Linux/CommandCNC - Z Loosing position during cutting

[exapprentice]

Hi

Any one come across the Z zero / cut heights on longish cuts loosing position using Linux/CommandCNC?

I have just watched my machine cut a part and during the cuts the torch would do its touch of routine on every new pierce and noticed on some cuts the torch would dive at the end of the cut, not enough for the torch to go below material top but a definite dive (I do have the VAD ticked so I am assuming that The VAD is catching the move?)

During the touch off's watching the Z DRO it does seem to zero out and go to pierce height but its hard to watch both the DRO and the torch at the same time so I cannot say what is actually going on at that point

(my assumption is that after I have homed the Z at the start of the job and the file starts it does its own home/zero routine on each new pierce? or is it using the original home routine?)

When it started the last cut (it was a longer cut than any of the others in the file) I noticed that the Z DRO starting climbing up so instead of cut height (0.5 mm) it was going up and finished at 54 mm
Now I am not sure where the increase happened as I was not on the ball at that time but I did notice the numbers increasing during the cut

My Z is pretty subdued and I do not think its a acceleration/ step issue as I learned very early on not to push these to the limit and preferred a slower more precise style rather than flat out and getting errors which has worked for me so far
I am not using any ohmic sensing just the Standard floating Z axis with switch off set

I would think if there was another cut after this point then the torch would have tried to go way past the top of the material into the machine
so it does seem to me it is like the Z touch of routine does not re-zero on each touch off and does rely on the original homing before the start of the file if that makes sense

anybody have any ideas on what to check or try or what might be causing this?

I will try and wait for some suggestions before cutting again and for any guidance that maybe available I think that CandCNC are on 4th July hols at the moment

[acourtjester]

I don't have command CNC yet so this is just a logical though, with each touch off and Z set to zero it should not be looking back at your original Z zero at the start. Have you looked at the G-code where you have had the problem to see if it has the touch off commands for each cut start?
Are you able to run a G-code without the torch on to watch the cut operation (no wasting of material). I have a switch in my arc OK circuit so I can turn in on and run cut operations without the torch cutting (plasma unit is also off).

[tcaudle]

The support forum is not on holiday. Most of you assumptions are not correct. First a touch off (which is a PROBE function does NOT zero the Z it simply sets the offset in negative numbers so it knows how far to lift to do the rapid clearance. The dive at the end has to be from the torch slowing down (Velocity) and the VAD will catch it but it needs to see the % slowdown you have set before it locks.
You still have the option to use a cut rule to turn the DTHC off Before the End of the cut if it seems you cannot set the VAD to do it for you .

ALSO...the Z DRO during a cut is not a true reflection of the actual position of the Z. If you will look at the code you will see a call to a sub routine called "endofCut" where it takes the accumulated moves and settles up with the DRO. Only if you are losing steps or the Z is not moving when the motor is spining will it get out of sync. The next touch off will correct it though.

We prefer not to use PS for doing one on one support. You can use our direct email (yes its checked on weekends and holidays or the support forum that gets check several times per day.

Have you found he Disable Torch button in CommandCNC? it disables the torch and the DTHC so you can do a "air" cut . You don't even have to turn off your plasma and you don't need to fool the ARC OK since with the Disable torch its ignored