CNC Plasma Cutter Development
The Project
Summary
I designed and assembled the first article of an automated industrial cutting machine with advanced features including a 4’x5’ cutting area, floating z-axis, automatic height control, magnetic breakaway on the cutting torch, and water-filled catch table.
The Task
For my internship with Paladin Tech Works, I was tasked with creating the first article of an automated plasma cutter for use in manufacturing for the company at a market-competitive price.
I maximized use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) parts to reduce non-recurring engineering funding. Additionally, I designed critical safety systems such as automated, fail-safe circuitry to detect operational faults such as the plasma cutter impacting the cutting surface or the operator pressing the emergency stop.
Finally, this project required careful attention to detail to integrate multiple COTS parts and document the finished result.
The Results
The project was completed on time and within budget.
This design will eventually be sold to consumers and used internally to fabricate components, saving up to $50,000 per annum over current manual methods.
For more information, please contact me and view the demonstration video located on this page.
