was just me , great video thx
Does this still happen to you? If so, how often? Please let me know, because it seems like a huge red-flag for the JD2 CAM software if so.
Mioduszewski - Polish surename!! :D:D \o/ We are everywhere! :)
Dokładnie ! :D Polacy sa wszedzie
8/12!
Actually you can just create a new sketch by clicking the button 'new sketch', select the face you want and close sketch. No need to use the projecting tool. By using the projecting tool, you get double lines, which were removed by your plasma CAM as seen. So just more work than needed, but same results :)
I learned this the hard way, our plasma software doesn't handle it as well as this.
It took me far too long to find the source of the double lines.
Also found if you want to project several things or leave parts out of the dxf sketch create it on an offset plane
John's showing the it always work way for newbies
daniel lyall even more important is it to show it the right way.
John does a great job, I just saw something I struggled with by my self and wanted you all to know that there is a way to save time and prevent hiccups further down the workflow ;)
You only get double lines if you click twices on a given area
doing this does nothing
Actually you can just create a new sketch by clicking the button 'new sketch', select the face you want and close sketch
Try it out, projecting the contour in a sketch in that contour creates double lines ;)
Can we get an update on how the machine is doing?
the problem with the "s" is almost definitely a design flaw not a problem with the cam. That font looks similar to copperplate and the "s" has a small serif at each end. Creating a base line that connects the lowest parts of the letter can create a problem with the "s" because you are leaving a little gap in the layout and the cam is trying to cut what you told it to cut. That's one of the hardest parts of laying out text, the details. If you didn't layout the design, then you should let the designer know. It's an important lesson for them and will help whoever did the layout get better.
Nice table!
Really like being able to save sketches as dxf in fusion. SolidWorks does not handle them as well
SolidWorks does handle DXF's, and actually quite a bit bitter. Right click on the face of a part file, then click Export to DXF. You can also save a sketch as DXF using Save As.
nhbb980 you can just safe the part as a did and select the view. No problem in Solidworks I think.
Do you know how to make fonts or words with autocad software to cut it out instead of using fusion 360?
Question.. I think i have seen that you can create a DXF from a "drawing" vs the model. any reason that would not work as well?
Any chance you will tell me the teknic model numbers used on this cnc table?
hows the dross with the preset settings? The guy that cuts my cnc parts now has a lot and it takes a lot in the post processing before the part can ship
awesome as always brother...
Why not a water jet? Had an OMAX at a previous job and it was flawless.
Because water jets are expensive to buy, and have a far higher running cost than a plasma table.
Let the tolerance suit the job.
Heard plasma is so much cheaper than laser cutting is that true? how much did that sign approximately costed your costumer?
That doesn't tell me something new...I'm actually surprised that the plasma costs that much as I expected a price of 10K$ for the higher end ones.
And if plasma is so much easier and cheaper to maintain how did laser catch up? what makes people wanna but laser cutting machines for metal working jobs?
Hello. You said never control the machine remotely. Why? I've tried x, y, and z movement remotely and it works well. Spindle on, pump on, reset, all working here. Is there any other thing that I missed?
I've webcam setup for that. I plugged the webcam directly to the CNC Computer and the webcam software is open in the same computer. I can watch both mach3 and the webcam software in remote desktop.
Yes!
lol i could of did all that in sheetcam, I really miss mach 3 it can do anything and more then the Mad GUI v3. I love my table though.
PLEASE MAKE A CUSTOM GOLF PUTTER ! If you could do a video like the muzzle brake from designing to milling that would be amazing. LIKE SO HE CAN SEE PLEASE
I thaught jd2 used sigma nest not sheet cam why the change whats the best cad cam to use in a mach machine
Still more reliable and less hassle than a water jet.
Occams Sawzall I worked with an omax water jet at a previous job and it had around 1500 hours on it without any problems when I left the company. Just requires the right upkeep and you will be fine
sparks beside a pile of dry cardboard?
unless you know that you have open paths take that warning in sheetcam seriously. that was probably your problem with the S's.
you wasted that plate for no reason. I have a Jd2 5x10 table also. there is a very easy work around that will help you restart from an error. Also, as of now you are correct in stating there is no preview screen as it cuts. they are supposed to be incorporating that into the next release of their software, which we get free upgrades for the life of the machine. if you are interested in help with it let me know.
just do all your post prossesing in fusion and export g code into machine that works good for me
hi Jhon, how to post under fusion.?
Mioduszewski... I have 8 out of 12 and I still cant pronounce that one
myo-duh-SHEV-skee
No Americanized pronunciation of that one that's for sure...
The only good thing that ever came out of JD squared was their tubing bender dies. The actual bender was junk though which leaves me highly skeptical about this plasma table that they have. I am curious if it is even really theirs or just something that they stuck their logo on like so many of the other 'brands' out there.
THATS BS WAY TO MANY STEPS TO CUT A PART