Messages

341

General Mach Discussion / Re: Physical buttons for plasma

« on: January 23, 2016, 07:01:09 AM »

yeah, I guess its also warrentee issues if its not been wired up correctly... looking at the hypertherm 65, the standard voltage divider output is 20:1, and then by buying the interface card and CPC (circular plastic connector), it adds the ability via a PCB, dipswitches and presumably a resistor array to select other voltage divider settings.

https://www.hypertherm.com/Xnet/library/library.jsp?file=HYP109602
page 258 / 258, bottom RHS of schematic

One of the reasons why I like hypertherm.... the service manuals and operator manuals are available and detailed...

342

General Mach Discussion / Re: I am unable to get my Spindle to work on a new machine

« on: January 23, 2016, 03:03:33 AM »

Can you post your mach3 XML file, you will need to name it something unique like roskow.XML

It sounds like you have not setup output1 on the ports and pins >> outputs page, and also m3 and m4 to use output 1 on the ports and pins>>>spindle tab.

The biggest difficulty is always the manual, as although they all seem to use the printer port for the controller it is figuring out which pin does what, hence can you post a link to what your machines controller.

More information is always helpful, don't hear the complaint of too much information in the CNC world .

343

General Mach Discussion / Re: Physical buttons for plasma

« on: January 21, 2016, 01:28:13 PM »

Wow, instantly gone quiet on here, I genuinely hope I have not offended, if I have I appologise.
One persons comments, viewpoint and observations were not intended that way.
Rob

344

General Mach Discussion / Re: Physical buttons for plasma

« on: January 20, 2016, 05:08:46 PM »

Hi Rob - Not sure if I'm misreading what you're saying here but Mach3's THC loop is WAY faster than 10Hz. I've tested it (Mach3) to 2KHz with my THC and it keeps up no problem at all. The scope traces are on here somewhere for the last time someone came out with this 10Hz thing. I'll find them and re-post if it helps.

Ian

Sorry Ian, missed this one.

I wasn't sure how mach3 was using Brian's torch height controller plugin, and if it was using the 10hz loop speed of brains or macropump or if it was able to use the 40hz fast loop of mach3 or if it was able to tie into the kernal (parallel port) loop speed of 25khz (or above whatever its set at)

The documentation has always been sparse on using it.

It has never been an option for me as I have never used a motion controller with an analogue input (16 bit I think is what is required), hence the only way I could get an analogue input into Mach was modbus... Which I did not believe had a very fast loop speed, hence back down to 10hz...

Did consider the uc300.. Which has analogue input support... But again no mention of the future with mach4 support.... So went the ESS route... But obviously without analogue input support... Can't win them all...

345

General Mach Discussion / Re: Physical buttons for plasma

« on: January 20, 2016, 04:20:15 PM »

HAve you seen Stirlings unit ?  RazorDance

I have seen it before, what put me off for my application was no voltage divider option or extra  (ie I had to provide a voltage divider... Or buy a bigger and newer plasma than my current older hypertherm).... I'm now waiting to take delivery of a hypertherm 65 (without CPC...to be added, plus fancy a fiddle with the rs485 interface but it would require a modbus rtu <> serial (ascii) bridge (arduino mega?))) Hence makes the razordance one more appealing for me, but no mention of mach4, hence concerned about future compatibility, website seemed a bit static so wasn't sure if it was still being supported (sorry sterling)

I'm in the UK and did seriously consider it.

Whether the neuron is worth £530 / $800... That is another matter. 

If the plugin sourcecode was available from razordance via maybe small fee and maybe NDA, now we are talking...just amazes me how much time people spend developing something, selling it, market share drops off, and they discontinue the product line but never release the sourcecode for those that may be interested (I'm thinking one man band developers here not volume sellers who reuse the code for newer products etc... Guys who come up with one off really good ideas)

One of the things that never seems to be covered is a better way to enable THC via gcode without feedrate hesitation, or instant torch firing or disabling without hesitation.  It's been my observation that every time an mcode is run motion hesitates so you end up with a divot... Except for m10/m11

Not sure what happens with #parameters added to gcode

Always learning

346

General Mach Discussion / Re: Physical buttons for plasma

« on: January 20, 2016, 02:42:20 PM »

The one thing about teh CSlabs version that I do not care for is it requires you to adjust the Set volts via a Manual pot.   THAT should be an adjustment you make via software not not manually via hardware.

