Feature Request

snowgoer540 wrote:

Arc-OK does not stay on in CPA mode, at least not with FineCut tips, I will try regular tips tomorrow or Saturday. As soon as it loses the arc-ok signal, it pauses.

OK, so it seems all machines are different...

2. I met Rod's Kangaroo. Circumstances: I forgot to enable the torch. Pressed F9, it ohmic sensed until infinity. Video Evidence . My stupidity, but maybe the software should let us know when we're trying to do something stupid?

I can emulate that in a sim so it should be fixable.

3. I got my first lock-up of LinuxCNC tonight. Which, how do I kill it when that happens? I was trying to use the straight cut feature, clicked start cut, it tried 3 times for a valid arc, then paused, and locked up. I could still change the items in the run panel though, communication with the hypertherm worked. Eventually it crashed. Not sure if this is cut-recovery test related?

When you say straight cut was it Single Cut from the run panel or a "manual" cut.?

4. I had some issues where it wouldnt let me jog the table after the program was stopped for a few seconds afterward. This always was surrounding a paused condition (sometimes I was using F9, sometimes I was using the single cut from the Run panel) due to lack of valid arc, and hitting the max number of attempts. Again, not sure if this is cut-recovery related?

So the system errored then paused and you couldn't jog?

5. I also met a fire-breathing kangaroo. Not sure what happened here, but it tried to light off until infinity. Way past the 3 attempts, just kept trying and trying.

That was a freeby, didn't you want it?

(Edit)6. I cant jog after pressing F9.

Me either

Anyways, I posted this stuff here, because it was all found during the testing I was doing for the Arc-OK features I'm requesting. I'm beginning to fear being ousted for causing too much ruckus

I know you are just doing your job but I thought I told you that I wasn't bored.


From what I can see all these issues are related.

I just pushed some fixes which hopefully will sort issues these out.

@Greg, I updated the cut-recovery branch as well.

@Clive, can you recall how it happened as it "should" only affect the manual/single cut feature.

phillc54 wrote:

OK, so it seems all machines are different...

Maybe, but what I think is going on is that everyone's Hypertherm is currently the same (WRT CPA), but we are trying to use them in different applications but considering it the same because the uses all require CPA. For example, Stefan uses CPA with an F9 and manual jogging which doesn't require the Arc-ok signal at all to work. I want to use CPA with a program to cut a specific shape out of expanded metal, which will require the Arc-ok signal to continue motion. Still out on the testing, but I'm 98% sure hypertherm doesnt provide Arc-ok with the torch on even though it's in CPA.

I can emulate that in a sim so it should be fixable.

Perfect, I like when issues are reproducible easily!

When you say straight cut was it Single Cut from the run panel or a "manual" cut.?

Sorry, yes Single Cut from the run panel.

So the system errored then paused and you couldn't jog?

Correct. And also after I pressed stop, it sometimes wouldn't let me jog for a few seconds.

That was a freeby, didn't you want it?

Well, admittedly it was entertaining and made me chuckle, so I'll take that!

Me either

Luckily misery loves company.

I know you are just doing your job but I thought I told you that I wasn't bored.

Well, when I said double down, I meant it At least you know I'm true to my word!


I see that you've pushed a fix for these things, but I didn't want to not answer your questions in case there was something hanging out there you were waiting on an answer from me for. I will update, and get back to doing what I do best! Thanks for taking the time to fix these things! Much appreciated.

rodw wrote:

Watching your video makes me wonder if this is not caused by the material bouncing on impact the way your material is overhanging the slat like that. I've had similar issues with high warpage. Are you still using hypersensing with ohmic2.comp?

I have to get some parts cut over the weekend, and I think my machine is back together, so I may get a chance to review this. I want to have a think about how to account for this...

I remembered that you'd had a similar looking error, but this one was caused because I didnt have the torch on in the GUI. So it would come down, find the surface, and try to fire the torch, since it was off, it counted it as a failed attempt, and then would try again. The only problems I think are present in this particular scenario are that 1. It allowed me to manually fire the torch without having the torch enabled. 2. It didn't count the failed attempts as failed attempts.

Yes, I am using Ohmic2.comp still. I should also point out that after I clicked to turn the torch on, the ohmic stuff worked as intended. I've not had any issues with ohmic, save for rusty material not making a good connection.

snowgoer540 wrote:

I didn't want to not answer your questions in case there was something hanging out there you were waiting on an answer from me for. I will update, and get back to doing what I do best! Thanks for taking the time to fix these things! Much appreciated.

Hopefully I got it sorted but if not I am confident you will be able to find out.

BTW I like the colour (color) of the water in you tray, it reminded me of the Little Colorado River.

Just checked what "expanded metal" is, it is mesh !
That will not work with arcok active, so it will have to be ignored.
The main reason for arcok is to tell the cnc when to start moving after the cutting arc is established, so having that active will stop the motion on every void when the plasma source switches from high current/low voltage cutting to low current/high voltage pilot arc.
That also means the THC will have to be disabled due to the above mentioned voltage changes.
And this brings us to the solution, disable THC and cut as usual. Chances of material warping are very low due to low surface of the cuts.
Now i really wish you would have used the "correct" naming for the material as i was not sure what are you all on about.

tommylight wrote:

Just checked what "expanded metal" is, it is mesh !

Sorry about that, I had previously called it mesh, but when I did all the research to figure out how other softwares handle cutting it, everyone referred to it as expanded metal. Maybe I'll call it expanded mesh metal from now on

That will not work with arcok active, so it will have to be ignored.
The main reason for arcok is to tell the cnc when to start moving after the cutting arc is established, so having that active will stop the motion on every void when the plasma source switches from high current/low voltage cutting to low current/high voltage pilot arc.
That also means the THC will have to be disabled due to the above mentioned voltage changes.
And this brings us to the solution, disable THC and cut as usual. Chances of material warping are very low due to low surface of the cuts.
Now i really wish you would have used the "correct" naming for the material as i was not sure what are you all on about.

Yea, I think we are saying the same things. In order to cut expanded mesh metal, one would need to be able to ignore the arc-ok (force it true), and at the same time disable the THC, as it would dive into the voids. All the videos I saw with Jim Colt all they said was "disable the THC", so I think they are intentionally leaving out the secret sauce (force Arc OK true to ignore it ) At any rate, I'm sure after I finish my fact finding mission, and Phill tidies up the conversational, we will find a suitable solution. I think it would be hyper useful to have the arc ok stuff perform exactly as the THC controls work now...manually enabled/disabled, via material configurations, and via g-code. I think the last one would be incredibly useful for dialing in holes, preventing stops due to expected flame outs at the end of cuts, etc. I could talk about this stuff all day, so I'll stop rambling now