Torch raises during cut and pushes rip into the material THC pricecnc

[Chuckweb]

Sorry I thought I sent both

[Chuckweb]

I’ll get the picture in a few. After last night everything cut good. But the touch comes down and touches the material while it’s cutting like actually floating. The pricecnc controller blue lights light up for the up and down and the corresponding lights on the BOB light up at the same time but the torch doesn’t move.

[acourtjester]

Here is a problem, you cannot have emulation on and still operate normally. That function is only for your testing by assigning a keyboard key to make that line item work when the key is pushed. It will override the normal function if checked on.
If you are in test mode with the Price it should move the torch up and down when those lights are on. You will also need to have a large voltage spread so you can see the movement. If it does not move in test find out why.

[Chuckweb]

Ok, that’s my emergency stop. If I uncheck it every time the torch drops down and hits the micro switch it activates the emergency stop.

If I set everything the exact same way they have the settings in the pricecnc manual my torch up, torch down and torch on stays active. The BOB wired the exact same way they have it in the manual. The settings it’s at now is the only way I can get it to function somewhat normal. If the torch would actually move up and down it would be perfect. The price controller is telling the board to move it because the leds lights up on the board but the torch just floats on the part while it’s cutting. As for now it’s not raising off the part like it was. Just need the Torch to acutely move now or respond to the controller. I can make a video and send it to you some how.

[acourtjester]

If you make a video you can then use a ZIP program to compress the file and give it a ZIP extension. A ZIP file can be uploaded here for others for download and view. The fact that the lights come on does not mean it is functional, I had that happen with a BOB board I was using and had to change the board to another type. The only way to be sure is if the Z actually moves with the lights when testing. Another thing you can check is the computer's BIOS to be sure the printer port is bi-directional, I think it is EPP and ECP.

[Chuckweb]

Ok, here’s my problem. When it’s cutting the pricecnc shows it’s doing it’s job and the DRO is moving but the actual z-axis isn’t. So so when it needs to go up the DRO keeps trying to send it up. so if the z-axis is staying close to zero but the pricecnc keeps trying to adjust it and the DRO go up 3” the machine this it’s 3” up so when it starts the next cut it’s trying to take it back to zero “from zero” when the z axis never moved.

[robertspark]

what motion controller are you using?

the dro is of no consequence as THC is controlled within the motion controller.

[Chuckweb]

I’m running this BOB know

64AD6A7D-071D-40D0-856B-0070AE190A4E.png

[Chuckweb]

F0B44A9B-C25A-4604-A75F-4B4A6437376F.png

I bought this one but haven’t hooked it up yet.

[robertspark]

so you are using the parallel port with mach3?

no smooth stepper or usb to lpt device.

the parallel port is directly on the pc?

(those bobs are essential both the same)

mach3 with the lpt port will only work on 32 bit versions of Windows, ie windows xp was the last available windows OS that was offered as 32 bit. all 64 bit windows OS' require a motion controller (smooth stepper, PDMX (I think still support mach3, but not THC as far as I know), or cncdrive motion controllers etc)

EDIT:--- here is another question?

can you confirm you have a mach3 licence? not one given to you, you found on a website, dvd or in a Christmas cracker...

mach3 does not work in demo mode with thc if you are still running mach3 in demo mode.
https://www.machsupport.com/software/mach3/

if you have a fake mach3 licence, then it won't do what you want and is programmed to do odd things to ruin your work. (unlikely from what you have described as it tends to do other things like rapid off and not follow the gcode)
https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index ... #msg241127

[Chuckweb]

Yes I have the license for Mach 3 under wrightcnc the company that built the system. It works fine with the THC off.

The z axis doesn’t move but my dro says it is. So when the THC controller tells the torch to raise because of the measured voltage the dro is showing it’s trying to adjust it but the torch doesn’t move. So after that G-code is finished it’ll move to the next operation and as it comes down to torch off the micro switch it ignores the micro switch and pushes the tip into the part and doesn’t stop. But at the beginning of every first cut it works fine. It’s usually the second or third operation in. When it doesn’t it I stop the operation and set as next operation, bring it back to my original zero where I zeroed it before I started the cut and zero it again. I then start the cut from where I stopped and it touches off and finishes with the operation. It sometimes just drives the torch into the part right then or it’ll move to the next operation and drive the tip into the part. The reason is because the torch is not adjusting like the computer tells it to. If I’m at zero at the start of the cut my DRO will say I’m 6” afrom the part by the end of the cut but it’s actually right at zero.

