I'm having an issue with Mach 4 for plasma cutting, if the program is closed or crashes the torch turns on (even if the machine was sitting idle and disabled) and the since the control software isn't responding or was just closed the only way I have to turn the torch off is to run around the back of the machine and kill the power.

Obviously not a great set up
Has anyone else had this problem and know how to resolve it?

Thanks!

It sounds like the torch is enabled with a low logic level.  When Mach closes, the output that enables the torch goes low and turns it on.  Did you build the machine or did someone else?  It sounds like the control integration needs some love in any case.  But that is just what it sounds like to me.  It could be a problem with whatever controller you are using to drive the outputs as well.  Whatever the case, you want the machine to be "safe" with all outputs at their logic low levels.  Because if Mach is not running, it cannot hold the output high. 

Steve

and doesn't your machine have an estop? it should be wired to some type of circuit that electrically and mechanically disables your outputs and any possible motion. You should be in an estop condition whenever you close Mach4 because regardless of how Mach4 turns IO on/off, its not running so technically there is no control over the IO at this point. Even if you have a motion card that should turn off everything if it loses communication, thats not considered control. And if you are using an output thats HIGH when the controlled device is OFF, then its also an incorrect wiring installation for this type of device if its a safety related issue.  Bob

We had an issue with the smoothstepper doing this.
Anytime the Smoothstepper did not have control of Mach our outputs turned on.  All of them. 
We got away from the ESS and started using the HiCON before I really dove into how to stop this from happening; a charge pump is something I was thinking about when this was a big issue.

an estop into the ESS would have been a better option... and the estop should remove power from either the ESS outputs or the devices themselves. I believe the estop into the ESS will disable the outputs but I suppose the setup also may play a part.. if you setup the ESS to default the outputs to ON and held them low from MACH in code, then you would have a similar issue. Again, bad idea to design any system without a physical estop that places the hardware and IO in a safe condition. Bob

As long as you have your outputs ran through the e stop for control.
Also, that wouldn’t have helped us.
That would require you to have to press the e stop when an issue occurs. Still wouldn’t have fixed our issue.   Our grinding motors would come on our knife grinders.  So… the machine could be sitting idle not doing anything (yeah sure, press the e stop before you walk away, but in reality operators won’t always do that) and then the ess would lose control and everything come on.
Besides, that’s like putting a bandaid on it instead of fixing the issue of why it occurs in the first place. 

understand.. but I've used the ESS and have never had this issue of outputs coming on.. so it also sounds like a setup issue .. or possibly a faulty ESS card. I'm going to run a test on my test setup just to see if I can duplicate the problem. Have you reached out to Warp9? They appear to be pretty good at responding to these types of issues. Bob 

It's been an issue with every single ESS that I have used (probably more than 15 of them); but it doesn't matter now, I use the HiCON for everything.  24V Logic, onboard relays for and 0-10V for spindle control, and no breakout boards to buy.  Not knocking the smootstepper, it's a good product, it's just the HiCON is more reliable for what we do.