THCAD-10

I am still having same problems with the THC working properly...

When attempting to perform cut with thc-pid active the machine goes through all the motions up to following the tool path...There it goes haywire...

I initialize the start arrow button with a tool path to be cut...The machine then properly performs a touch off, then moves to proper pierce height...The arc then starts and the torch moves to proper cut height, then almost immediately or upon first movement onto the tool path, the torch quickly raises and loses its arc...

I am just guessing but it seems to me that the THC is actually working, thereby causing the torch to raise to the point where the arc is lost...There is so little time between the events that I cannot get any useful data from the hal configuration... Another guess is that my THC settings are not properly tuned...The scale offset value is the only value that I am confident with as that value (118000) was taken from the sticker on the back of the THCAD-10...

Any input is welcome...Either I am not seeing something of settings are incorrect, or something that I do not even suspect...

Thanks in advance
Mike

When things are too fast to see, halscope will show you what is happening...

Other things to check:

Did you check the THCAD output voltage frequency or voltage (a 9V battery works here)

Note that the encoder scale sign must be right or the THCAD output in hal will have the wrong polarity (read negative)

The 118000 offset frequency only applies in 1X mode so if you use a THCAD divided mode you must scale this appropriately

PCW...Any tips or relevant how to's for calculating the scale?
I have not checked the output voltage frequency...Can you point me in the right direction to a howto for doing this check?

Tommylight...I think I just learned something here from you on the actual voltage...

Thanks to you both
Mike

Can you post your existing hal/ini files?

PCW, sure can provide them...

The plasma.hal file is pretty much stripped down and contains mostly motion related data...The postgui contains mostly the pins and connections to the display panel...The thc.hal file is where most all of the THC related parts are...

Thanks in advance

I dont see that the encoder scale is set anywhere

If the thc-pid comp expects positive numbers and direct frequency inputs you probably need to set the encoder scale to -1

You can easily check if frequency is positive with halmeter

I am back at home right now PCW...I will have to get back at it tomorrow...

I have followed JT's setup pretty much to the "T" or so I believe, and I believe JT developed the thc-pid component, so I am making the assumption that all is as it should be with his component...I don't know what to do or say about setting the encoder scale as I see no reference to it in JT's files, unless I just don't recognize it...

thanks bunches PCW
Mike

PCW, I have re-read the THCAD-10 pdf manual several times now and have some questions...

In the calibration section, if I comprehend this correctly, the output frequency at 0V is given from the sticker on back of THCAD-10 card (118,000 = FZERO)...The output frequency for 10V is also provided on card (924,000 = FFS)...In the given formula FZERO is subtracted from FFS providing a resultant (806,000)...

I am only assuming that VFS has in this case the value of 10...

Now it gets fuzzy to me in that within the encoder setup portion of the thc.hal file, I have the "scale offset" as 118,000...My present opinion is that I am incorrect as to the use of what I have set as the "scale offset" number...

Again, I make an assumption, that FOUT is somehow arrived at by using a 9V battery on the input side of the THCAD-10 but I am uncertain...I am not electrical guru but I can follow simple instructions...What I read on the pdf is not clear to me...

Any guidance would be appreciated and I am sure I will have more questions...

Mike