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Author Topic: DIY plasma no movement after first arc  (Read 1314 times)

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DIY plasma no movement after first arc
« on: January 17, 2018, 02:57:31 PM »
Hello , looking for some help with an issue with my plasma table. I had everything working, all axis were jogging in the right direction, Relay to fire the plasma was working. Cut a whole bunch of air patterns making sure that there would be as few surprises as possible when I fired up the plasma torch for the first time. Well that didn't work... At the first arc all motion stopped, I'm guessing it was a HF problem from the older Easab I was trying to use. I have since acquired a new Thermal dynamics, and redid all the grounding. So I should be good if I ever get this thing going.
Mach (licenced) seems to be working, the DRO's change with the jog buttons or when I run some code. The E stop works. I can see the limit switches operate on the diagnostics page and I can see the relay for the plasma working with the button so the connection to the computer is working,I think. I've changed the BOB (CNC4PC C-10), no change. I replaced one of the stepper drivers(CWD230), no change, checked the serial cable for continuity, all good, I went over all the wire connections and did not find anything wrong. I'm running out of things to try. I would appreciate any advice. Thanks for any replies
Re: DIY plasma no movement after first arc
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2018, 06:16:15 PM »
Since it is serial not a parallel port and you send and recieve signals the com and the Bob must both be working. So it sounds like you have not enabled something in Mach or on the Bob. Since you changed the grounding my suspicion is you were using the ground as the DC common and have lost that.

Plasma is extremely noisy and difficult to shield. So you may need to more than just redo the grounds. I have seen so many grounding issues in my career it would be interesting to see a picture of your grounding system.