Snuggly's Plasma Build

The power supply for the Proma should not be connected to TB3 pin 12 on your 7i96!

Connect the common output terminal on the Proma to the same +24V supply as your homing switches use. The return for that power supply should be connect to TB2 Pin 12.

Tommy has used Proma's more than anyone so if he says you don't need an isolated power supply for it then you most likely don't. My suggestion was based on the manual that says don't connect the - power supply connection to the output common as meaning no common power connections between the Proma and your controls. Not knowing all of the internal circuitry of the Proma I would want to power it with an isolated supply to protect my controls from any potential galvanic connection to the plasma cutter.

John

I realized that I had made that mistake this morning; I was distracted by a plumbing emergency last night. I've changed the Proma's common pin to the 24v gnd.

How many times? The Proma output common pin should be connected to the +24V, the same as your homing switches.

John

islander261 wrote:

How many times? The Proma output common pin should be connected to the +24V, the same as your homing switches.

John

Please stop and think about this. There are 3 signals output from the Proma that need to go to inputs on your 7i96. Internally, the proma has a relay for each of these outputs that connect to the Proma common.

Your 7i96 inputs are enabled when they receive +24volts. So you need to give the Proma +24 volts on the common pin so the relays can switch +24v to your inputs. Until you do that nobody can help you.

So these relays are designed to totally isolate the signalling side from the Proma THC and there is no connection between these signals and anything else going on inside of the Proma.

SUCCESS!!!

Proma up/down & arc-ok signal stabilized. Independent power supply and putting Proma common to -24V did the trick.

Only problems that I need help addressing are:
1; Float switch throws a joint 3 limit when actuated
2; Z axis doesn't jog when Proma is in test mode.

As soon as those two problems are solved I'll get my hands on a hypertherm powermax30 XP

Can you post your config files again? There have been a few versions.

I suspect your 2nd issue is by design and I don't see it as being anything to worry about as it is simulated cutting. Jogging is disabled when running a program.

Doe the error actually print an error message about it being a limit switch error and not estop?

Can you run linuxcnc from the command line and see what error messages are printed on Issue #1

Absolutely, I'll post them here shortly.

the float throws an "joint_3_limit" error, I'll run it from a command line and get the error message as well.

Hello

The connections for both are on adjacent pins on TB3 so check for wiring errors.

The original TOMA configuration doesn't have any homing or limit switch connections in the hal and so having any Z limit in the normal motion parts may be a problem. Try commenting out line 228 in Hays_Plasma_2018-12-10_edited_JDM.hal, change to #net max-home-z => joint.3.pos-lim-sw-in. Of course this will remove the limit switch action when you are actually cutting or jogging. In THC.hal the net TriggerLimit is connected to all of the joint.3. limit and home switch inputs so if there is a logic problem with the THC.hal it can cause this error to be asserted. It is beyond me why you would connect all joint.3.pos-lim-sw-in and joint.3.neg-lim-sw-in and joint.3.home-sw-in to a common source. You can use a Halmeter to look at the float switch signal in the THC.hal and see if it is doing what you think it should.

John

@PCW: Here are the current files I've been working with. I wasn't able to grab the "joint 3 on limit" error from terminal.

@ Islander: yeah I was just looking at that myself, i'll definitely try what you suggested. It's not a big deal to home the Z.

I can't jog my Z axis anymore, we'll see if that's a problem after my float is sorted.

snugglylovemuffin wrote:

I can't jog my Z axis anymore, we'll see if that's a problem after my float is sorted.

There is nothing in your config that might connect your floatswitch with a limit switch so look for a wiring error. If you are on the limit switch, you need to click ignore limits before you can jog. Or power off the steppers and clear by hand.