faqs

How big is the machine? Are other sizes available?

The machine and software will cut pieces up to 4ft by 20ft. The cutting table itself is over 5ft by 5ft, with a cutting area of 4ft by 4ft. After cutting the first 4ft area the table pauses, the sheet is indexed, and cutting is resumed until the entire shape is cut.

Because it works so well for most applications, the Model DHC2™ is the only machine we sell. If you really want a larger machine, we recommend the Samson 5ft by 10ft cutting table. Anything heavier or larger has serious tradeoffs to consider:

A larger machine of the same quality would be more expensive and complex. Not only would many larger, additional parts be required, indirect costs would be higher too. The cost of shipping, installation, operation and maintenance would all increase. We find that most customers prefer an affordable, trouble-free machine to a large machine.
Material handling would be more difficult with a larger machine. Larger material is heavier and more unwieldy, making it more difficult to load and unload.
Larger machine tools are less accurate (consider lathes, for example). As size increases, accuracy decreases because tolerances are harder to hold on larger parts. Alignment of parts in a large assembly is also more difficult and complex, requiring extensive field work. Because it's the optimum size, the Model DHC2™ achieves outstanding accuracy.
A larger machine could have lower performance (if built wider and heavier). Heavier moving parts cannot move as fast and would result in lower productivity and poor quality when cutting lighter materials. By contrast, the Model DHC2™ keeps moving parts free of extra weight.
Most plasma cut parts are less than 4ft in size and can be cut on the Model DHC2™ without indexing. Though material is usually bought in 8ft and 10ft lengths, sheets are easier to move through a smaller machine than a larger machine.
Economies of scale make the Model DHC2™ very affordable, because we build so many of them. We're also able to focus on making this one system the best that it can be.

Many of our customers have bought machines with the intention of making them bigger (by purchasing another set of drive rails and fabricating a larger frame and cutting grate). Yet very few have actually followed through and done it. Why? Customer feedback suggests that once our customers get their machines and start using them, the perceived need for a bigger machine usually evaporates.

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