Mesa THCAD

rodw wrote: If you follow PCW's advice, you could simplify this with something like a Beckhoff EL3101 which gives you the same 0-10 volt sensing range as the THCAD infosys.beckhoff.com/english.php?content...l31xx/index.html&id=
BUt I know nothing about this stuff. There are heaps of analog voltage sensors, just some of the look pretty slow v's the servo thread, this one looks fast enough and is 16 bit

Thanks for that Rod,

I will price that module this week.

remember this part needs to handle the 5000V at torch fireup save shielded against your control

so do not experiment with things not made up for THC Plasma

THCAD does work with incremental encoder inputs, but the mode has to be changed to just counting up or down on a single channel. With Mesa that is done by setting the encoder mode to 1 I think, not sure, so please do check that. Since using Linuxcnc on both mentioned hardware I see no reason for it not to work.

Pl7i92
Not 5000, from 15000 to 30000V for a pilot arc. I have set aside some high voltage transformers with attached electronics to do some testing when and if I do manage to get some spare time. Also found some voltage to frequency converter chips that I want to test as a THC, they should work with parallel port also even with latency of 100000 at full scale. That will be just a proof of concept, as for the price of a THCAD I would not spend the time to build one. That started before I got my hands on a THCAD, so now it is on a back burner.
Total cost for the THC would be a bit over 15$ plus the time to assemble and wire it, if not electrocuted during wiring! Also the resolution is a bit lower than THCAD.
The pilot arc start transformer thingies I will be needing to make 4 plasma cutters @35A from a Thermal Dynamics 140A I have collecting dust, it has 4 separate power sources stacked on top of each other, but they do need some other control stuff and connectors and valves etc.
To many projects, no time, I do need to sleep from time to time.

pl7i92 wrote: remember this part needs to handle the 5000V at torch fireup save shielded against your control

so do not experiment with things not made up for THC Plasma

Thats my biggest concern regarding modules that are not strictly designed for THC, I think I will just go with the THCAD and get it to work on a ethercat system.

tommylight wrote: To many projects, no time, I do need to sleep from time to time.

Thanks for that Tom,

Yeah I know what you mean, Ive got at least a dozen projects ranging from motor bikes to home renovations that I need to get to but there is just not enough time in the day!

I will buy the Ethercat components and test them soon and report back with results.

FYI, i have 2 Yamaha bikes, last few days the weather was very good, but the bikes are still parked! They both need oil change and some maintenance, so time.
THCAD is worth every peny (or cent ), especially in conjuction with Linuxcnc.

Hi thefabricator03,
I'm looking for options to connect THC300 to my ethercat system, do you have any proven option ?, thanks.
Regards
Chimeno

I guess the question is can you get a simple frequency counter device (say an encoder interface that can run in counter mode and provides velocity data)

Hi PCB, thanks, I'll see what devices are available.
Regards
Chimeno

chimeno wrote: Hi thefabricator03,
I'm looking for options to connect THC300 to my ethercat system, do you have any proven option ?, thanks.
Regards
Chimeno

Hi Chimeno,

I have brought a module to test if I can get a THCAD to work on a Ethercat system,

www.brunner-innovation.swiss/product/ethercat-io/

It has two incremental encoder inputs that I was hoping to get two THCADS working with it. It was 349 Euro plus 125 Euro shipping to Australia.

The other option I was looking at was a Beckoff Incremental encoder module, It is not cheap at $600AUD per THCAD so I have not brought one to test.

At this stage I have done no testing yet, I was hoping to do more when I get my Ethercat servos next year.