Thc non plasma usage

[ShawnM]

Nice work.

I see you have what looks like 3 gas assist lines going into the machine. If you have the proper screw air compressor you can cut everything with compressed air and save a fortune on nitrogen and oxygen.

I cut 1" thick aluminum sheets with 255 PSI of compressed air. I've cut 1/2" steel with compressed air as well.

I'll be curious to see how the height offset works as I assume you bypassed or are not using the capacitive sensor in the laser head.

We have a 12k fiber laser in the shop with a Maxphotonics laser head and laser source.

[Joey]

I'll be curious to see how the height offset works as I assume you bypassed or are not using the capacitive sensor in the laser head.

We have a 12k fiber laser in the shop with a Maxphotonics laser head and laser source.

By Height offset, did you mean the initial Set zero before the laser comes on or the height of the laser during the cut?

The more I think of it the more I think your saying how the Initial laser height is set before the Laser is activated.


It is my understanding that Tamar is using the Capacitive sensor with our THC in this build.


I think most of his videos he has been Dry running the laser with THC On. There was some figuring, but Tamar was able to use the THC Config settings to get the Capacitive sensor and Acorn THC dialed in.

The Capacitive sensor is great for maintaining cut height since the speed has no impact on the voltage reading and there is no need to turn THC off for differences in feed rates in corners and such.

It sure would be nice to have a plasma table with a Capacitive height sensor!

[Tamarbarr]

I have only one gas line for oxygen.
My compressor is not powerful enough for the laser.
I can also add another line for nitrogen but I don't plan to cut aluminium or stainless steel so I didn't connected it.

As Joey said, I'm using the capacitance sensor and an amplifier, same as every other industrial fiber laser machine.

In the videos the capacitance sensor is in action and the thc in on and working.

For your information, you can cut with plasma and capacitance sensor and an amplifier for the thc!
You don't have to use arc voltage reading!


If you want to plasma cut with capacitance sensor for the thc this is what you need

In the red circle is the capacitance sensor

In the green circle is the rf cable.

The metal ring needs to be set in the same high as the torch.
The metal ring is connected to the capacitance sensor.
The capacitance sensor needs to connect to the rf cable.
The rf cable needs to be connected to laser amplifier.
The laser amplifier needs to be connected to the tx board.

And that how you get plasma capacitance sensor thc

[Tamarbarr]

Joey is it possible to have two cnc12 plasma profiles with different configurations?

[ShawnM]

All of the above Joey. With our fiber laser I have to calibrate the sensor every time I change metals. This helps the sensor stay at that perfect cut height which is sometimes a hundredth of an inch. I'm wondering how water would affect the sensor if he has a water table.

I dont know the wattage of his laser and even with our 12kw laser piercing 3/4" and 1" aluminum is a 3 stage pierce all 3 at different heights and focus depths. I'll be curious how he'll pierce thicker material with his laser if he needs more than a one stage pierce. Even lower powered lasers will need a 2 or 3 stage pierce when they start approaching their max capacity. This is where cutting with O2 may benefit him cutting steel as O2 is not only an assist gas but an accelerant to burn hotter. I've only cut with compressed air and get great results with it. N2 and O2 are too expensive and drive parts costs way up.

Since he's only cutting steel then this may not be as big of an issue. Laser cutting aluminum requires a lot more power than cutting steel. Steel cuts like a hot knife through butter but aluminum is a lot trickier to cut.

Also, how is the Acorn controlling the assist gas pressures? There is one pressure for piercing and then another, different pressure for cutting. Ours is controlled automatically through the software for each metal and thickness. Then there is the power and frequency setting of the laser. I can see how Acorn may be able to set the laser power but not the frequency.

A great project for sure.

[Joey]

For your information, you can cut with plasma and capacitance sensor and an amplifier for the thc!
You don't have to use arc voltage reading!


If you want to plasma cut with capacitance sensor for the thc this is what you need



And that how you get plasma capacitance sensor thc

Thanks for the info! Looks like price is the reason I don't really see capacitance sensors on Plasma tables. But having the ability to have THC on full time looks worth it to me.

[Joey]

All of the above Joey. With our fiber laser I have to calibrate the sensor every time I change metals. This helps the sensor stay at that perfect cut height which is sometimes a hundredth of an inch. I'm wondering how water would affect the sensor if he has a water table.

I dont know the wattage of his laser and even with our 12kw laser piercing 3/4" and 1" aluminum is a 3 stage pierce all 3 at different heights and focus depths. I'll be curious how he'll pierce thicker material with his laser if he needs more than a one stage pierce. Even lower powered lasers will need a 2 or 3 stage pierce when they start approaching their max capacity. This is where cutting with O2 may benefit him cutting steel as O2 is not only an assist gas but an accelerant to burn hotter. I've only cut with compressed air and get great results with it. N2 and O2 are too expensive and drive parts costs way up.

Since he's only cutting steel then this may not be as big of an issue. Laser cutting aluminum requires a lot more power than cutting steel. Steel cuts like a hot knife through butter but aluminum is a lot trickier to cut.

Also, how is the Acorn controlling the assist gas pressures? There is one pressure for piercing and then another, different pressure for cutting. Ours is controlled automatically through the software for each metal and thickness. Then there is the power and frequency setting of the laser. I can see how Acorn may be able to set the laser power but not the frequency.

A great project for sure.

Looks like you are learning a lot Shawn! Might come in handy for us in the future. I think with some PLC and Custom macros the Acorn is up to the task. Should probably hop on this train as those laser prices keep coming down.

[Joey]

Joey is it possible to have two cnc12 plasma profiles with different configurations?

Tamar, so each profile can have its own THC Config preset? This is on our to do list.

[ShawnM]

Looks like you are learning a lot Shawn! Might come in handy for us in the future. I think with some PLC and Custom macros the Acorn is up to the task. Should probably hop on this train as those laser prices keep coming down.

The fiber laser has been a HUGE learning curve coming from a simple router and then the plasma table. Not only did I have to put the whole thing together but then teach myself how to use it. I never used one before but I figured "how hard could it be?"

The end result is nothing short of amazing and the cut quality is second to none on steel and aluminum. And the speed at which a 12kw laser cuts is mind-blowing to say the least.

This is a 5x10 machine with an exchange table. You can load two sheets of material and with the press of a button on the massive 32" touchscreen it will exchange the tables automatically so while it's cutting one sheet you can weed out the cut parts on the backside and then load another sheet ready to be cut next. It's a huge time saver for production cutting.

[Tamarbarr]

Joey I need a different cnc12 plasma profile that will have different input configuration and also different motors configuration.
For example:
1. CNC12 plasma sheet cutting profile -
Motors
- X
- Y
- Y SLAVE
- Z

2. CNC12 plasma tube cutting profile -
Motors
- X
- Y (not for the gantry)
- Z
- B
Note - the Y axis is not for the gantry.
Its for a separate linear guide that will more only the rear chuck backwards and forwards.

Is it possible?