[Chuckweb]

I do have windows XP. It’ll works fine without the THC on. I’m lost. I’ve tried everything. Last night I draw out some straight lines and sent it to sheet cam and then pulled it up on mach3. It cut the lines perfectly with the THC on but the torch didn’t move/adjust for the voltage difference. But it did torch off and cut the lines but they may be because the dro didn’t move that much for it to be out of wack.

[Chuckweb]

342372C5-ABC9-4632-B0EB-18CCCA78C08E.jpeg

[Chuckweb]

So those to boards are just alike?

[acourtjester]

Fist of all can you sent a part of your G-code like enough to show the first 3 cut operations.
It sounds like you g-code is not correcting itself for the Z axis when doing the cutting. First cut torch finds the metal surface and sets the Z to 0.0 them moves up to pierce torch fires and drops to cut height. after cut move to next location and finds metal surface and sets Z ot 0.0 again. This is done with a G92 command (looks like G92 Z0.0), if this does not happen Mach loses the location of the metal surface or where Z should be. here is what mine looks like, it is the same for each cut just different location of the cutting

N0100 M06 T4 (Plasma, 0.055 in kerf shielded 14 ga)
N0110 G00 X27.0536 Y10.6809 Z1.0000
N0120 G31 Z -100 F19.685
N0130 G92 Z0.0
N0140 G00 Z0.00
N0150 G92 Z0.0
N0160 G00 X27.0536 Y10.6809 Z0.1500
N0170 M03
N0180 G01 Z0.0600 F60.0
N0190 X35.1715 F220.0
N0200 M05

[robertspark]

here is a price sheetcam post processor I downloaded mid 2019

Code: Select all

function OnAbout(event)
   ctrl = event:GetTextCtrl()
   ctrl:AppendText("plasma AVHC10 post processor\n")
   ctrl:AppendText("\n")
   ctrl:AppendText("Modal G-codes and coordinates\n")
   ctrl:AppendText("Comments enclosed with ( and )\n")
   ctrl:AppendText("M03/M05 turn the torch on/off\n")
   ctrl:AppendText("Incremental IJ\n")
   ctrl:AppendText("The torch is referenced at cut start and every 500mm of movement thereafter\n")
   ctrl:AppendText("Designed for use with Mach3 and PriceCNC AVHC10\n")
   ctrl:AppendText("Post variables:\n")
   ctrl:AppendText("refdistance - set the distance between each reference\n")
end



--  revision 3/2/07
--  Removed final safety move. This is now done in SheetCam

--   revision 7/10/05
--   Added new arc handling

--   created 27/10/04
--   Based on plasma1.post



function OnInit()

   post.SetCommentChars ("()", "[]")  --make sure ( and ) characters do not appear in system text
   post.Text (" (Filename: ", fileName, ")\n")
   post.Text (" (Post processor: ", postName, ")\n")
   post.Text (" (Date: ", date, ")\n")
   if(scale == metric) then
      post.Text (" G21 (Units: Metric)\n") --metric mode
   else
      post.Text (" G20 (Units: Inches)\n") --inch mode
   end
   post.Text (" G53 G90 G40\n F1\n S500\n")


   switchoffset = 0.7
   bigarcs = 1 --stitch arc segments together
   minArcSize = 0.05 --arcs smaller than this are converted to moves
end

function OnNewLine()
   post.Text ("N")
   post.Number (lineNumber, "0000")
   lineNumber = lineNumber + 10
end


function OnFinish()
   post.Text (" M05 M30\n")
end

function OnRapid()
   if(math.hypot(endX-currentX , endY-currentY) < 0.001 and endZ < currentZ) then return end
   post.ModalText (" G00")
   post.ModalNumber (" X", endX * scale, "0.0000")
   post.ModalNumber (" Y", endY * scale, "0.0000")
   post.ModalNumber (" Z", endZ * scale, "0.0000")
   post.Eol()
end

