Torch does not complete all cuts?

[sweven]

The Trucut series one plasma cutter has continued to have cutting issues. It is now hooked up to its own air compressor, previously it was not, this solved any air pressure issues i previously had with cut quality.
When cutting, it will cut simple shapes like circles and stars, but once the torch lifts to cut an inside contour the torch either does not cut at all or cuts the inner contours partially.
When this happens the torch will continue to move but no plasma comes out, only air when the cut fails.
(consumables have been replaced several times as well)

I am unsure if this is an issue with THC or not, but I also emailed the manufacture and they have not gotten back to my email or calls, so I was wondering if anyone here knew what issue i keep running into

[sweven]

one fix ive seen is to clean plasma grounds
(the machine was also bought second hand with problems we wernt told about and have been trying to fix by trial and error)
as a newbie I have no idea how to properly do this, if this is actually a fix to my problem does anyone have any tips for me to go about cleaning the plasma grounds?

[robertspark]

it sounds like you have not enabled THC, because if you had then the machine would wait for the arcOK signal before moving and when it lost the ArcOK signal it would stop.

2020-01-13 13_11_50-How to setup Mach3.pdf.png

[sweven]

it sounds like you have not enabled THC, because if you had then the machine would wait for the arcOK signal before moving and when it lost the ArcOK signal it would stop.

2020-01-13 13_11_50-How to setup Mach3.pdf.png

The machine has a THC control box and i usually turn the THC on from there, but even when the THC is on it still continued to have the same problems, is there any other reason that this problem could happen?

[Old Iron]

Post some pics of the issues you're having, it'll make it easier to diagnose.

[robertspark]

it sounds like you have not enabled THC, because if you had then the machine would wait for the arcOK signal before moving and when it lost the ArcOK signal it would stop.

2020-01-13 13_11_50-How to setup Mach3.pdf.png

The machine has a THC control box and i usually turn the THC on from there, but even when the THC is on it still continued to have the same problems, is there any other reason that this problem could happen?

Are you using Mach3? If so, how does Mach3 know you have enabled THC?

(The machine may have a THC control box with a knob on it, but Mach3 needs to know when THC is active internally because there are some internal functions within Mach3 that Mach3 NEEDS to know when THC is active and when it is not)

[asuratman]

"there are some internal functions within Mach3 that Mach3 NEEDS to know when THC is active and when it is not"

Can we do it by programming ?

[robertspark]

Sure you just have a macro that turns THC on another that turns it off.... Each just needs 1 bit of code

Code: Select all

  THCOff() 

And

Code: Select all

   THCOn()    

Pdf page number 98 and 99

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... mmpFKYlNTb

[asuratman]

Only programming can do THC on/off ? Or we should have hardware to THC on/off, because on uccnc forum told us that we need Blow-back Non-HF Pilot Arc Plasma Cutting machine

[robertspark]

Only programming can do THC on/off ? Or we should have hardware to THC on/off, because on uccnc forum told us that we need Blow-back Non-HF Pilot Arc Plasma Cutting machine

??

Don't understand the question??

Uccnc is very different to mach3

[asuratman]

Do you think we can run cnc plasma with plasma cut50P ( it is plasma cutter with pilot arc but no cnc interface) such as this https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3298885 ... b201603_53

There is another type chinese plasma cut with cnc interface such as this : https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3305302 ... b201603_53

[acourtjester]

asyratman the second choice may be a tiny bit better as it is Blow-back start, but that's it. It says it works with CNC well there is no CPC jack for arc voltage and what they mean is you can hook to the start switch. Understand aliexpress is only a order house not the actual selling company.
I don't know where you live but I would not like to ship an item back to any of the shipping countries if you have a problem.
Look for a use Hypertherm unit if you cannot buy new better quality and the options needed for CNC connections.

[WyoGreen]

I'd shy away from that Chinese cutter. I just read a thread in another forum that the OP bought a Cut50 that was supposed to be a blow-back system, but but was a Hi-Freq system instead. He has been unable to get the plasma cutter to work with his table, the control computer crashes as soon as he operates the plasma cutter, even when not near his table.