(;-) TP

Thanks for that I hadn't noticed....not very dynamic if you were to include something in the gcode (#parameter=?)

The best one I've seen is still the neuron THC http://neuroncnc.com/

347

General Mach Discussion / Re: Physical buttons for plasma

« on: January 20, 2016, 05:46:32 AM »

Can I ask if anyone is using Mach4 for plasma?

The only screenset I've seen for Mach4 is from vital systems for their Hicon controller, and presume it can be adapted.... but it would require a compatible motion controller.
http://www.vitalsystem.com/portal/cnc/motion/plasma.php (screenset download link in top RHS list, copied below)
http://www.vitalsystem.com/portal/cnc/motion/ArcPro_Plasma.zip

I'm awaiting Warp9 to release their updated M4 plugin to hopefully turn on the THCUP, THCDN, THCOK functionality (M62 and M63 wiould be helpful for me too [as a quick THC ON / THC OFF toggle via relay + routing the THCOK signal back to the ESS]) hence can't do anything until this point unless I change motion controllers.

Does anyone believe that M4 is missing something that won't work with plasma or wont work well, or could do better?

50Hz script loop (adjustable) has got to be better than the 10Hz brains or macropump.

A plasma screenset would be nice from Artsoft to get us started.

The use of the Analogue Input on the CISMO for THC with Mach3 via THC Plugin, what loop speed does it run at?  (10Hz for THC at high cutting speeds may be a little slow to correct?)

Rob
(always here to learn.... thanks)

348

General Mach Discussion / Re: Physical buttons for plasma

« on: January 19, 2016, 04:04:16 PM »

For any draft... Go with the direction of flow... Which is generally downwards for a plasma (only ever seen one vertical plasma table). 

If you do go for a fan ... Look for something like a mixed flow fan and not just an axial fan as they have a higher discharge pressure for ductwork (flexible or ridgid)

(Dayjob tips)

I did sandblasting in the garage once upon a time... Best thing I ever did was build an enclosure using PVC drainage pipes with 1000 guage plastic sheeting and a 12" vent axis powerflow fan.... No dust ever escaped the enclosure (I used an air fed blasting helmet whilst sat in it for the time it takes to discharge a 50 litre pressure pot blaster full of 60/40 garnet... Vaccumed up using an old dyson for reuse as the cyclone separates out the fines....  Sorry off topic more to give an example of fan flow.

If you want to make an angled chute below the table for iron filings collection, need to consider the angle of response for iron filings... Which I think is about 45 degrees, hence I would split the underneath of the table in two and create 2 4' chutes, with an easy to empty iron filings tray at the bottom of each chute set as a drawer and a 12" extractor fan connected near the bottom of each chute, except you want the chutes to decrease in size to a sort of cone shape, then have an abrupt expansion where your drawer is, so that the air velocity drops off drastically and any suspended particles in the airsteam loose suspension and end up in the drawers.

Just another option to consider.

What I did with my slats is I got some 15mm SHS, and welded it to the end of some wide flatbar 50x3, which was cut in a chopsaw about 3" longer than my bed gap.  On the table railsi welded a 50x50 angle iron at either end and then aload of 15x15 SHS teeth vertically which had a gap between them of about 20mm.  Then I force and bend the slats in and they interlock, and they snake across the bed in a curved profile.  They can be removed, flipped over, swapped or put closer together or further apart as nessesary.

349

General Mach Discussion / Re: Physical buttons for plasma

« on: January 19, 2016, 02:29:08 PM »

http://www.modernmetals.com/item/11600-underwater-plasma-cutting.html

I have a foldup and extendable table.  Garage isn't that big, hobby for me.

350

General Mach Discussion / Re: Physical buttons for plasma

« on: January 19, 2016, 02:17:30 PM »

Have a read here on nitrogen, and stainless plus the use of a water table... Although it's a submerged cut

http://www.hypertherm.com/en/Torches_and_consumables/Centricut_consumables/Centricut_plasma/Articles/article_ChoosingPlasmaGases.jsp