Post Processor for LinuxCNC and PlasmaC

pl7i92 wrote: Thats WHY so many get in trouble using Mashine related Gcode options
and posting mashine related postprocessors
its FINE if there is a Setup README
but only posting plasmac postprocessor for sheetcam with no background info is not that fine behavior for
NEW members even wen you know where to search


ROD & Phil shoudt make a Good tutorial step by step FROM THERE SYSTEM starting frech Harddrive 20USD and make a Sticky tread by andy

that woudt help so many
Even i think about as i got a order for a new table to get the plasmac to go insted AXIS

I do agree that a tutorial would be handy, But at the moment with the ongoing development of Plasmac it is not the right time to do that until it is finished.

I deleted that plasmac specific code from the post and now I can import my gcode.

I also agree with Tom who made a comment in another thread about having plasmac trying to do everything, A stripped down basic version would be very handy for newbies or those who dont like over complicated CAM programs. But I am hoping that in time we will have that.

thefabricator03 wrote: Sorry Phil Im a bit slow, Where did you change M190 P2 to M190 P0?

Is it in the post processor?

In the post I see the following line,

post.Text (" M190 P" , tool," (Load Plasmac Plasma Controller Tool #",tool,")\n")

Do I change P" to P0?

If you use the python script Phil has included with plasmac, it will import your Sheetcam toolset into plasmac so the toll numbers marry up. eg. the tool number sin Sheetcam will agree with plasmac. That worked perfectly for me.

pl7i92 wrote: Thats WHY so many get in trouble using Mashine related Gcode options
and posting mashine related postprocessors
its FINE if there is a Setup README
but only posting plasmac postprocessor for sheetcam with no background info is not that fine behavior for
NEW members even wen you know where to search

Thats all very well to say from the sidelines but right now plasmac is experimental. So use it at your own risk and follow the development thread closely as stuff changes all the time. When Plasmac is pushed to to the mainstream Linuxcnc distribution, it will have all that. The how to document on the forum here I wrote is already obsolete.

On the subject of post processors, I have a promise from Les Newell the developer of Sheetcam to build a post processor for Plasmac but I am not going to waste his time until plasmac is stable. Once that happens, it will be distributed with Sheetcam so there will be no need for us to write any docs for sheetcam.

also agree with Tom who made a comment in another thread about having plasmac trying to do everything, A stripped down basic version would be very handy for newbies or those who dont like over complicated CAM programs. But I am hoping that in time we will have that.

You do NOT need a cam program to use plasmac, I don't have one. All the samples are hand coded with the exception of the wrench which I think was originally done for my mill with dxftogcode.

Cheers, Phill.

thefabricator03 wrote:
I do agree that a tutorial would be handy, But at the moment with the ongoing development of Plasmac it is not the right time to do that until it is finished.

I deleted that plasmac specific code from the post and now I can import my gcode.

I also agree with Tom who made a comment in another thread about having plasmac trying to do everything, A stripped down basic version would be very handy for newbies or those who dont like over complicated CAM programs. But I am hoping that in time we will have that.

Really, Phill's intent was to allow anybody to load up a XY gcode file, select the material and run it. But if you are like Islander, '03 and myself where you are cutting full sheets at a time, you really need the nesting features of Sheetcam. Its incredible value for the price and runs on Windows and Linux.

The "M190 Pn" was the method Phill came up with to select the Plasmac tool from Gcode. It is followed by an M66 while it waits for an acknowledgement from Plasmac to say its loaded the selected tool. If you have a lot of tools, this needs wait for longer than 1 second (I had to go to 2 seconds with 50 tools). Then you can use the plasmac feed rate if you wish using standard Hal naming conventions.

And Phill parses the gcode file and won't allow a gcode file to be loaded if there are any invalid tool numbers in it.

My experance is with cnc mills and lathes so I understand diffrent tools. But how many “tools” do you need with a plasma cutter. Is each tool a diffrent thickness of material?and as such has diffrent feed rates? Or a tool specific for holes? I can see a tool just for holes being handy. The holes I cut are usaly under 1/4” and THC is not real great with that.

JTknives wrote: My experance is with cnc mills and lathes so I understand diffrent tools. But how many “tools” do you need with a plasma cutter. Is each tool a diffrent thickness of material?and as such has diffrent feed rates? Or a tool specific for holes? I can see a tool just for holes being handy. The holes I cut are usaly under 1/4” and THC is not real great with that.

Its probably easy at 30 amps but if you have a 120 amp machine with cut charts for mild steel, stainless steel and aluminium and your machine has consumable sets for 30 amps, 40 amps, 60 amps, 80 amps, 100 amps and 120 amps plus a choice of shielded and unshielded consumables (I have not implemented unshielded) and the ability to cut thicknesses from 1 mm to 20 mm and there are multiple amperage options for a given material thickness, its not hard to get to 50 tools just from entering the manufacturer's cut charts.