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PlasmaCam Retrofit Overview Parts List
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SignTorch

SignTorch

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This section will explain how to rewire a plasmacam machine to run without plasmacam software and without a plasmacam control box.

It should work for any new or old plasmacam, gotorch, or sampson system with servo motors.

Servos are more awesome than steppers, but one downside is that a servo can run away at full speed if the position encoder fails to send a signal.

First we will just get the gantry working. After that it's no different than building an ordinary stepper driven machine, and there are lots of existing instructions and resources on how to proceed.

The plan is to first establish a sub-basic plasma table with manual height control.

Then add basic height control and features.

Then add advanced height control and features.

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mine works fine - for plasma - read the threads in the retrofit forum section

got into basic height control - need to identify an off the shelf solution like a home depot water sensor as mentioned by others - advanced height control got derailed and discontinued but there are 3rd party solutions that work for that

the best part - for plasma - is that the XY servo motors are capable of blistering acceleration

I didn't care for and replaced the oem z-axis - but it works good enough for typical plasma cutting

the worst part - imho - is how the XY rides on springs and directly on the gear rack and X also rides on painted soft steel surfaces - that's amateur - but again, it works good enough
 
I have been using my DHC PlasmaCam for nearly 10 years, but am looking at a backup in case the controller dies, as the company will no longer repair the DHC controller (or even talk to me unless I call to upgrade to the new system, and I don't like the direction it is going.
Fred
 
SignTorch said:
This section will explain how to rewire a plasmacam machine to run without plasmacam software and without a plasmacam control box.

It should work for any new or old plasmacam, gotorch, or sampson system with servo motors.

Servos are more awesome than steppers, but one downside is that a servo can run away at full speed if the position encoder fails to send a signal.

First we will just get the gantry working. After that it's no different than building an ordinary stepper driven machine, and there are lots of existing instructions and resources on how to proceed.

The plan is to first establish a sub-basic plasma table with manual height control.

Then add basic height control and features.

Then add advanced height control and features.

Readers can reply to existing threads but readers cannot create new threads, to preserve order.

Hint: use the "next-thread" link at the top and bottom of the page to easily navigate to the next topic.
Click to expand...
Are there any updates to this series of posts out there? I would like to use the to retrofit a DHC2 to run on Mach
 
AFAIK - gotorch is the same as dhc2 - same control box - same manual - same software except gotorch doesn't even come with so-called basic level software - gotorch has to be upraded to basic level software for $2000 (ha ha - whoever heard of upgrading to basic) - which is one reason I retrofitted -
 
Anyone successfully retrofit a plasmacam of recent I am looking for any info since I am currently retrofitting one.
 
That could have a few answers but I am very indebted to have this info it has made my retrofit hopefully possible. I am surprised there is not much additional info of others using it. It is dated 2014 and so 9 years old and no additional advise on newer controllers and such.

I plan to use a myplasma cam controller with G320 servo drivers. I have not looked into the z axis much yet. Hopefully others can have some input. Maybe you have upgraded or have additional experiences Thank you again
 
I haven't done anything new because I had to step away from everything in 2016 and then got clobbered by a hurricane and looters in 2017, a hurricane and flood in 2019, another hurricane in 2020, and things like that...

there's never been much interest - retrofitting is a good way to learn how to hook up servos and cnc controls - but a gantry that rolls on the gear rack is a piece of junk - a gantry with 1/2" cam bearings rolling on paint is a piece of junk - and a gantry held together by 4 little springs is a piece of junk

but even a piece of junk with servos is worth a look - I'm surprised that people still use steppers

the main change I'd make is once you get the xy servos working then just throw away the entire z-axis and get the smallest and lightest slide you can find and the smallest servo motor, for the z axis, and mount it in close to the gantry tube - a stepper will work but my z servo is a little bitty thing and with 80 volts it can lift the whole table at 200 mph without missing any steps

ignore what I say about changing the Z axis unless you just really want to or have to change it - the stock configuration is ok and easy to hook up and it gets the job done - any shortcomings of it being a stepper are overcome for plasma cutting with the limit switch and basic height control to touch off on the material to zero the height - no big deal if it misses a step or two - it corrects itself every time it touches off on the material - I was eventually running a router with tool offsets not re-zeroing between tool changes and I just prefer servo motors - I didn't really have any fatal problems when using the stock z axis

 
Did you buy or fabricate a new z axis bracket? I read your z axis part before I started. I am amazed Plasmacam system worked well enough
There are other people looking to retro fit because Plasma Cam wants 1K about every time something needs upgraded
 
LaserZX said:
Did you buy or fabricate a new z axis bracket? I read your z axis part before I started. I am amazed Plasmacam system worked well enough
There are other people looking to retro fit because Plasma Cam wants 1K about every time something needs upgraded
Click to expand...

yes - I found a compact aluminum slide with ballscrew and a small servo with encoder on ebay for cheap - then I made the bracket to hold the motor and the plate to hold the tool(s) - with the router on the side close to the gantry and out of the way

but it must be noted - the machine isn't really suitable for routing so no matter how much you see me using a router on it I don't encourage that because it just leads to a lot of problems to work around

the original z axis and motor does work ok - the only drawback is if the motor goes out you can only get it from pee-cam, and the v-rollers have free play, which if you strap the plasma lead to the x axis motor so its not pushing and pulling on the z slide that will help hold the v-roller free play in check

it is not 1000% necessary to replace the Z axis unless you really need to improve the z axis performance for some reason - I used the original z-axis and motor quite a bit - it's not exactly easy to replace and it took a while to find something good to replace it with

 
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