Another plasma component...

Wow, guys, some awesome feedback about settings there. It would be great if some of the user feedback re settings/tuning could find their way into the Plasmac manual.

JTK, I know how you feel about upgrading. I put it off for a long time but found it was pretty simple in the end. I think there was a bug in the engraver support that needed commenting out one line earlier in the week but I think Phill has fixed it now.

And yes, I've used auto volts since long before Plasmac was even thought of and it works well.

JTknives wrote:

I use auto volts and it’s been flawless. My material changes from carbon to stainless steel in thickness from .070 to .250. I found that the auto volts was easy as I just set the gap at say .060 with a .2 sec delay. My response speed is under 20 I think. I found that lowering that would help diving when finishing a cut. Let me see if I can upload a video of cutting.

How long has it been since you have updated.

I have been using a loan plasma while mine gets service, while its the same model I cant cut at the same settings as I could before. I dont know if it has something to do with my constantly updating the software and something has changed?

Example of this is I have a program of purlin cleats out of 8mm plate. The cutting speed is 3220mm/m but when I have been cutting at the standard speed in sections of the program the torch wont cut through the plate. I have to lower the cutting speeds for it to work. I have been thinking that this could have to do with the voltage sampling, and thats causing the cut height to be high. Seems others have been having the same issue as well.

phillc54 wrote:

I wouldn't have thought that would cause any issues.

Apart from that, nothing should have changed.

Yeah I thought as much, I did not think you would make any major changes and not make them known to the public,

I have my plasma unit back now so I will try to see if the problem goes away.

I have not changed anything in regards to the THC or anything. I did not even know voltage sampling was a thing until I noticed the other day when trying to overcome the not cutting through the sheet problem I turned up the amps on the unit and it still worked. I thought it would of thrown the cut setting way out bit it still worked, Then I realised after reading the manual that it was sampling the cut voltage.

A question about how that works. I have a delay set in the THC for it to come on after 4 seconds. But in my sheetcam settings I have the THC turn on at pierce. I take it the controller setting will override the sheetcam settings. But when I run the part the THC light comes on when it starts piercing. Does the delay not include the light turn off until it comes on? And does that mean it is sampling the voltage from the pierce?

phillc54 wrote:

From memory the THC Enable light only indicates whether or not it is enable or disabled either from the Disabled/Auto/Enabled radiobuttons in conjunction with the THC Enable checkbutton for the active material.

It does not indicate whether it is active or not, do we need an indicator for that as well.

Well I would think that it would limit any confusion on where the THC is actually working. I know you have the up and down lights and they are very handy but if we could add a light to show if it is active it would be a big help.

I know it would help with my circumstance with trying to figure out if it is sampling the pierce or not.

phillc54 wrote:

Theoretically it should:

1. Move to Cut Height
2. Begin motion
3. Wait the amount of time in THC Delay
4. Begin sampling

It takes six samples, one each period (1mS) in consecutive periods, averages them out and that is then the target voltage.

Yes thats how I would of thought it would work. Is that how you have set it up?