Messages

2331

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach + CandCNC MP3000 help please

« on: September 02, 2014, 02:01:14 PM »

This is resolved now, just needed to find the correct mapping for physical inputs to ports and pins, Tom at CandCNC provided the info.

2332

General Mach Discussion / Mach + CandCNC MP3000 help please

« on: August 29, 2014, 01:08:44 PM »

I'm upgrading my plasma table to an MP3000-DTCHII from CandCNC and have now gained connection to the various boards and control of the motors and also fired the torch etc.

On my last setup which was mach3 with a Proma THC, I had my limit switches at each end of the axes all wired in a normally closed series chain and Mach3 would decide if they were limits or homing switches depending on what it was doing so when referencing the axes they were read as homing switches but at all other times they were read as limit switches.

This worked really well but I can't figure out how to reproduce it in the new setup.

I have the chain connected to the "Limits" input on the I/O board but do not know where that shows up inside the mach setup.

The Z home switch is really the floating head sensor and that is connected to z home and shows up as such in mach.

Anyone here got an MP3000??

Thanks

2333

General Mach Discussion / Re: just how deep does a plasma cutters water tray need to be?

« on: August 27, 2014, 03:04:10 PM »

Wow, that's a lot of info required:)

I'll throw a little in,

My machine takes a 625mm square plate max and yes you really do want a THC with floating head on the z axis, I too thought not but soon learnt, I fitted a cheapo Proma unit but was disappointed with it and am now fitting a better one from CandCNC.

I had a lot of issues with my torch, in the end I sold it and bought a Hypertherm, since fitting that I have had not had one issue with interference etc.

My torch is only 30A and will happily mow it's way through 6mm plate, have even done some 8mm on it.

The socket on the rear of the plasma should be for CNC but what the pins are will only be known by the manufacturer, some options are....
Torch trigger,
Arc Ok,
Divided arc voltage,
Manual/machine torch safety detect.

2334

General Mach Discussion / Re: 1st pierce is longer...

« on: August 20, 2014, 05:39:40 AM »

Thanks Stirling, hopefully, using a more recognised and supported THC like the MP3000 will give me a lot less grief, I think it will.


Dave

2335

General Mach Discussion / Re: 1st pierce is longer...

« on: August 20, 2014, 05:09:53 AM »

Don't worry, I'm ditching this THC and ordering an MP3000 from CandCNC.

2336

General Mach Discussion / Re: 1st pierce is longer...

« on: August 19, 2014, 10:21:17 AM »

THIS IS DRIVING ME INSANE NOW

I looked through the Proma leaflet, and it clearly states that NO output will be energised when only the pilot-arc is struck i.e. firing in air.

So i threw in some used consumables, switched to the diag page in Mach and fired the torch in air, sure enough I was getting an Arc-Ok signal, this is WRONG and possibly what is messing up Mach3.

So I noted the voltage displayed when the torch was firing in air (150v) and turned the HV setting in the Proma box down to 140v. This is higher than my highest cutting voltage BUT lower than the pilot voltage as I presume this is how Proma detects Arc-Ok.

But now when I try to run code, the arc will fire but as the torch pierces quickly on the 1.5mm test sheet, it then reverts to a pilot arc before Mach has time to drop the torch to cut height and start moving.

It's a no-win situation, I either have the long, unreliable pierce delays by using DoSpin() and setting the Proma back to instant arc-ok OR have fast on off with activatesignal() and a sensible arc-ok signal but not be able to cut

Anyone please got any ideas?


Yes I do know I can put it back how it was but long pierces on thin metals are bad for various reasons.

2337

General Mach Discussion / Re: 1st pierce is longer...

« on: August 19, 2014, 08:15:06 AM »

Anyone know of a way that the Arc-Ok signal can freak Mach out?

Seems like its missing lines of gcode but dont know why, how can it stop the torch from lifting at the end of a cut?

2338

General Mach Discussion / Re: 1st pierce is longer...

« on: August 19, 2014, 03:41:10 AM »

This seems to be related...
http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=17435.5;wap2

2339

General Mach Discussion / Re: 1st pierce is longer...

« on: August 19, 2014, 02:32:39 AM »

MORE INFORMATION.....


Been thinking all night and just did a test,

this issue is related to the THC somehow, maybe the ArcOk signal?

With THC OFF, my system works ok, turn THC ON and it not only has a longer first pierce/shorter second one BUT also skips the torch-lift at the end of the first cut so it drags the torch along the plate triggering an E-stop.

This is all related to changing the DoSpin commands to ActivateSignal so what is going on??

Obviously i can replace the DoSpin commands but thats not fixing the issue.

2340

General Mach Discussion / Re: 1st pierce is longer...

« on: August 18, 2014, 10:47:20 AM »

This is not working for some reason!!

Just spent an hour recalibrating my pierce times to take into account the faster response of Mach without the DoSpin commands BUT when I put the first simple job on with only two 0.1s pierce delays, the first one works perfectly and the second one is ignored and the torch fires and starts moving immediately, ignoring the delay completely and piercing on the run.

Useless.

It is the same issue as before, only quicker - the first pierce is longer!.

Maybe the 0.1s delay is just silly and the consecutive pierces are behaving as they should BUT the first pierce is still way too long?

I could try upping the 0.1s to 0.4 or 0.5 maybe and try that but then the first one will still be long.

Need help now please??