Development of a CNC plasma cutting machine: design and construction for didactic purposes

Abstract

The design and construction of CNC plasma cutting machines plays a key role in modernizing and optimizing industrial processes, providing significant benefits in terms of precision, efficiency and versatility. This technology makes it possible to cut a wide variety of materials, mainly metals, enabling the creation of complex, high-quality parts. The aim of this work was to develop a small CNC (Computer Numerical Control) plasma cutting machine for teaching purposes. The machine was designed using SolidWorks software, ensuring greater precision in the choice of CNC components. The CNC was moved in three axes, driven by four Nema 23 stepper motors (one for the x-axis, two for the y-axis and one for the z-axis). Control was via a USB microcontroller which received the cutting commands from a user-friendly software interface, Mach3. A Cut 60 inverter plasma cutting machine was used to generate the cutting plasma. With regard to the plasma cutting process, initial tests were carried out by varying the operating parameters, such as plasma current, cutting speed and torch height. The results showed that the movement of the CNC in the x, y and z axes was partly satisfactory. However, it is necessary to calibrate the y-axis, as the dimensions were not regular when cutting a circumference. Regarding the operation of the plasma, it is still necessary to adjust the parameters to optimize the cutting of metal sheets with different thicknesses.