THC plasma configs, with HOW TO.

forum.linuxcnc.org/plasma-laser/35449-another-plasma-component
linuxcnc.org/docs/devel/html/plasma/plasmac-user-guide.html

Please use the above config for plasma machines as it has all the possible features included.
Thank you PhillC.



Several different configs for Plasma cutters with simple THC that output UP/DOWN/ARCOK signals and for THCAD, one is for stepper motor driven machine using parallel port, the other is for a servo driven machine with one stepper driving the Z axis using 5i25/7i77 for servo and parallel port for the stepper control. Added for Mesa cards, added for a full servo system with Mesa 5i25/7i77, added for THCAD etc.
Most of the instructions are included in the files, but here is some short info on the usage and capabilities:
-You have to edit the hal and ini files for it to work on your machine as every machine has differences.
-Make sure that the values you enter correspond to your machine.
-Use a text editor like Nano, Gedit, Pluma, Geany, do not use word processors like openoffice.
-Use Inkscape for drawings and conversion to gcode, using gcodetools included with Inksape, set the Z height to 0 in the gcodetools configuration window.
===Features and capabilities===
-Fully automated torch height control for plasma cutting.
-Does not require any post processor.
-Uses gcode directly exported from Inkscape.
-Does not need any touch off, subroutines or remapping.
-Does not require using offsets
-Settable pierce height
-Settable cut height
-Settable THC speed
-Settable pierce delay
-Settable pierce gap
-Corner lock with settable threshold
===How it works===
-At every M3 it does the following:
--move the torch down till it trips the floating switch
--move the torch up to the height set in the "Sw.Travel" plus the "Pierce gap"
--fire the torch and wait for ARCOK signal
--wait for the Pierce delay if set
--move to the cut height and commence motion

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if the signal for ARCOK fails ( miss fire ), it will retry the number of times set at the bottom of the ini file

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if it looses the ARCOK signal while cutting, it will stop motion and retry to fire the torch
===Requirements===
-Must have floating head with a switch. For ideas please visit:
www.youtube.com/channel/UCS0X88R7n7P2jIFwhIkw2Qw/videos

For more info, use this thread and please ask for anything that is not clear before complaining.
Do not send e-mails, i will not reply to them.

Added a version for 2.8pre, it is cleaned up and easier to edit, use with parallel port and Up/Down/ArcOK
Updated READ ME

Added a full servo version for 5i25/7i77, use for servo motors on all axis, Up/Down/ArcOk, named plasmats
Added a config for Mesa cards using stepgens. Config named "plasmat" Up/Down/ArcOk
Added a config for Mesa cards using stepgens. Config named, THCAD. Has also provisions for generating ARCOK signal from the preset min/max voltage, so no wiring for arcok needed.

WARNING : All configs need a bit of editing to work with your hardware, most have explanations, so do some reading before testing on actual hardware.
When posting questions, please do include all the informations about your machine.
All configs are for Linuxcnc 2.8pre, they come with NO liability, implicit or otherwise, and are provided as is under GPL.

Thank you Grotius,
It does have arc lost already and it will stop motion after a period that can be set in the ini file (usually 0.2 to 0.3 seconds so it does not go far when it loses the arc ), it is at the bottom of the ini.
In case it retries for the set number of times in ini and does not get the ARCOK signal ( usually happens when the plasma gets overheated and needs to cool down or when the air pressure gets to low ) it will trigger an e-stop and switch off everything, including the drives if they are wired properly.
As for glade, i would love to give it a try, but i just do not have time for it. Am working as general manager at a local factory and building 4 machines at the same time from scratch, working on another retrofit, finished another one two weeks ago, etc.

This is the last retrofit i did on an ESAB Ultrarex UXD-P 2500, it uses servo drives controlled by Mesa 6i25/7i77 with the added stepper drive for the Z axis connected to parallel port. Proma THC used for torch height control as they have proven very reliable. Also added to "show your stuff" thread with youtube video of it working.
forum.linuxcnc.org/show-your-stuff/34986...nuxcnc-and-proma-thc
This one uses the config uploaded at the beginning of this thread.



And this is the control panel.



Regards,
Tom

Grotius wrote:

Tom, thanks for your work dude.
Which person are you on the picture? the right one?

I am the one behind the camera !
BTW, in the picture under my user name, that is my foot in a dogs mouth !
I think my picture is in my profile besides a KUKA KR150 robot, leme check......yup i am still there leaning on that poor robot !

Thank you, but i am good with KUKA, hell i hacked them to function stand alone even when they are not built for that. I have the same nick name on the robot-forum.com.
The dog chewing on my foot is not mine, i own a 50 KG rottweiler.