Another plasma component...
Basically you just monitor motion.current-vel and if it falls be low a threshold (say 90% of the original cut velocity), you set a pin to disable the THC until its back where it needs to be. This is one of the things an external THC can't do that sets PLASMAC apart.
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Because our discussion has turned back to plasmac and away from post-processors, I thought I would move us back to this thread. I've added code to adjust the kerf. Without some real kerf width vs. speed data, it's hard to know if this is really useful or complete overkill. Anyway, here it is. I stayed with your pattern of adjusting all arcs below a certain radius, not just circles.
This will only work with compensated code (no G41.1 or G42.1). I think I could get it to work with uncompensated code but it will require a little more thinking.
There are a couple of other things that Jim Colt writes about improving hole quality - start the lead in at the middle of the hole (maybe easier to set this up in the post-processor than in plasmac) and have the torch turn off exactly where the hole started while still moving (basically continue the arc a little further). I'll see if I can figure out how to do one or both of these. My thinking is that putting these things in plasmac makes a lot of sense as they are clearly plasma specific.
Steven
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I figured out how to extend an arc by 4mm when a full circle is cut. I have it programmed but ran into 2 issues:
- If I am trying to turn off the torch with M62, what P value is used?
- If we turn off the torch with this command, is it going to cause plasmac to stop thinking there is an error? I know there is an arc lost error and am concerned this action might trigger that error even though we are doing it on purpose. Can we suspend checking for arc lost for this one move since we have commanded the arc to turn off?
Steven
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I think that with the amount of variables that affect kerf width it is a bit too much to expect for a gcode parser. This should all be handled by the post processor.Phill,
Because our discussion has turned back to plasmac and away from post-processors, I thought I would move us back to this thread. I've added code to adjust the kerf. Without some real kerf width vs. speed data, it's hard to know if this is really useful or complete overkill. Anyway, here it is. I stayed with your pattern of adjusting all arcs below a certain radius, not just circles.
This will only work with compensated code (no G41.1 or G42.1). I think I could get it to work with uncompensated code but it will require a little more thinking.
There are a couple of other things that Jim Colt writes about improving hole quality - start the lead in at the middle of the hole (maybe easier to set this up in the post-processor than in plasmac) and have the torch turn off exactly where the hole started while still moving (basically continue the arc a little further). I'll see if I can figure out how to do one or both of these. My thinking is that putting these things in plasmac makes a lot of sense as they are clearly plasma specific.
Steven
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PlasmaC uses M5 to turn the torch offIf I am trying to turn off the torch with M62, what P value is used?
Not applicable as you cannot turn the torch offIf we turn off the torch with this command, is it going to cause plasmac to stop thinking there is an error? I know there is an arc lost error and am concerned this action might trigger that error even though we are doing it on purpose. Can we suspend checking for arc lost for this one move since we have commanded the arc to turn off?
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Does this cause problems for anyone???
THC Delay
THC Threshold (V)
THC Speed
Corner Lock Threshold (%)
Kerf Crossing Override (%)
I am guessing that these parameters once set would not be changed too much.
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Using M5 to turn off the torch certainly will work. I had thought there was probably a digital pin we could reference from M62 to do the same thing. Cannot remember where it was but I saw someone using that command in their gcode.
I don't think changing the locations of the spin boxes would be a problem.
Steven
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It would be possible to AND2 the motion pin with a digital pin to enable the torch on relay but that breaks the sheer simplicity of plasmac. there is a motion.distance-to-go pin but I suspect it is for a specific segment, not the whole movement from M3 to M5
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I am contemplating moving the following spin boxes from the Run tab/panel to the Config tab.
Does this cause problems for anyone???
THC Delay
THC Threshold (V)
THC Speed
Corner Lock Threshold (%)
Kerf Crossing Override (%)
I am guessing that these parameters once set would not be changed too much.
Kerf crossing might be an exception for a small subset of users because your kerf crossing algorithm is better at detecting a torch dive than corner lock.
This is based on my particular machine which is only 600mm and capable of very high acceleration rates. Unfortunately, I have not been able to revisit this other than what is in the kerf crossing thread I started.
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