Snuggly's Plasma Build

Please make a drawing, videos are really only good for illustrating motion plus they are hard to make notes on to reflect changes.

John

Pinouts ordered according to soft series. Pins 0-7 are all independen switches wired Normally Closed w/ -24v to Switch COM, and +24V to TB3 COM

Relay is wired directly to the Plasma's trigger circuit as expected.

I'm not worried about z homing, figured it would be nice is all; if it's not going to work I may use it as an estop.

@Islander, I'll give you a heads up on the errors; I've tried to copy text and take shots of the error screen without success previously, I'll look for a screenshot function under accessories like you suggested.

I'm running LNCNC Master 2.8

Any suggestions on where I can get some better (wider & beefier) drive belts?

Thanks Andy, I'll have to order up some 10mm belts from Amazon and just go to rack and pinion on the next build.

So I've got everything calibrated and I'm back to work on the machine. I put a few images into inkscape and tried a few different techniques on how to generate gcode from an image but all the things I've tried come up with no gcode or a milltask gcode unsuitable for plasma.

@tommylight & Grotius, how are you guys generating gcode from images w/ Inkscape?

I am using the gcode tools in inkscape:

size document, import image, trace bitmap, zero image. With layer selected:
object to path (shift-ctrl-c)
Dynamic offset (ctrl-j)
gcodetools - tool library - plasma (modify z section to M03 only)
gcodetools - prepare path for plasma
gcodetools - path to gcode

I've tried a few things and this ^ did create a readable file, but it failed to show any coordinates beyond zero

I'll give sheetcam a try. Looked at the gcode generated from inkscape with a program called "basic 3D viewer" and the file looks fine. Weird.

Using Gcodetools for plasma is neither straight forward or intuitive. I used it for a few years before I bought Sheetcam, it does work and when dialed in produces better code than SC for plasma when working from Inkscape.

Start with a real simple part that you can hand code path for. A simple box with circle is best, no more than two cuts. Both paths need to be on the same layer. Then go to File/Document Properties/Page and select Resize page to properties. Also make sure you are set to work in inches on the same page. Now your drawing should be bounded by a page the size of the drawing with 0,0 in the lower left corner. That should have your work ready for Gcodetools. I think Tommy may have had a patch for plasma use in one of his packages. I know when I used it I had to patch the code to get it to produce usable code which still usually required hand editing, this was with a proprietary controller not LCNC.

Next go to Extensions/Gcodetools/Orientation points and set your parameters. Choose Apply and you will get a message box complaining that you didn't select a path and it will be using all paths on all layers.

Next go to Extensions/Gcodetools/Tools library and select plasma tool and then apply. Same as before.

Select the box shape and go to Extensions/Gcodetools/Prepare path for plasma and set parameters. Use Create in-out path and set leadin and leadout length. Set type for Tangent. and hit apply. This time it should work on the selected path.

Select the circle shape and go to Extensions/Gcodetools/Prepare path for plasma and set parameters. Use Create in-out path and set leadin and leadout length. Set type for Perpendicular, and hit apply. This time it should work on the selected path.

Now on your drawing you should have a tool table and reference points generated by Gcodetools. Edit the text in the tool table to match your cutting parameters and set the prefix text to M3 and post text to M5.

Now finally go to Extensions/Gcodetools/Path to Gcode/Preferences and set your output file name, path, Z safe height, units and Round all values to 4 digits. Go to Extensions/Gcodetools/Path to Gcode/Path to Gcode and set depth function to d then hit Apply. With luck it will pop up a message box complaining about no selected paths and then go off and think a bit and you will have a Gcode file where you put it. Chances are you will need to hand edit the code to get it right for your machine. Chances are slim this will work the first time but is the general work flow.

You really need to use Google to find general instructions for using Inkscape and Gcodetools. Arclight Dynamics has some good videos about using Inkscape and SheetCam for plasma, the Inkscape part is good for drawing instruction.

Good luck this isn't easy if your not good figuring things out on your own with computer programs.

John

Thanks tommylight, looks like my problem was that I was trying to save the image manually. It's snowing outside so I'll get back to you guys when the weather lets up a bit and I can start cutting.