[asuratman]

I know Hypertherm is verygood, but availabity in here, almost all chinese plasma. Maybe, by the time, when everything OK, I will purchase Hypertherm. My plan is 105. For now, I plan to use neuron and chinese plasma, I will do it asap.

[Jkroeker1881]

Sure you just have a macro that turns THC on another that turns it off.... Each just needs 1 bit of code

Code: Select all

  THCOff() 

And

Code: Select all

   THCOn()    

Hi Robert, I've been searching for an answer for THC on/off and I've found you twice now. You must be the man! I found one of your posts in machsupport.com under the thread "Mapping the path for M11 / M10 commands." I'm wondering if I could use the above code in my M10/M11 file to toggle THC on/off. Or, do I have to use your method from the other thread (from what I understand) and use M10/M11 to toggle output3 to toggle a relay to disable your THC

And if I do have to use option 2, I'd like to understand how you disable your THC

[robertspark]

Sure you just have a macro that turns THC on another that turns it off.... Each just needs 1 bit of code

Code: Select all

  THCOff() 

And

Code: Select all

   THCOn()    

Hi Robert, I've been searching for an answer for THC on/off and I've found you twice now. You must be the man! I found one of your posts in machsupport.com under the thread "Mapping the path for M11 / M10 commands." I'm wondering if I could use the above code in my M10/M11 file to toggle THC on/off. Or, do I have to use your method from the other thread (from what I understand) and use M10/M11 to toggle output3 to toggle a relay to disable your THC

And if I do have to use option 2, I'd like to understand how you disable your THC

what is your setup?

are you using mach3?

what motion controller are you using? some do not use m11/M10 as that is a function that is motion controller dependant, it is NOT a mach3 function.

in Mach 3 m11 turns the output on and m10 turns it off. in uccnc it works the other way around. mach4 and linuxcnc use m63 and m64

I have not used mach3 in many years and progressed to uccnc and linuxcnc now

[adbuch]

Sure you just have a macro that turns THC on another that turns it off.... Each just needs 1 bit of code

Code: Select all

  THCOff() 

And

Code: Select all

   THCOn()    

Hi Robert, I've been searching for an answer for THC on/off and I've found you twice now. You must be the man! I found one of your posts in machsupport.com under the thread "Mapping the path for M11 / M10 commands." I'm wondering if I could use the above code in my M10/M11 file to toggle THC on/off. Or, do I have to use your method from the other thread (from what I understand) and use M10/M11 to toggle output3 to toggle a relay to disable your THC

And if I do have to use option 2, I'd like to understand how you disable your THC

what is your setup?

are you using mach3?

what motion controller are you using? some do not use m11/M10 as that is a function that is motion controller dependant, it is NOT a mach3 function.

in Mach 3 m11 turns the output on and m10 turns it off. in uccnc it works the other way around. mach4 and linuxcnc use m63 and m64

I have not used mach3 in many years and progressed to uccnc and linuxcnc now

[Jkroeker1881]

what is your setup?

are you using mach3?

what motion controller are you using? some do not use m11/M10 as that is a function that is motion controller dependant, it is NOT a mach3 function.

in Mach 3 m11 turns the output on and m10 turns it off. in uccnc it works the other way around. mach4 and linuxcnc use m63 and m64

I have not used mach3 in many years and progressed to uccnc and linuxcnc now

Setup: 5x5 Table with gantry, A machmotion setup, which is Mach3, Apollo1 motion controller, Teco 3000 rpm servos, THC-301d, and a Powermax 65 Plasma Supply

Unfortunately, support for most of this stuff is out the window.. The attachment is a picture of a Mach Motion specific G-Code list that shows some M-codes. As you can see, M10 and M11 are missing; however, there is an .xml file machmotion provided. This profile has M10 and M11.m1s files in the macros folder that look like this:

M10:
rem #define DIGTRIGGER 0

rem #define ENABLE1 1

rem #define ENABLE2 2

rem #define ENABLE3 3

rem #define ENABLE4 4

rem #define ENABLE5 5

rem #define ENABLE6 6

rem #define EXTACT1 7

rem #define EXTACT2 8

rem #define EXTACT3 9

rem the following activated signal 9 (EXTACT3)

ActivateSignal( 9 )

Excuse me while I address something you said, "some do not use m11/M10 as that is a function that is motion controller dependant" Does this mean I should not mess with this code in the M10/M11 file?

