Need to get THC working

[79Bronco]

I've had my table up and running for awhile now, I bought the THC with it but I've never gotten it working.

The table is a ProCut CNC table with their electronics package. Basically a G540 with ESS and cheap ass Proma THC.

The THC is and has been wired in the entire time. While cutting Mach3 sees the commands from the THC (The light looking things on the mach screen light up for up / down) but it never moves the torch.

Not sure what more info you guys will need to help me but any help is greatly appreciated. Would have been really nice to have on all my 6ft long cuts today, I've got some cuts coming up that will be almost 10ft and really need to get this working.

[jimcolt]

Proma is the manufacturer.......they would be the best source for help...


Jim Hypertherm

[79Bronco]

Proma is the manufacturer.......they would be the best source for help...


Jim Hypertherm

I did email Proma, I just threw it up here as well to see if anybody else had any ideas. I'm assuming its a Mach3 setting that I have wrong.

[acourtjester]

[79Bronco]

Mine isn't exactly like that but THC on or off right there makes no difference. I'll post of some screen shots later.

[tcaudle]

There are specific settings in the ESS config you have to get right as well. Your table vendor should be able to help you make it all work together.

[79Bronco]

There are specific settings in the ESS config you have to get right as well. Your table vendor should be able to help you make it all work together.

I've been trying to get it figure out with them for a while...That's why I came here. No reply from Proma either.

Getting really close to just ordering one from CandCNC.

[acourtjester]

That is what I did, bought the MP3100 with feather touch and am very happy with it.
the Proma worked OK when it was operational but crapped out and they replaced it, did it again they replaced it now its on the shelf.
go with CandCNC works great with my DIY table.

[matze-atze-sch]

Hey,

in Mach3, under PluginControl, you have a config page of the ESS.
There is a chekbox to enable THC.
Look at this Video, @ 4:30 min. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bcc02mS3xk
Also make sure, you have the actually ESS Plugin!

Marcel

[79Bronco]

Hey,

in Mach3, under PluginControl, you have a config page of the ESS.
There is a chekbox to enable THC.
Look at this Video, @ 4:30 min. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bcc02mS3xk
Also make sure, you have the actually ESS Plugin!

Marcel

Will check it out in the morning! Thanks for the tip

[79Bronco]

Hey,

in Mach3, under PluginControl, you have a config page of the ESS.
There is a chekbox to enable THC.
Look at this Video, @ 4:30 min. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bcc02mS3xk
Also make sure, you have the actually ESS Plugin!

Marcel

Thanks man! That did it! The THC box wasn't checked in the ESS config!

[matze-atze-sch]

Hey,

yeah, I needed also a few days, until I seen this

[Johnnybravo]

I'm not all that happy with my Proma lately. I was cutting this weekend, and anytime I changed a part in my torch, or the settings on my Proma, it would drive the tip into the metal as I was cutting. I'm still not sure what I did wrong, or what the Proma did wrong. I ended up cutting the last piece without using the THC.

Really frustrated. Business is starting to pick up for me, and I need to get this resolved. Is there a THC out there that is more reliable that won't break the bank? What I really wish I had is one of the THCs that will verify the height with each new pierce. Is that in the THC or in Mach 3?

Somebody help a noob!!!

[acourtjester]

Are you using a floating head for the torch??
There is a routine that will touch the metal surface at the beginning of each cut.

[matze-atze-sch]

Hey johnnybravo,

when drive the torch into the metal? In the middle of a cut, or at the beginning?
Have you cheked the settings in mach3? There you can change the Speed of the THC, maybe it´s too fast?
You can set in the Proma a delay after the torch fired, so you can touch the metal, go to pirce hight, fire the torch and go to cut height,
drive the lead in and then activate the THC.

[Johnnybravo]

Awesome! I'm going to have to check all of that out.
Another thing I noticed is that my torch is not 100% perpendicular to the metal. I'm not using a machine torch. How much will that affect it?

[Johnnybravo]

Yes, I have the floating head.
And it has been just going down from the peirce height, continuing to go down while cutting.

[mike 1948]

I am not familiar with the Proma THC, but I had the diving issue with my initial startup. I had to reset my monitored cut voltage higher to get the torch to move up to match the voltage. Once it (set voltage) was set high enough the torch moved to the proper height.
As for touch-off you could try one of the MP1000-thc posts inside Sheetcam. They are setup for floating heads with switch offsets. You can set them to pierce at each cut also.
Good Luck
Mike

[acourtjester]

To the question on the torch being perpendicular you need to correct that as the cut will have an angler shape in the direction it is off, in both directions. If you cut a square 2 sides will be OK and 2 side will be slanted, this is if cutting straight on X and Y directions.
Now to clarify the THC problem of the torch diving
Is it happening at the start, (torch goes to pierce height, lights, drops to cut height) does it continue to drop at this point. Or dose it dive after it has moved away from the start of the cut, somewhere away from the start.

[Johnnybravo]

As far as I can tell it begins diving as soon as it pierces. I suspect that it is looking for a voltage it cannot find and I need to adjust it?
And thank you for the input in the perpendicularity. I think that might be part of another problem I am having.

[matze-atze-sch]

Try to turn the THC in Mach3 off, an then make a test cut.
Then notice the Voltage on the THC. I think, it isn´t set correctly.
Have you connect the THC correctly to the Hypertherm?
The THC has an build-in voltage divider, the Powermax also. Maybe that is the Problem?

[acourtjester]

the Proma has a delay in the setup you may try to change it is the D-T (second step in the setup menu) it has from .1 to 9.9 seconds. This is to hold the THC off until the voltage stabilizes. page 7 in their manual.

[Johnnybravo]

Sorry I have taken so long to get back on this thread. Lot of stuff going on.
Anyway, I found that the settings on my THC were not correct. I'm still not 100% sure I have it where I want it, but it's passable now, and I don't want to start a whole new round of troubleshooting right now as I have a mountain of stuff to get done.
But probably the most significant issue that I found was the perpendicularity issue. Holy cats! I can't believe I was running like that for as long as I was! It was one of those Aha! moments where, once I thought about it for a moment it was pretty dang obvious.
If your torch is not perpendicular, then you are not getting consistent pre-heat on the leading edge in every direction. this was the cause of a lot of incomplete cuts! Man!!! I wish I had a machine torch now, but I just can't spend the money on one right this minute. But it sure would solve the perpendicularity issues.