Anything new?

[Doc Hollywood]

Hey folks,
Anybody hear anything new coming down the pike for plasmacam? I really want to buy a new one, but I don't want to pull the trigger too soon, and buy the last of a model that's going to be phased out...Dhc2 has been out for a few years now, also, I'm wondering if we're going to see a departure from the printer cable hook-up, I think their the last company still using that?...what do you all think or hear?
Cheers, Jay

[jimcolt]

My DHC2 is about 8 years old.....the software has been updated (Design Edge) which (for me) was a huge improvement especially on the CAD (drawing) end. They introduced a 2 x 2 (GoTorch brand) machine. Other than that I have not heard of any new offerings......you could contact the PlasmaCam sales manager (Dan) and ask him if there was anything new in the not too distant future.

The main reason PlasmaCam sticks with the parallel port (old printer port) is because they are using servo drives with real time encoder feedback. Most other low cost machines use stepper drives with no position feedback. The communication with servos/encoders requires high speed, bi directional communication....which a parallel port can do....and a USB port cannot do. Industrial machines have mostly switched over to a more ethernet like communication that can handle the speeds and the need for bi directional data. I suspect that will be a future PlasmaCam option.....but I have not heard anything about its development.

Personally I have not had any issues with getting computers (both new and used) that have an internal parallel port.

Jim Colt

[Doc Hollywood]

Jim, now that you mention the parallel port, yes, that makes sense! I knew that, just forgot that they are setup that way.
I'd like to see an Ethernet option, is it true that Ethernet cable is less susceptible to interference?
Thanks! Jim, Your the man!
Jay

[drakus]

For the most part, almost any cable shielded or unshieled is susceptible to interference - depending on how much noise is around and how powerful the noise is. If you run your cables correctly, you will not get any interference.

If you pay the money and get a better quality cable with Multi/Cable MultiShield "foil & braid" Shield is the best cable shield you can get.

For extremely noisy environments and where physical strength is a factor, multiple shielding layers (foil/braid) are recommended. Multi/Cable MultiShield "foil & braid" Shield uses triple laminate (aluminum/polyester/aluminum) foil with drain one AWG size smaller than insulated conductors plus overall tinned copper braid for increased physical strength and superior shielding from signal interference. In multiconductor cables, individual pairs are sometimes foil shielded to provide crosstalk protection between the pairs.

For more info on cable shields visit here

http://www.multicable.com/Content/Signa ... elding.asp

[jimcolt]

We use Ethernet like (they are slightly different protocol, but same connector and cable) on our newest industrial plasma systems and cnc controls, and the plasma's used on those are all high frequency start....way noisier (RF noise) as compared to the air plasma systems that use blowback start technology. We do use shielded high quality ethernet cables...

Jim

Jim, now that you mention the parallel port, yes, that makes sense! I knew that, just forgot that they are setup that way.
I'd like to see an Ethernet option, is it true that Ethernet cable is less susceptible to interference?
Thanks! Jim, Your the man!
Jay

[cindy carlisle]

The main reason PlasmaCam sticks with the parallel port (old printer port) is because they are using servo drives with real time encoder feedback. Most other low cost machines use stepper drives with no position feedback. The communication with servos/encoders requires high speed, bi directional communication....which a parallel port can do....and a USB port cannot do. Industrial machines have mostly switched over to a more ethernet like communication that can handle the speeds and the need for bi directional data. I suspect that will be a future PlasmaCam option.....but I have not heard anything about its development.

Personally I have not had any issues with getting computers (both new and used) that have an internal parallel port.

Jim Colt

Ethernet communication is many times faster than parallel port...and there are low cost Ethernet control options out there. For PlasmaCAM to go to Ethernet would require a hardware/software overhaul. All of our controls are now Ethernet. We use an external motion controller which can drive either stepper, DC servo drives or AC servo drives. Everything, even servos, work better using Ethernet communication. Motion is smoother and more accurate than PP control. Look at the pulse train from a parallel port and a good Ethernet motion controller on a scope and you can see the difference. Pulse timing on the PP is all over the place.

You can add a parallel port to any PC so the fact that you can't buy one anymore with an on-board port isn't a big deal. It's more of an issue for Mach3 users. The Mach3 parallel port driver was never updated to run on 64 bit PC's and 32 bit PC's are not available new any more. You can still buy them used, but eventually the supply will dry up. Ethernet control allows the use of any PC. We've even tested using Win8 tablets.