Another plasma component...

phillc54 wrote:
No, it's not possible with the current component. It probably could be done but it's not really something that I would encourage.

Ah, too bad, but I understand your reluctance to support it. Everything I've read highlights the importance of IHS. It looks like there is an ohmic sensing part for the Hypertherm torch, so I just need to wait for the part to arrive. I'll post my findings once I've had a chance to try out the component.

Phill

Thank you again for all the hard work.

I used the Plasmac branch again today to cut out a couple of sheets of parts. For the most part things went well. I used the dry run feature to verify the control of THC enable from the Gcode program before actually cutting. I had a couple of tip ups that caused a partial torch break away and the restart after the pauses went smoothly. Several shorted torch errors during probing some of which were self clearing.

There is a problem that most users wouldn't ever notice but is a big deal for me. It has something to do with the remapping of the F block. The program takes the first F block it sees in the Gcode and uses that for all G1, G2 and G3 feedrates from then on. If another F block is in the Gcode file it is ignored. It even did this across two different programs. The first Gcode program had the first F block as F220 later cuts had F150 for the feedrate but it never changed either on the GUI or as reported by a Hal Meter. I then ran another sheet of parts where the first F block was F150 but the GUI feedrate and the Hal Meter feedrate stayed at 220. I didn't restart LinuxCNC between sheets. No real damage today because it was simple art parts and my consumables are worn so the open lines are kind of fat anyways (not as fat as they should have been).

I have thought of another feature request. This one really isn't needed at all by hobby guys but is nice for those doing production work. On the Gmoccapy GUI I modified for plasma there is a tab labeled statistics. The tab displays the number of pierces so you can track consumable life, the distance cut, the time spent probing and piercing, the time spent cutting and the spent in rapids. There is a reset button to zero the counter for each data item and a global reset to zero them all. I can post what did if it will help explain. I never did get the distance (to the nearest inch) cut to work well, pierce count was a piece of cake. The times required keeping track to 10ms otherwise the rounding ate you up as it accumulated.

John

Phill

Thank you, I actually don't read all the new man pages as you create them... I can see Plasmac controlling the Z motion but the F block is pretty deeply embedded in most post processors. I am sure I will cut some more tomorrow. Plasmac is really getting good today's recovery from hitting tip ups was the easiest I've ever had. I also had two weird probing incidents but one resolved its self and the other one had everything stopped but no program pause indicated, two presses of the pause button and I was off and running! One very strange pause allegedly caused by three failures of the torch to fire, from where I was sitting the torch did fire each try. I have never had a bad arcok signal from this power supply as long as I have had it. Oh well things are working pretty well and I'm not burning up nozzles with bad pierces so life isn't too bad.

I will post all the stuff (not good) that I tried when I get out to the shop, it's a hen party out there right now in the screen printing studio and if I show up it will be worth a months worth of honey dos.

John

Phill

Please find attached files I used for my poor statistics tab.

I have added an OR2 component so I can control the THC enable from Gcode. It is much like your F block in that to use THC enable from Gcode you set the GUI value to FALSE.

John

Phill

Sorry, bit of a brain **** last post. Here is my current screen.

John