Showstopper Plasma Cutter retrofit

More
17 Sep 2024 15:39 #310318 by RDA
Replied by RDA on topic Showstopper Plasma Cutter retrofit
Editing on mobile is crazy so I will post a small warning. If you have an HF start plasma, the HF is created between tip and electrode, you might still not believe me but anyways.
There could be some HF in the tip so keep that in mind.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • tommylight
  • tommylight's Avatar
  • Away
  • Moderator
  • Moderator
More
17 Sep 2024 16:36 #310322 by tommylight
Replied by tommylight on topic Showstopper Plasma Cutter retrofit

If you have an HF start plasma, the HF is created between tip and electrode, you might still not believe me but anyways.
There could be some HF in the tip so keep that in mind.

Yes, that is the reason i never advise using such torches with ohmic.
And all the plasma sources i have are HF/HV start ones.
I am sure i can cobble something together to avoid the high voltage but not worth it, i like my THCAD's not crispy :)
Oh, i do have a Hypertherm MAX 43 that has blow back start but i have no consumables for it, despite ordering them several times.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
18 Sep 2024 00:07 #310349 by phillc54
Replied by phillc54 on topic Showstopper Plasma Cutter retrofit

I do not have any torch with shield, so i can not test although i do have 2 of THCAD for now.

 
I assume you mean that the tip ”sticks out” from the torch? You could always wire the sensing between the tip and work.

I have my 30XP setup like that but I use a cheap solid state relay rather than a THCAD.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
20 Sep 2024 22:29 #310524 by SteveatSteelCut
Replied by SteveatSteelCut on topic Showstopper Plasma Cutter retrofit
I was experiencing problems again yesterday... I will be experimenting in this space next week.
In qtplasmac when you start getting problems and your half way through cutting a program you are just stuck.... you can't change many things without closing the program and reopening and reloading everything. For this reason I stuck it out and kept trying to cut with faults. (Torch wouldn't fire. The pulse function was working fine. Ohmic vaults were hovering on mid 23's ) . It didn't want to work even with ohmic sensing turned off. Eventuality I finished the last few cuts. Productivity was not good.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
24 Sep 2024 05:28 #310686 by SteveatSteelCut
Replied by SteveatSteelCut on topic Showstopper Plasma Cutter retrofit
X axis problems...
Hey guys had a strange occurrence when I went to home my machine, One of the x motors started spinning and then had issues).
I suspected it was loose wiring. I took the motors off and one of the motors was not operating properly (It started and then changed directions the first time) Then both motors would spin and I manually moved the gantry to the sensors and 1 motor homed and the other motor just kept spinning.
I checked the continuity of each cable to the plug and everything seemed to be correct.
I checked all of the plugs in the control box and pushed everything in incase there was a loose plug.
When I was putting everything back together I decided to switch the motors across (I have been having inaccuracies of the motor on axis x2 when the gantry moves 2meters it is 0.5mm shorter than x1. Then when it goes back it is 1mm past the starting position.)
When I go to home now, both motors are now moving in a positive direction trying to home (and the x axis is showing that it is moving in a negative direction). I would think the motors are both identical and this would not happen?
I then tried to change the step scale in the ini file and reverse the positive to - and the negative to positive. It started to go in the right direction for about half a second then it changed directions and was going in the positive direction again. And the x axis was showing that it was going in a negative direction.
Any ideas for fualt finding this one?

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • tommylight
  • tommylight's Avatar
  • Away
  • Moderator
  • Moderator
More
24 Sep 2024 10:40 #310696 by tommylight
Replied by tommylight on topic Showstopper Plasma Cutter retrofit
Place the X at somewhere in the middle, press home all, try to stop one side at a time while they are moving.
Does the faulty one stop very easily?
If yes, that would point to motor wire being loose or motor winding broken or burned, or motor drive fault on one output.
If you have LAM Technologies drives, they will show any error, so change the motors at the drive and see if the same motor causes issues. If yes, check the cable and/or change the motor.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
30 Sep 2024 00:01 #311046 by RNJFAB
Replied by RNJFAB on topic Showstopper Plasma Cutter retrofit
This is awesome Rod !!!! Great work.

I'm just about to begin on my next cnc plasma so we may be in touch again as we move forward with this. 
 

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • rodw
  • rodw's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
More
30 Sep 2024 00:40 #311047 by rodw
Replied by rodw on topic Showstopper Plasma Cutter retrofit

This is awesome Rod !!!! Great work.

I'm just about to begin on my next cnc plasma so we may be in touch again as we move forward with this. 

 

Thanks, drop in any time. You know where to find me 

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
01 Oct 2024 02:25 #311107 by SteveatSteelCut
Replied by SteveatSteelCut on topic Showstopper Plasma Cutter retrofit
Showstopper update:
We are slowly progressing and can operate sometimes, and other times we can not.
Homing issues are now fixed (in the end the homing proximity switches were showing 12.7 volts when not activated and 24v when activated and this was causing intermittant issues. Have since replaced them with a different brand they now show 0 when off and 24v when activated and the homing has been working perfectly).

Still having issues with ohmic sensing. Sometimes it works and sometimes I can't use it. When I first turn the machine on for the day the ohmic sensing can show as high as mid - high 23's and even go to 24v. But here is another problem that I am getting and I wonder if anyone else has experienced this one:
When ohmic probing isn't working normally I just turn it off and when it drives into the sheet the float switch will light up and then it will back off, pierce and cut.
This was working fine but now it isn't. It is driving into the plate the float switch light comes on and it will go until the breakaway is activated and it will give an error.
I unhooked the breakaway switches because I have a strange issue with them where sometimes the breakaway stays on after triggered. When testing with a multi meter it stays on (we are suspecting this is due to faulty proximity switches. New ones are on the way).
When the breakaway sensors are unhooked the torch drives into the plate, the float switch lights up but the motor just keeps driving into the plate and won't stop. So why does qtplasmac not know that it has hit the plate when it knows the float switch has been pushed. And how could this be an issue today when it was working yesterday?
Here is a video if it helps.
photos.app.goo.gl/FyoKbwEHJTWfGdXa9

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Time to create page: 0.086 seconds
Powered by Kunena Forum