|
The extruded aluminum rail support beams have a cross
section of 3" x 6" with thick diagonal webs running their entire length.
Joints in the frame use 1/4" thick triangulated gussets. |
 |
|
One of the rails is dropped 8" below the other
to facilitate loading the material to be cut with a forklift. The
gantry can be moved to the far end of the table to make room for the
forklift. |
 |
The 264 oz. in. motors and gear train for the X (long)
axis are on the outsides of the frame rails, away from debris caused by
the cutting process. The gear racks are further protected by a 1"
rail overhang.
The
1 1/4 x 3/8" gear racks are specially manufactured for the Torchmate
III. They have far
more rigidity than conventional square gear racks, ensuring that they are
perfectly straight for their entire length. |
 |
|
The Y (short) axis uses an industrial linear
motion slide with four hardened and ground rails at right angles to each
other. The torch is supported by a roller cassette with eight 1"
diameter hardened needle bearing rollers that ride on the rails with zero
clearance. Replaceable felt wipers at either end of the cassette
help keep out dust and grit. |
 |
|
The gantry rides on a three point support
system using 1" hardened needle bearing cam followers with a load capacity
of 2,225 lbs. each. The X axis rails are cold roll steel flat bars.
Guide rollers grip either side of the rail to maintain alignment.
Cold roll steel has a tolerance of under a thousandth of an inch. If
the rails ever wear over time, they can be replaced economically by most
steel suppliers. |
 |
|
Industrial leveling screws with a load
capacity of 5,000 lbs. each are used on each of the 6 legs. These
make the leveling of the machine an easy chore. Extra T-nuts are
supplied for each leg so diagonal leg bracing can be easily added, should
this ever be desired. |
 |
Any surface that supports your material is
sacrificial, meaning that it will need replacement over time. The best
way to support your material is through the use of individually
replaceable strips (slats) of steel.
Torchmate III machines are supplied with slat support brackets with
laser-cut slots into which the strips can be placed. For cutting
steel up to about 3/8" thick, you can mount the brackets on your frame as
shown here. For heavier material, fabricate a separate support
table, and weld the slat support brackets to either side of the table. |
 |
|
Finished "bolt-together" Torchmate III steel brackets will be powder coated as shown at right.
Steel brackets for all kits, including Torchmate III kits are supplied
unpainted. |
 |
