Difficulties in probing
I then followed the instructions to set up plasmac, after unsuccessfully attempting to integrate toma_thc into my earlier configurations.
Plasmac seems to work better for me so far, but I'm still missing some things.
- When I try to set up probing (following along in 5.2 of the manual), it mentions manually jogging z down until it stops at the Z axis MINIMUM_LIMIT, then click Touch Off with the z axis selected and 0 offset. I don't have a Z axis MINIMUM_LIMIT switch. Do I need one?
- When I do the "Probe Test", I set the "Probe Height" until I just make the limit switch and it holds there, but it does not lift back up to "Pierce Height". I've tried increasing the values of "Pierce Height" and also the "Float Travel", but so far it doesn't move up off the float switch.
Thank you,
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- snowgoer540
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I cant think of better hardware than Mesa, so I'd say it's for the better.I'm using (for better or worse) a mesa 7i96
I think even Tommy would say toma_thc is pretty dated, it was "replaced" by PlasmaC, which has now been replaced by QtPlasmaC. PlasmaC certainly works, but it's not receiving any updates short of critical bug fixes.I then followed the instructions to set up plasmac, after unsuccessfully attempting to integrate toma_thc into my earlier configurations.
Nope, if you have one at the top of travel, that's plenty. LinuxCNC will stop machine motion when it reaches the Min Limit provided that you have everything set right and it doesn't mechanically bottom out first. This is referred to as a "soft limit".When I try to set up probing (following along in 5.2 of the manual), it mentions manually jogging z down until it stops at the Z axis MINIMUM_LIMIT, then click Touch Off with the z axis selected and 0 offset. I don't have a Z axis MINIMUM_LIMIT switch. Do I need one?
Without pictures of your setup, seeing your config files, etc., it's difficult to say. However, you might benefit from checking out the diagram that was recently added to the following section of the QtPlasmaC user guide as it applies to PlasmaC as well.When I do the "Probe Test", I set the "Probe Height" until I just make the limit switch and it holds there, but it does not lift back up to "Pierce Height". I've tried increasing the values of "Pierce Height" and also the "Float Travel", but so far it doesn't move up off the float switch.
linuxcnc.org/docs/devel/html/plasma/qtpl...tml#qt_initial-setup
The following verbiage was also added to make the purpose of the touch off more apparent:
To set the Z axis DRO relative to the Z axis MINIMUM_LIMIT, the user should perform the following steps. It is important to understand that in QtPlasmaC, touching off the Z axis DRO has no effect on the Z axis position while running a G-Code program. These steps simply allow the user to more easily set the probe height as after performing the steps, the displayed Z axis DRO value will be relative to Z axis MINIMUM_LIMIT.
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Currently, mine will travel downward, lift the floating head, trip the Float limit switch, and stops until it times out and raises to the starting point.
It would seem that several are migrating toward QTplasmaC. Should I be looking into changing to that?
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- snowgoer540
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It would seem that several are migrating toward QTplasmaC. Should I be looking into changing to that?
I think so, but I am probably pretty biased.
I am not sure what distribution of Linux you're running, but it might also be a good time to change if you are running the regular buster distribution .iso.
I put together an installation guide that should make it pretty easy for you to have something a little easier to work with as well as walk you through the necessary steps: forum.linuxcnc.org/9-installing-linuxcnc...indows-users?start=0
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By altering velocities and accelerations, here is where it is at:
I have the soft limits set at -0 MIN, and 70 MAX
I have the probe height set to 53
With the z axis homed (approx 2mm off the limit), when I press "Probe Test" the z axis travels downward. Confirmed with the DRO, the float switch activates at 50.
When the float switch activates, the axis slows down presumably to the probe speed (50), and continues to travel down to 68. When the test times out, the z axis raises back up to the start height.
Reading the documentation, I thought this was supposed to probe down until the limit is actuated, lift back up by the "Float Travel" and then an additional "Pierce Height.
How is the probe sequence supposed to work?
I'm thinking that I might have the speeds set too low, but I'm not sure how to tell.
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- tommylight
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- snowgoer540
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It may also be helpful if you posted a backup of your config.
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- tommylight
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Check the float LED on screen while moving the torch by hand up and down, it should go on and off, i bet it is not.
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I thought it would be green on screen, but it and the torch on indicators on screen show up yellow when the input or the output is on.
I’ll post a backup of my config when I get home from work.
Thanks for the replies.
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