Another plasma component...

Phill,
IDEA TIME: When you are next touching your Python code, could you add a ToolID field to your materials file? No need to display it but maybe auto add it starting at 1 in the python structure if its not in the materials file to support existing configs?

I was having a look at the Toolchange docs . I think if you did this, it would be very easy to select the material from Gcode with a Tnn M6.

Plasmac would need to receive a pin from iocontrol and set another pin once the correct material is selected.
In a sheetcam environment, the only variable that needs to be sent to the post processor would be the ToolID for the Tnn M6

Would be very cool....

Rod,
That would not be too hard, I will post a more detailed response when I get back to a real keyboard.

Cheers, Phill.

phillc54 wrote: Rod,
That would not be too hard, I will post a more detailed response when I get back to a real keyboard.

Cheers, Phill.

Thats what I thought so I'll wait patiently.

Phill

I have often wondered why the plasma world doesn't handle cutting parameters this way. I think this is going back to the Mach legacy and a fixed tool table structure.

John

John, I tried your post thinking it might be better than mine but I could not spot holes so it looks like I have to clean mine up

Also for Phill when he gets to updating the tool table, how can plasmac cut accurate engineering parts if it does not have a kerf width to set the tool offset? I just noticed that. We'll have to think of a way to do that.

I have to say some of my yoyo problems are confined to earlier versions of Plasmac. I've now deleted some obsolete configs....:woohoo:

Here was today's job cutting 1.6mm Aluminium at about 5000 mm/min,

This impressive as it shows the THC coping well with my uneven table as on the dry run, the torch hit the sheet and paused.

Rod

Sorry my post doesn't have drilling support because I don't need it, easy to put back in.

Right now I use my PP to compensate for kerf width as I think most do. You are right on target with suggesting putting kerf width (tool diameter) into the tool table and using G40-G42 to control the part cut side of the cut. Moves Plasmac closer to a generic CNC application.

John