Building a kit car for a VW Beetle often involves a lot of prototyping. While laser cutters offer precision, a CNC plasma table provides a cost-effective alternative, especially for thicker materials and single-car projects. Our shop utilizes a CNC plasma table to create prototypes and tooling for our VW Beetle kit car project.
We use the plasma table to cut various thicknesses of steel, ranging from 14 gauge and 11 gauge sheet metal to 3/16, 1/4, and even 1/2 inch thick plate. This allows us to fabricate a wide range of components for the kit car. Although plasma-cut parts require more finishing compared to laser-cut parts, the cost savings are significant, particularly when experimenting with designs. If a part doesn’t meet our requirements, we can quickly modify the design on the computer and cut a new one without incurring high laser cutting costs.
The image above showcases the programmed cutting paths on the control computer for the plasma table. Each line represents a precise cut the machine will make in the metal sheet.
Here, the plasma table is in action, cutting through 1/4 inch thick steel. The intense heat of the plasma arc melts the metal, allowing for quick and efficient cutting.
Fabricating complex parts, like the car’s tunnel, requires innovative techniques. Since we lack equipment to bend long pieces of metal, we use the plasma table to “score” bend lines by cutting strategically placed slots. This allows us to create the desired shape without specialized bending tools.
This photo shows the tunnel section on the plasma table. The slotted piece on the right will form the floor of the tunnel, and the slots will align with corresponding slots on the tunnel walls, facilitating assembly. This method simplifies the construction process and reduces the need for complex tooling. We’ll detail the tunnel assembly process in a subsequent post.
