Looking for Plasma Cutters who cut BIG

[Itsrich]

I am looking for people who are running Plasma Cutters.

We are cutting 91" x 275" aluminum up to 0.190" thick. I run three different cutters.

I am looking for info on:

• Skeltonizing
• Scrap Reduction (optimizing for scrap reduction and not for cutting path)

I know we are the "Black Sheep" of the family since we are using VCarve this way. But someone has to be doing something different.

[Adrian]

You can play around with nesting to reduce scrap especially with the new features that have been added to version 11 that allows you to use offcuts with the nests. I have a library of odd shaped remnants (defined as vector boundaries) that I've built up that I add to each nest where appropriate.

[Timothy Stegman]

I'm curious what post processor you are using in or after Vcarve? Thanks!

[Itsrich]

WINCNC

[Greolt]

You will need to write your own Post Processor for plasma use.

I often get asked to share my Plasma PP. And must politely decline because it will not suit any other machine.

Because every plasma setup is different there can not be a generic PP.

Writing your own is not that difficult a task. Mostly revolves around using the Plunge and Retract commands.

[Itsrich]

Greolt, thank you for looking in and offering suggestions!

A custom post-processor would be nice. While I have a number of programming languages under my belt, I don't have the time to learn another. I am scrambling to keep up with the tasks at hand. With that said, I am enjoying figuring out how to make VCarve and WinCNC do what I want. I am doing a "manual" Skeletonizing.

Here is my latest pondering... Is there a way to make VCarve nest for the reduction of scrap? Currently, I feel as if it nests for the fastest tool path.

Again, I am the Black Sheep of the VCarve world. The only one cutting aluminum on a 10' x 25' plasma cutter.

Really, life is good! I have solved all the issues I face within the limitations of the programs and equipment I use.

[Rcnewcomb]

If the nesting feature of the Vectric programs aren't adequate for your work then you might want to look at DeepNest which is open source and would generate results that could be toolpathed by Vectric.

[Itsrich]

Rcnewcomb,

I like "10 in, 10 out". Thank you for the smile.

I will present your suggestion to the other Engineers and see what they say. VCarve is doing what we want as a whole. I am looking for someone else doing things like I am, to see if they have learned any secrets. I have learned "The more you explore, the better you get."

VCarve is doing what we want it to do. I do not think we will move away anytime soon.

[Greolt]

A custom post-processor would be nice. While I have a number of programming languages under my belt, I don't have the time to learn another.

Writing a Post Processor is nothing like learning a programming language. If it were I would never be able to do it.

There is an excellent guide to PPs included with your Vectric program.

After being asked many times to share my Plasma PP, I made a video showing how I edit a PP for plasma use.

It is very generic for Mach3 but the principals apply across the board.



Sorry for not being as slick as many youtubers.