tcaudle wrote: ↑Fri Sep 17, 2021 9:35 pm
Hopefully you are working on making some form of software available for the process. While you can use the old substitute X axis for rotary it presents some issues.
DesignEdge is all that is required. No additional software is needed. Yes, it presents some issues. But they can all be handled easily, via good old fashioned geometry.
1. As the pipe diameter changes the motor calibration changes. You have to manually retune the motor/axis for each different size
Sorry. This is completely unnecessary.
2. Have some form of software the help you design various cuts (i.e. saddle, birds mouth , etc)
Nice to have, but not required. A sample of setting up a cut path on a cylinder is in the video attached to another response in this thread.
3. be able to do multiple cuts on a length of pipe of different types/shapes
No problemo. I can cut a series of matching holes, or spiral them around a cylinder like a spiral staircase, or change the angles, or the size, or the offset of any hole.
Basic geometry.
I realize you are doing this for a PCAM table because that is what you have but.....
Not sure how you are using a stepper with a PCAM controller.
I am not using a stepper. I am using a genuine PlasmaCam servo motor.
They use servos and the drivers / interface are all internal and proprietary. Break the seal and hack around in their controller and you void the warranty and you can forget help, spare parts, or repair.
No need to "pop the cherry" of the PlasmaCam controller. You are assuming that the software or the controller must compensate for correct paths wrapped over a cylinder. none of that is true.
Using the X axis as the rotary precludes cutting square or rectangular tubing Having a control and software that will support 5 or more axis of motion makes a big difference in rotary functionality.
Again, a fourth or fifth axis is
nice, but completely unnecessary. You have to think
outside of the box.
On a more open system you have a lot more options. You can use a 5th motor and 4th axis to do not only round but square and rectangular cuts.
I can do all of them, including angle iron, round and ellipse shaped tubing, oval tubing, rectangular tubing, cuts for 90-degree or angled insertion or through penetration of angle iron, C-channel, and other shapes using the PlasmaCam table. Granted, it is somewhat challenging and time consuming to draw these cut paths, but it CAN be done.
You can get inexpensive design software that plugs into SheetCAM (Pipefit) and designs the joints for you . You can get the SheetCAM rotary Plasma plug-in that wraps the design around the pipe and does the math for you so you don't have to retune you rotary axis for each size.
My cutter does not care what size or thickness of tubing is being cut.
With al due respect,
There is more than one way to skin a cat.
Joe