Help Bridging Designs for plasma cutting

[Frankie P]

Hi
I’m new to the plasma cutting community.
I’ve attached 2 files that I purchased. One is a buggy full of coal which works just fine when I cut it out. The other is a truck but I can’t seem to cut it out without pieces falling out. I want it to be a sign. I’d appreciate any help. Thanks.

IMG_6593.jpeg

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[acourtjester]

After you learn you can look at a drawing and see the drop-outs. The needs to a connection made to any item you don't want to drop out. Even the coal cart the center of the wheel will drop on as it does not have a bridge connection to the outside of the wheel, and some of the picks inside parts too. There have been many tutorial type post here showing how to do these in Inkscape, you can use the search function in the upper right for a look around.

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bridges.jpg

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bridges 1.jpg

[Frankie P]

Thank you for you sharing your ideas.

[adbuch]

Thank you for you sharing your ideas.

Happy to try to help - as always!

David

[AREA]

It takes some time, it did for me, but eventually you will see the “plasma cut problem” areas. Is Inkscape the program you are using?

[Frankie P]

Trying to use design edge

[Joe Jones]

Trying to use design edge

DesignEdge is an awesome drawing program, but it is not cheap. For those who do not own PlasmaCam tables, they do not have access to DesignEdge software. Especially if you choose to get the Advanced Design Upgrade. Now you are looking at $3,000.00 JUST to have the drawing software on your PC.

Joe

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Trying to use design edge

Do you already have Design Edge?

David

[Frankie P]

Yes I have design edge

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Yes I have design edge

Congratulations! Do you have the Advanced Design software upgrade?

David

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[harrymorley]

heres how i did it. its all one piece. the truck could be sitting on a plaque or dirt and rocks.

ore truck.JPG

[plasmanewbie]

Nice. looks good Harry. I fattened up where the cab meets the dump box, and also the drive train area which may also help. Don;t want to post the DXF because this was a design the OP purchased but here is a pic.

OreTruckMod.png

[Frankie P]

That’s looks great

[adbuch]

Some nice looking creative modifications here! Nice work. Frankie - my example was simply intended to show you how to use some of the Design Edge tools to accomplish the bridging. Your original drawing showed your part most likely cut as a negative. The examples from Harry and Plasmanewbie show designs where it would be cut as a positive.

So it all depends on your intended use for the file. If you were cutting this into the side of a firepit - for example - you would most likely want to cut it as a negative. If you are cutting as a stand-alone display piece, then the positive versions the others have shown would be what you would want to do.

Let us know if you have any specific questions about using Design Edge and we will try to help you.

David

[Frankie P]

Hi David,
Can you tell me why a line turns white when I draw it between two other lines in Design Edge?

[Frankie P]

Never mind David, I didn't have it converted to cut path
thanks anyway

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Never mind David, I didn't have it converted to cut path
thanks anyway

[Frankie P]

bucketcoal.jpg

I'm really not understanding as to why I have to bridge things. Isn't there a way to covert this image to a sign so I can just cut it out?
I purchased this image as a dxf. Thanks again
Frankie

[weldguy]

A DXF is just a file format, it really has nothing to do with plasma cutting and certainly not plasma cutting specific. The DXF of the coal bucket would work great for a pen plotter or a sticker cutter but you need to hold it all together somehow when you are plasma cutting it and pieces are falling out. That is where the bridging comes into play and is something you can good at pretty quickly.

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bucketcoal.jpg

I'm really not understanding as to why I have to bridge things. Isn't there a way to covert this image to a sign so I can just cut it out?
I purchased this image as a dxf. Thanks again
Frankie

No. As it is now, some of the pieces will fall out when cut.

David

bucketcoal.jpg

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[Frankie P]

thanks again David
a lot easier than i thought