Improvements on my machine

I have been trying to get my linuxcnc machine (qtplasmac plasma) to run a bit faster, and so far i have:

added a skip IHS to avoid probing within 150mm apart 
added a faster communication, currently running servos at 10m/min
will be adding a ohmic probe, to facilitate probing, but keeping the floatswitch.
my Z axis is still a nema23, but i will switch to a servo for faster operation.

With all this, i still feel that i could increase the speed of the machine a lot, simply by making the Z axis move up (after cutting something) simultaneously with moving to the next start-cut position. and also the descend movement to the next start-cut position, could be possibly started before reaching the next start-cut position. A lot like fiber laser machines do.
Could this be achieved via HAL, or by simply modifying the g-code?

I would accept any suggestions!

Also, is it possible to make pierce delay higher than 10 seconds? this would be useful for my oxy-fuel machine, as i need to consider a higher pre-heat time for some thick plates.

sorry for the low quality pic, this forum doesn't allow videos.

Thank you.

There is no reason why you can't get fast probing happening even with a Z axis driven by a  Nema23 stepper motor. But you really need higher voltage on your motor (eg 60 volt or higher) to get faster velocities  and acceleration 48 volts can be OK too. I did not change any code to do this.
It worked for me


Ohmic probing, low probe height, faster probe velocity and allow the float switch to soak up overtravel (but there is a tradeoff here as back away is slow.)
Also, 10 m/min is still really slow for rapids, no reason why it can't be 30 m/min or even higher.

Its encouraging to finally hear a user interested in productivity. So many videos I see are as slow as a wet week! Time is money!

The machine in question is really big. 18 meters work area. Hence the gantry is heavy and so is the 200A torch. The frame is full steel.
The servos of xxy are 750w with 1:20 reduction

I’m on a mission to make this machine as fast , effective and reliable as possible. The nema23 z just isn’t strong enough, and my next step is to enable multi axis chamfer cutting with a few post processor tweaks and a crazy strong z axis.

Thank you rodw. Any way we can get into contact?

Interested in your oxy/fuel setup. Do you use a separate qtplasmac configuration for that?

Yes exactly. My setup consists of up/down ohmic thc, probing with a separate compressed air piston with a floating head and Spring (yes) , at the Start of gcode output4 triggers, turning on the preheat valves. The automatic igniter spark and valve triggers with a timer for 5sec. I have Then output 5 doing arc On, and it triggers the probe piston up, and sets physical timer to, after 10s, set the cutting oxygen valve ON. The point is to make it preheat the material without oxygen on. This is why i want the higher pierce times. The preheat time i can regulate with my relay timer.

The up-down thc is not yet being done by the ohmic thc, as i havent set this up yet. Its using the up/down as buttons i press..

edit: really close to the oxytorch i have a piston that presses down a small mechanism which is spring loaded and, when it hits the plate, it triggers a position sensor 300mm above. Its cool trust me

i dont see why changing parameters on pierce delay would change anything like this.

could you further elaborate please?

santy wrote:

Thank you rodw. Any way we can get into contact?

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