dthc

[rikduk]

When dthc is active, and m03 command is issued, the torch wont move until the arc ok signal is received. i still want that.
But is it possible to have movement on the z axis while the x and y are locked waiting for arc ok?

Thanks

Richard

Bulltear 5x10
sheetcam
mach3 dthcII with DCC

[beefy]

From what I've read it's not possible WHILE the THC is turned on. When THC is on, Mach locks motion until it recieves the "arc ok" signal.

Keith.

[vmax549]

Could be IF you could explain WHY you want this there may be a work around. I cannot think of any reason to MOVE until the arc is established except to do a drag start on a non countor line to help prevent the divot and THAT has nothing to do with moving Z.

Just a thought, (;-) TP

[beefy]

Terry,

I've often thought of having the torch moving slowly during a pierce on an open line in an attempt to reduce the round pierce hole you get. Every time I see open line cuts, you've got the round hole at the beginning of the line.

No idea if it would work. Maybe instead of a round hole at the start you'd end up with a fatter short line where the pierce is.

Keith.

[tcaudle]

When dthc is active, and m03 command is issued, the torch wont move until the arc ok signal is received. i still want that.
But is it possible to have movement on the z axis while the x and y are locked waiting for arc ok?

Thanks

Richard

Bulltear 5x10
sheetcam
mach3 dthcII with DCC

Only if you are in Manual Mode with DTHC OFF. The object of not moving with no arc is to prevent it from doing an "Air cut, running off and the THC would error off because the volts are out or range.

You can do "funny " pierces in SheetCAm (ramped lead in etc) but they really messes up the process and the results are pretty ugly. The objective of piercing is to get full penetration of the material before you start lateral motion so the edge of the flame is doing the cutting. You can do a controlled pierce (soft pierce) at a lower current if you have the Hypertherm RS485 serial port option but its not much advantage on thinner material. One thing that might help on thinner material (14ga and less) is to set your pierce height just a tad higher than the cut height (say .07 pierce height) so there is no delay from the Z plunge time and it starts moving almost as soon as the torch comes on.

[rikduk]

Thanks guys,
my problem is i have a hypertherm hsd 130, and on every pierce, theres a 1.5 sec. preflow.
i can get around it by activating "hold' on the plasma with M08, then output M03. I still need 1.5 sec.preflow, after this, this is why i activate it before moving to the hole.
Now, as soon as i release hold, ( M09) the plasma starts immediately..

I got the torch moving by deactivating thc, then reactivating it just before piercing a hole. (problem solved)

Now, after each hole, i have this:
M05 torch off
M101 thc off
M08 hold
M03 torch on

And it takes forever for mach to execute it.
Is there a way to execute multiple macros? or faster?

thanks

[vmax549]

When I have artsy stuff to do with a LOT of lines that are not contour lines I use a process know as the flying start. I have a relay that is activated by a Mcode that connects the ArkOK signal as ON all the time that way when the m3 starts the torch mach3 starts to move doing a flying start. This helps eliminate the divot cause by the delay in motion. NOW this will ONLY work with thin gauge metals. DO NOT use it with fractional size metal as it will make a mess. With thin guage stuff it burns through so fast you do not need ANY delay to start motion. ON contours that absolutley have to connect you turn off the relay and it goes back to normal. Same with fractional sheets.

GEES with that plasma unit you would NEVER get anything done that is artsy stuff with many hundreds of pierces and several secs of delay with each pierce.

(;-) TP

[vmax549]

You may want to contact HT and see if there is a setting or relay to force the torch to have post flow on all the time . It would save some cycle time to just let it run. Not a big deal for industrial cutting but artsy stuff you would save a lot of time if it could be done.

(;-) TP