Water Table
Delivered “turnkey” ready to operate! Simply supply unloading equipment, compressed air, electricity, water, and a water conditioning additive. The water table is a standout feature, adept at capturing up to 98% of the smoke and dust generated during plasma cutting, depending on the water level selected for the cut. Maintaining the water level about 1/2″ below the material being cut ensures optimal containment of smoke and dust. This system not only enhances operational efficiency but also contributes to a cleaner working environment.
Cutting over water also makes for faster “cool to the touch parts”, which are very easy to remove and use immediately. The water above the air chamber is 6” deep when raised to the bottom of the material. This 6” of water can be raised or lowered in 3 minutes. Simply exhaust the air to expose a dry bottom where the small parts accumulate.
Water levels are controlled by compressed air; there are no pumps involved. Plant air, usually around 120 PSI, is applied through the opening of a small hand-operated ball valve, which forces the water out of the air chamber and onto the upper deck. Once the water is forced out of the air chamber and the ball valve closed, the static pressure maintaining the level is only 1.5 PSI. The air chamber is built so it is always vented to avoid over-pressurization. Lowering the water level is accomplished by opening a larger hand operated valve that exhausts the static air from the chamber and allows water to replace the air. Both the raising and lowering of the water may be accomplished through the controller with the installation of optional electric solenoids.
Once a year (or depending on use) the water should be lowered, the slats removed, and the slag removed by shovel or vacuum truck. This is also a good time to turn the slats over and begin using the unused bottom edge. Some users will relocate slats from a little used area of a table to the most frequently used area to balance wear and longevity. We supply short slats for exactly this purpose. Some of our competitors supply full-width slats that can’t be flipped easily or leave you with one cut-up section while most of the slats are undamaged. The Victory slats are always installed at an angle to avoid cutting right down the top of a slat. Slat holders are cut for 3” spacing and supplied with slats on 6” centers. One key advantage of utilizing a water table over a downdraft table lies in the precision and control it offers during the cutting process. When cutting smaller parts, the water table ensures that parts only descend a minimal distance of approximately 6 inches, very easy to retrieve, a downdraft table presents the potential for parts to fall a greater distance ranging from 8 to 12 inches, potentially compromising accuracy and efficiency.
We recommend using a product called Plasma Quench in our water tables. This is an anti-rust and anti-bacterial additive designed to keep rust and odors in check. This solution will give the water a green tint and is normal. Using plain water can result in rusted interior, slats and rust developing on the material being cut. Plasma Quench is 4% mix of the water volume present in the water table. MSDS Sheets are supplied by the manufacturer.
To avoid potential freezing, the table needs to be kept inside a building. A heating or circulation system may be needed for extreme cold conditions.
All Victory worktables are fitted with an extremely efficient electrical grounding system to avoid electrical shock and high frequency noise transmission. Not only are all components grounded/bonded to each other and the table frame, the whole assembly is grounded to the plasma cutter and an 8’ driven ground rod.
Water tables are the most requested worktable.
Downdraft
A downdraft is less efficient, typically capturing about 75% to 80% of the smoke and dust as well as a large part of your building’s space heating in the winter. ***Estimated percentages. Often the contaminants are simply pushed outside. We suggest a smoke and dust collector be installed to clean the exhaust and return the cleansed air and heat to the work area. Victory downdraft systems come with a 12” exhaust port installed in the rear of the table. Ductwork of the same size is required to connect the table intake-discharge system to the exhaust blower or dust collector. Ideally, this ducting will be installed below floor level. If ducting is installed above floor level, it will impede the movement of the worker and could also limit the loading and unloading of the table, depending on where the ducts are placed. “It is the responsibility of the buyer to install any needed ductwork and determining the combustible rating of the discharge.” Most are above floor level and must be climbed over or walked around if it exits the table vertically or horizontally above the floor. A vertical exit can impede loading and unloading the table. A simple exhaust blower with ductwork exiting the building with no filtration can cost $9,000 or so. Small, filtered dust collectors with built in blowers and filter bags rated for non-combustible fumes can cost $50,000. ** The buyer is responsible for determining the combustible rating of the discharge.
Warpage is also eliminated when cutting away most of the strength from a piece of material, particularly when the finished part has a narrow spine. On one occasion, we cut a number of 1” thick stiffeners for a high temperature oven 8′ wide and 12’ long. The design called for a notched edge on the heat face to eliminate some of the surface area available to conduct heat into the frame. The 1/2” notches were 4” apart and 6” deep. We made the cuts on a downdraft table and spent some time working the 1” center warp (bow) out of them in the welding process. The same cut made on a water table would render a straight finished product, ready for welding without the use of wedges and stiff-backs. The same is true of the slat holders we use in every Victory table, water or downdraft. These are typically cut from large sheets of 3/16” plate or 3/16” drop when available. The design leaves a 1” spine after deep slots cut on 3” centers. These would be almost unusable if cut on a downdraft, whereas the water table cuts fit perfectly when cut with the water up to the bottom or over the plate.
When cutting on a downdraft, parts must be cooled enough to handle with gloves or tongs. In the case of thick plate this can take a while. With the standard design of a downdraft, the small cut parts and the slag fall farther onto the airbox floor. Victory downdraft floors are high at the front and lower at the back to accommodate cleaning. An 8”-10” deep pan can be used to pull the slag and trash into from the rear access doors.
Once a year (or depending on use) the water should be lowered, the slats removed, and the slag removed by shovel or vacuum truck. This is also a good time to turn the slats over and begin using the unused bottom edge. Some users will relocate slats from a little used area of a table to the most frequently used area to balance wear and longevity. We supply short slats for exactly this purpose. Some of our competitors supply full width slats that can’t be flipped easily or leave you with one cut-up section while most of the slat is undamaged. The Victory slats are always installed at an angle to avoid cutting right down the top of a slat. Slat holders are cut for 3” spacing and supplied with slats on 6” centers. Most users do not need slats on 3” centers. When cutting many small parts, the slats could be concentrated under such a cut to keep more of these small parts on top of the table.. A downdraft table presents the potential for parts to fall a greater distance ranging from 8 to 12 inches, potentially compromising accuracy and efficiency.
A Victory downdraft table is fitted with an extremely efficient electrical grounding system to avoid electrical shock and high frequency noise transmission. Not only are all components grounded/bonded to each other and the table frame, the whole assembly is grounded to the plasma cutter and an 8’ driven ground rod.
While we typically sell more Water tables than downdrafts, please contact us so we can help you decide which table would work best for your needs.