Pierce height - code 0-30

[MountainGoat]

OK so last night I ran my first nested file using SheetCam and Mach3 on a TruCut table with a hypertherm 65 set at 65 amps cutting 3/16" steel plate.

I put my pieces too close to the edge, and I ran off the edge of the material, plunging the torch into the water.

I redid the file in SheetCam and removed several of the pieces too close to the edge. I reran the file, and I am spot on with my spacing, however, after cutting 10 squares I got an error code
0-30. We replaced the clogged (barely used) consumable and it cut 8 more squares before triggering the code again.

I read online this could be pressure so we moved the pressure from 75 psi to 110 psi.

However, we have not run the file again because I am afraid the torch height is off after the crash and that is the problem.

I don't want to keep wasting consumables or material, so I tried to follow the procedure Ross at TruCut did when setting up the machine. I'm going to use the 1/4" steel plate and change pierce height in Mach3 to .25 and then touch down.

I can't for the life of me figure out how to change pierce height in Mach3. It is currently at .15

I also noticed in SheetCam that none of my torch tools are populated with any values. I Chose T101 .05" Kerf
And I filled in the values as follows ;

Feed rate 140
Pierce delay .5
Pierce height .15
Plunge rate 3.937
Cut height .055
Pause at end 0

I asked the machine manufacture if these values are correct, and he said it doesn't matter what my values in the software say because the machine overrides that. That confuses me because I don't understand why there's a choice to change the values if it does not carry over to the machine. I don't even know if I set these values correctly. I read what I could find out of the hypertherm manual

So I guess my question has many questions… How to change the pierce height for my calibration, are my values in my file correct, is cutting too many small squares in a row causing it to get plugged up when I should be moving around the table some, etc

Thank you in advance from this newbie!


Jennifer

[acourtjester]

A few things when cutting 3/16" you don't need to be using 65 amps. If you check the hypertherm 65 manual 3/16" states a 45 amp tip shielded with pierce height of 0.150" cut height 0.060" at 70 IPM and pierce delay of .4 and 135 volts if you have a THC. A 0-30 code is for torch consumables stuck which could be a loose consumable, It needs to be snug but do not overtighten the retaining cap.
the pierce height in not changed in Mach but in SheetCam if you look at the G-code this should what the start of each cut operation will look like.
N0290 G92 Z0.0
N0300 G00 Z0.150 this is setting the pierce height
N0310 M03 fire the torch
N0320 G04 P0.5 pierce delay
N0330 G01 Z0.060 F30.0 cut height
The statement the manufacture made is crazy Mach is controlled by the G-code (sheetcam setup) and a THC to control the cutting height

[MountainGoat]

I tried it at 45 amps and it was just engraving the top of the material and not cutting all of the way through.
So I called TruCut and Ross said it was a ground problem when I asked if I had a torch height problem on the machine.
(unfortunately he was sick when I bought the machine so I got zero training and am just now getting around to learning)

I didn't understand the volts reference in the book because I don't know what that means in amps.
I read online that 3/16" was kind of thick and could go either way on 45 vs 65, so we turned it up to 65 amps and it cut right through . . .lol

I'm not convinced it's not cutting too far through though. I just don't know how to manually change the pierce height in Mach3 in order to calibrate it properly.

[acourtjester]

When cutting you should attached the work lead to the metal you are cutting, attached is an image of the clamp I use connected directly the metal being cut. NOw to the amps/volts issue the volts are about the actual arc voltage at the cutting gap distance. The voltage will very due to the cutting gap (distance of the torch tip to the metal surface) this is only an indication of the distance and is not controlled by the G-code/mach. It is a value in the THC to be used to move the torch up or down to keep the cutting distance constant. The THC has a voltage put in it by a manual insertion or by the G-code dependant on the type of THC you have. The THC looks at the set voltage and reads the arc voltage and makes movements of the torch to maintain that the 2 voltages stay the same.
You may look at the amps as the amount of power that the plasma has to make a cut. This is why there are different amp setting for different metal thickness show in the book. If you do not have a good path for the amp flow when making a cut it will not do a good job. This is solely the path of the amp flow from the torch output to the work clamp return to the plasma unit. When cutting if this path has to many connection to go through you lose power.

[acourtjester]

If you use SheetCam here is the tool I have setup for 3/16" steel you do not see any amp setting here as that is done on the plasma unit itself.

[MountainGoat]

Excellent! Let me try this.

Before I run it again though, I want to check my torch height.

Anyone know how to change pierce height from .15 to .25 in Mach3 in order to do the test?
Or is there a better way?

[acourtjester]

You are not understanding what I have said, you do not change the pierce height in Mach 3.
Mach 3 follows what the G-code tell it to do, The G-code is configured in SheetCam, the image above is of the tool in SheetCam configured to cut 3/16" steel. In the middle of the image is Pierce height you click on the Box with (in your case .25 and enter 0.15 and save it as a tool)

[MountainGoat]

Oh maybe I am saying it wrong.

I am looking to calibrate the Torch Height Control to make sure where it thinks 0 is and where I think 0 is will be the same,

[MountainGoat]

Trying to follow these directions:

https://www.trucutcnc.com/S1-Manual/cal ... eight.html

[acourtjester]

As with some manufactures trucutcnc seems to have written their own routine for setting up the switch offset. I know nothing of this software routine, it does look like a tool change using a router routine, so it will get you there once you get your head wrapped around it. I'm sure once you do it 2 or 3 times it will make sense and you will get it done, and get your table setup and running fine. Everybody has hick ups when they start out, it will be short time and you will be doing a happy dance.

[MountainGoat]

Thanks so much . . . I'm certainly ready for the happy dance!! lol


-Jennifer

[jason.jason.p]

I have a trucut table and while they may have changed the Mach3 screenset since mine was purchased here's how I adjust the pierce height: There is a value on Mach3 for pierce height just left of where the feed rates are set. I simply click on the box next to pierce height (the text box where the numbers are) the box will turn white showing it has been selected then I input the new value 0.25 and press ENTER on the keyboard. If I don't hit enter the value will not be changed. This is the same for all height and feed rate values. As I'm typing the new values in, the numbers on screen may not necessarily change as I type and will only change once I have pressed enter.

[Motojoel1]

Also, join the TruCut owners group on Facebook. Incredibly helpful place.