NEE have retrofitted AMC4's to a number of plasma cutting machines including machines from Farley, M G Industries, Cybermation, and L Tech.

These machines were upgraded for a number of reasons including:

• the old controller had stopped working or had become unreliable
  
  
• maintenance was either too expensive or not available
  
  
• components for the old controllers were becoming increasingly difficult to locate
  
  
• component parts produced using the old controllers were inaccurate

All upgrades used AMC4's with integral DC brushed motor drives. One new modestly sized controller cabinet replaced 2 or more separate enclosures. Usually the existing motors were used.

Upgrades were carried out, on site, by an NEE engineer who initially established how the existing system operated then fitted the new controller. Usually new wiring harnesses were provided by NEE as old harnesses can be unreliable. The controller was integrated with the existing plasma generator. The AMC controller was then configured to match the machine and to give the best performance. Test parts were cut and operator training provided.

The new controller provides the following advantages:

• more accurate parts are produced, they also have better edge quality



• machines are now more productive as non cutting machine movements are made much faster



• integral library of common shapes



• a shape nesting/repeat feature permits operators to readily produce straightforward parts directly from the front panel



• Recovering from cutting problems is far easier and faster with the AMC4. Features are provided to:
  
  
  • ‘Dry Run’ or ‘Trial Run’ part programs at high speed
  
  
  
  • move directly to a numerically entered pierce count
  
  
  
  • ‘Search’ the part program for the current machine position then continue part program execution from there
  
  
  
• Operators find the new machine controller far easier to use



• the AMC has specific keys for common functions and does not use confusing codes to access features



• a graphical display permits part shapes to be graphically viewed and verified before cutting is commenced



• the AMC4 uses a simple menu system, optimised to reduce operator key strokes to a minimum saving time and reducing errors



• the AMC4 uses unique ‘pressure sensitive’ machine jog keys, the harder the key is pressed the faster the machine moves, this makes manual machine movements simple and quick