[robertspark]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... mjr84Ra4Gr

I'll come back to this later as I've got to do something else first

[robertspark]

Jkroeker1881

I am going to have to do this over a few posts as I'm busy with other things.

Looking at the earlier link I posted for the MachMotion Apollo 1 breakout board.
It is actually an LPT breakout board (which is good for MAch3)
i.e. it does not use USB / ethernet to power the board.
Provided you are still using an LPT port on the PC and are NOT using a USB >> LPT adapter it will work well for your needs.

If you are using a USB >> LPT device then the below may not apply.

Mach3 was designed for LPT interface, hence M11/M10 actually works directly and correctly best with an LPT board
(also the inbuilt THC plugin / module will work too!) .... but you have a separate THC (THC-301d) so that is taken care of separately.

To use M10/M11, define your outputs that you wish to use in Mach3, and then in the M10/M11 macros' check that you are using the same Mach 3 port numbers.

It should work just fine to toggle those defined outputs. {I'll get on the other PC later and post some screenshots, again I will need to do this in bits of info / posts}

[robertspark]

There are two ways that M11/M10 can work in Mach3, when the change occurred I am not sure:

Old way:
Try setting output #1 as your torch fire signal (or something else you can toggle to test the output)

Then try the following gcode:
G92 Z0
G0 Z0.001
M11P1
G0 Z0
G4 P1
M10P1

The above gcode will set your Z axis with a temporary offset where it presently is.
It will then move the Z axis 0.001 inch / mm
It will then turn on M11P1 (Output 1)
It will then move the Z axis back to zero (back 0.001 inch / mm)
It will wait either a second or 10th of a second (because of the loops in Mach3)
And then turn off Output 1

The "Newer" way:
Open up the M10.m1s and M11.m1s macros using a text editor (notepad / notepad++ etc).

in M10.m1s scroll down to the last lines and change the default macro code from:
ActivateSignal( 9 )
to:
DeActivateSignal(OUTPUT1)

in M11.m1s scroll down to the last lines and change the default macro code from:
DeActivateSignal( 9 )
to:
ActivateSignal(OUTPUT1)

Then run the above gcode..... it "should" work.... if not then I don't know {you may need an M3 to be active already..... this is the way that it works with the Smooth Stepper and also UCCNC too}..... just add an M3 to the start of the gcode and try again.

You will then need to change the output to match the THC on and THC off signals

Please note, in order for M10/M11 to work there must be a motion control command (G0, G1, G2 or G3) directly after it or it won't be recognised!

[Jkroeker1881]

Jkroeker1881

I am going to have to do this over a few posts as I'm busy with other things.

Oh man, Thank you! I should of gotten back sooner though, I could've saved a little typing. A couple of hours ago, I was messing with some code and got something to work without having to mess with outputs. I'll post a quick answer following by a longer explanation so others can see.

I picked up this M-Code from Machmotion: M244.m1s https://support.machmotion.com/books/so ... path-rules

M244 looks like this:
'Torch Height Control On/Off
'This button uses led 24
DoOEMButton(TorchHeightControlToggle)

Except this code didn't work. With one modification it worked:

Modified M244:
"
#Expand "C:\Mach3\MachMotionMacros\HeaderFiles\CopyRightAndLicenseNotice"
#Expand "C:\Mach3\MachMotionMacros\HeaderFiles\MachMotionConstantsHeader"

'Torch Height Control On/Off
'This button uses led 24
DoOEMButton(TorchHeightControlToggle)
"
This is quite specific to me because of the extra machmotion directories. The TorchHeightControlToggle is a constant from the machmotionconstantsheader folder which is particular to I believe my set, se1 and xml file.

I haven't been able to test a cut out yet, but it does toggle the THC ON/OFF button on the screen while in motion. So that's good, and I think it will work. Just need a to make a more difficult cut so my Sheetcam path rules actually apply