function OnMove()
   post.ModalText (" G01")
   post.ModalNumber (" X", endX * scale, "0.0000")
   post.ModalNumber (" Y", endY * scale, "0.0000")
   post.ModalNumber (" Z", endZ * scale, "0.0000")
   post.ModalNumber (" F", feedRate * scale, "0.0###")
   post.Eol()
end

function OnArc()
   if(arcAngle <0) then
      post.ModalText (" G03")
   else
      post.ModalText (" G02")
   end
   post.NonModalNumber (" X", endX * scale, "0.0000")
   post.NonModalNumber (" Y", endY * scale, "0.0000")
   post.ModalNumber (" Z", endZ * scale, "0.0000")
   post.Text (" I")
   post.Number ((arcCentreX - currentX) * scale, "0.0000")
   post.Text (" J")
   post.Number ((arcCentreY - currentY) * scale, "0.0000")
   post.ModalNumber (" F", feedRate * scale, "0.0###")
   post.Eol()
end


function OnPenDown()

   post.ModalText(" G31 Z -100")
   post.ModalNumber (" F", 500 * scale, "0.0###")
   post.Eol()
   post.ModalText(" G92 Z0.0\n")
   post.ModalText (" G00")
   post.ModalNumber(" Z", switchoffset, "0.0000")
   post.Eol()
   post.ModalText(" G92 Z0.0\n")
   post.CancelModalNumbers()
   post.ModalText (" G00")
   post.ModalNumber (" X", endX * scale, "0.0000")
   post.ModalNumber (" Y", endY * scale, "0.0000")
   post.ModalNumber (" Z", pierceHeight * scale, "0.0000")
   post.Eol()

   post.Text ("\n M03\n")
   if (pierceDelay > 0.001) then
      post.Text (" G04 P")
      post.Number (pierceDelay,"0.###")
      post.Eol()
   end

end


function OnPenUp()
   post.Text (" M05\n")
   if (endDelay > 0) then
      post.Text (" G04 P")
      post.Number (endDelay,"0.###")
      post.Eol()
   end
end


function OnNewOperation()
   post.Text (" (Process: ", operationName, ")\n")
end

function OnComment()
  post.Text(" (",commentText,")\n")
end

function OnToolChange()
   post.Text (" M06 T")
   post.Number (tool, "0")
   post.Text ("  (", toolName, ")\n")
end

function OnNewPart()
   post.Text(" (Part: ",partName,")\n");
end

function OnDrill()
   OnRapid()
   OnPenDown()
   endZ = drillZ
   OnMove()
   OnPenUp()
   endZ = safeZ
   OnRapid()
end

[Chuckweb]

I’ll look and respond back in 10min

[Chuckweb]

35888469-1EC7-45FE-A66C-749E998E4BE7.jpeg

A0561AB7-8FE0-4A79-AE68-E88325763F38.jpeg

[Chuckweb]

4E9E1947-A1A6-4C63-B2E8-80B83EAB321E.jpeg

[Chuckweb]

Send me an email I’ll send a short video to y’all

[Chuckweb]

D184F70E-0F01-4BC4-A357-8616939443D4.jpeg

EED6E14F-3068-4BA2-B9CE-5051C397379A.jpeg

105B6818-28BB-44CC-944F-5B448DE7036D.jpeg

[robertspark]

can you post a proper gcode file please with a number of pierces

I can also see m10p2..... presume this is for your thcon/,off

cant see any m11p2 though.... M11 = output on, M10 = output off, p2 is the output number

[Chuckweb]

Yes, I’ll pull up another one.

The post processor file you posted am I able to copy and paste it?
If where at on sheetcam?

[acourtjester]

Windows has a different folder that it is stored in. See attached image it starts from the C:/users, your will not have the tom in it.
If you make a change to one of the original post processors and save it will another name (anything you want {bogus joe} example). After you do that them do a windows search function and it will show where it is so you can find other too, start you search in the C:/users folder to make it quicker

apost.JPG

apost2.JPG

[djreiswig]

That's where the ones that show -edited are stored. It saves the copy here instead of changing the original that is in the SheetCam folder.
I always delete all of the posts except the ones I'm using otherwise it's difficult to find them in a sea of other useless ones. They do come back when you update.
I wish the edited ones would move to the top so they were handy. Maybe I'll suggest that on the SheetCam forum.