THCAD Configuration Problem

Afternoon everyone looking for a little assistance, having an issue with my thcad.its not moving the torch at all, I assume I’m missing something simple.

Linuxcnc does receive a voltage value from the everlast, that value fluctuates between -10 and 14. Strangely it receives that fluctuation even with the cutter off is that may be a problem. I did do the calculations to adjust offset and scale in the config tab already. When the machine is operating the torch will not love at all despite the voltage readings. THC is enabled.

Looking through the THC setting in the config panel. I see PID gain values which are set at P=50, I=0, and D=0. Would these values have something to do with it? Or am I completely missing something in one of my files?

Hardware:
Mesa 7i76e and THCAD-10
Everlast PowerPlasma 62i

Table is a home brew, second one I’ve built but first using the Mesa hardware. Just trying to figure this out so I can get to cutting!

Here are my .ini, .hal, and connections files if they help at all

Riggorous wrote:

Here are my .ini, .hal, and connections files if they help at all

Couple of things not related to the torch but
re:
[AXIS_X]
# set to double the value in the corresponding joint
MAX_VELOCITY = 10.0
# set to double the value in the corresponding joint
MAX_ACCELERATION = 120.0
# shares the above two equally between the joint and the offset

You have not done the above to all axis. You have doubled the MAX_ACCELERATION but not MAX_VELOCITY

Does your machine home OK as I don't see any HOME_SEQUENCE numbers in the ini file
For the Y axis this needs to be the same minus Number i.e. HOME_SEQUENCE = -2

I figure the fluctuation may be noise, in my head I feel like there should be a 0.0 Arc Voltage Reading when the machine is not turned on. So seeing the fluctuation with the plasma cutter off is where I think my problem lies.

in the run panel the THC is set to enable, auto volts is checked.

Everything else on the machine works fine, jogs moves and cuts fine torch fires fine. Seem to have just missed a little with the THC

I will dig in to the acceleration and velocity numbers. The machine does not auto home at all, I just do it manually. But yes everything aside from the THC works as it should, I have even done a few test projects which worked out well except for the THC aspect.

I did just go out and was doing some testing. with auto volt turned off the THC will "work" in the sense that it will move up or down. with the volts set to 50 it strikes an arc and then immediately pulls all the way up until it loses arc and shuts down. with the volts set to 122 it dove in to the plate. so the thc component is working I believe now that my issue seems to be with the voltage readings that the encoder are recieving, most likely attributing that to noise in the enclosure.

Yes I do see up and down light blips, and the torch is moving now in response to them. but still not moving properly.

What has happened the last couple test cuts was that the torch dove in to the material. So i adjust my cut height and at a higher height setting it worked but the torch was cutting too high for a good quality cut.

I think I am still leaning towards the erroneous voltage readings as being at least partly at fault. I tested straight line cuts on a piece mostly flat 14ga and a piece of warped 14ga. It did ok on the mostly flat piece with the aforementioned height issues. but it was completely unable to cut a 3inch straight line on the warped piece. The torch did not move up out of the way fast enough to account for the bend in the plate so it activated the float switch and paused.

I also adjusted my velocity and acceleration data per Clive's suggestion, helped it be a little smoother moving around so thank you!

I started with an Everlast 50s.
But before you get into setting it up, you need to open halshow (show hal configuration) and in the watch tab, watch hm2_7i76e.0.encoder.00.velocity
It should be near the 0 volt frequency for your THCAD including the hardware divider. At 1/32, it should be around 3800 maybe.
If its not giving you a moving number, you have something wrong.

Next, if you have not installed a EMI filter in your control panel, make sure you do that to control that noise you are seeing.
If you have used an IEC connector for mains power input, this is just a matter of swapping the part out for one with a filter which are around $10.
Then open the Everlast case and find the voltage divider board behind the circular connector.
Make sure its set to 16:1 The manual has some errors in it about where the link should be located.
place the link on the 2 pins furthest from the CNC port connector.
Finally, with the THCAD-10, it sees the internal resistors as being belonging to it.
So as far as the THCAD-10 is concerned, it is a 24:1 divider, so calibrate to that
Do not use any scaling resistors. That will give you a full scale of 240 volts.

More info here plasmaspider.com/viewtopic.php?f=111&t=2...ilit=everlast+errata