hornet plasma table

[hardworker]

well i learned a valuable lesson yesterday. just wish i would have know this before i purchased the hornet plasma table. I'm the second owner of a 2009 retro systems (aka hornet plasma) 6x12 table with a Hypertherm high speed ht2000lhf. I contacted hornet as I'm looking into upgrading the computer system. The phoenix cut software an micro edge cnc system works great, but the system itself is so outdated and slow it cant handle highspeed internet. I wanted to get away from the computer to flash drive back to computer jumping around. But i was told id be looking at 60-70k to upgrade an retro fit my machine. When i could buy a new 5x10 for 85k. Both of witch are not an option. So i was told to run it till it pukes, and call them when I'm looking for a new one. I could handle 10k but not 60-70k. In my mind why the hell would i purchase another machine that cant accept physical reasonable updates/upgrades. I guess its just the name of the game out with the old in with the new money money money.

[acourtjester]

I can see why you are mad, being forced to only use their replacements and cost. I would contact Tom at CandCNC I would think buy his electronics and software package to replace the electronic on that table is doable.
https://www.candcnc.com/

[kn612]

Do you need internet to transfer files from cad/cam computer to the microedge? Should be able to set up an offline lan with a shared folder then pull those up in Phoenix. Is it slow to transfer between them now? I avoid connecting cnc machine computers to the internet.

I assume your table is used in a fab shop that can't have much downtime. I have a hornet with a microedge pro and had to replace the HDD a few weeks ago. The computer is booting and responding much faster now. I agree with you though, the prices for high end software/electronics on these tables is outrageous, especially when it will be obsolete every decade.

[SegoMan DeSigns]

I just about bought one of these machines a few years back (Dual Side drive Hi Def). Then the patch died, so I built my own.
Like others has posted there is plenty of options for aftermarket controllers. When was the last time you cleaned rails and R&P, any play in the system? Cables in good shape?

[hardworker]

I really cant complain, everything works as it should. The cut quality is perfect for what i use the table for, and for being a single side drive (dinosaur). I was just hopping to get away from the file transferring back and forth, and be able to make files at the console itself. I guess that was a long shot... It was quite a shock to hear the pricing of upgrading when you purchase a table and the software that expresses upgrades. I just have to accept that in my case i certainly missed the upgrade window by quite a few years. Many may think, well obviously what do you expect. But I didn't expect, I just didn't know. I still learn something new everyday.

[weldguy]

As kn612 said, creating a local network to transfer files from the office to the shop floor would be best however above you mentioned you wanted to make files at the console itself which this would not solve.

[kn612]

I assume your microedge uses Windows XP embedded. You could try to put a simple 2d cad program like qcad on it to draw files. I prefer to sit down and do all cad at a desk then nest in sheetcam. The on board shape manager works well for basic stuff.

My microedge pro has a cad program called Hypercad installed on it from the factory but it says the hardware key isn't valid when I try to use it. Think I read somewhere that hypertherm stopped supporting it years ago, but maybe someone with experience with it will chime in. It would be a solution if it's something hypertherm would allow us to activate.

Whats your process from cad to cut? I sometimes have issues loading just dxfs and have found it more reliable to use sheetcam to create the gcode.

Screenshot_20240214-122105~2.png

[hardworker]

I also have the hypercad it states the hardware key is out of uses. It opens briefly while the system is creating the gcode of whatever file I'm loading. I'm glad I'm not the only one with the issue, my main reason for wanting the upgrade is due to having issues trying to load files and having it freeze up. Witch leads to a lot of back and forth files transfers and checking ever little thing in the file i created. I use Inkscape to create my files, I'm self taught on the cad side and still learning. I'm sure some of the issue is me missing something simple here an there. I did bring internet to the console and downloaded Inkscape on it, but it operates so unbelievably slow its impossible to even use. Maybe the version i installed but tried to make a circle just to test it, it only had the autocad dxf R14plotter to save the dxf to and the system doesn't like that. I only have luck with the autocad R12.

[kn612]

If there is a lan port on your microedge you can connect it to a local network with a folder on your cad computer then map that folder in Phoenix. Hypertherm tech would help if you hit a snag, they could point you to the right manuals and answer questions.

Mine was acting exactly how you describe yours when I bought it a few months ago. It was slow to boot and operate but cut really well. Eventually got a winsystem32 error on startup and had to put a new hard drive in. Runs fine now.

If you can, give sheetcam a try even if you need to learn it. It's another step but I've found it's faster/easier than using the onboard dxf converter/nester. You can edit the start points and leadins better plus nest it exactly how you need. I use the microedge post processor, not the phoenix one. Have to output the gcode file as a txt extension for phoenix to read it. The only cut parameter in sheetcam that will be generated in the gcode is the feedrate, everything else comes from cut charts in Phoenix.

[hardworker]

Thanks for the info, i will certainly look into those options. I appreciate the feedback