Rogue Cutting STV Table Takes Off Randomly

[dralex87]

Anyone ever have and issue with rogue cutting? I have an STV CNC table with a Hypertherm 45XP plasma. It will be cutting fine and all of sudden will just take off cutting in a random direction until I stop it, most of the time ruining the piece I was cutting. I typically use inkscape or solidworks to create the drawing/file and then use Pronest LT for nesting. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[acourtjester]

Not sure if this is what is happening with your problem. But there have been posts here with some software packages not playing nice with each other.
Sometime extra lines are added to the G-code, it seem to come from the original drawing and how it was created. You may use the search function here to see the posts and why it happens. Not sure if it was due to mixing a traced image with additional work being done to it after the trace like merging drawn items with the trace. I would do some testing to isolate if it happens with Inkscape into Pronest or Solidworks into Pronest. Another thing is to attach a ink pen to the torch and run the G-code drawing on paper to stop wasting metal, until you fine what is causing it.

[adbuch]

Perhaps post the file that is giving you problems. As Tom mentioned there can sometimes be extra lines created with some of the processing resulting in unwanted cut path creation.
David

[dralex87]

Not sure if this is what is happening with your problem. But there have been posts here with some software packages not playing nice with each other.
Sometime extra lines are added to the G-code, it seem to come from the original drawing and how it was created. You may use the search function here to see the posts and why it happens. Not sure if it was due to mixing a traced image with additional work being done to it after the trace like merging drawn items with the trace. I would do some testing to isolate if it happens with Inkscape into Pronest or Solidworks into Pronest. Another thing is to attach a ink pen to the torch and run the G-code drawing on paper to stop wasting metal, until you fine what is causing it.

I can cut 2 of the same part on the same nest and it will take off cutting on one and not the other. It seems to be completely at random regardless of if the file came from Inkscape, solidworks, or a file I purchased from Etsy.

[weldguy]

So if it is completely random as you say, you should be able to cut the same file twice or more and the problem may or may not exist and may not happen at the same spot. Is that what you are seeing or does it always happen at the same location on the design?

[acourtjester]

That sounds like you have a problem with the nesting section of the G-code generation. I have not use Pronest so I cannot say for sure, but the table will follow the G-code. Do you see your cut plan on you monitor, mine shows what the G-code will be cutting, showing all the separate parts.
the first image shows the second part way out in right field as the nesting was not done. Second images shows the parts nested and close together.

[adbuch]

It is also possible that you have some stray nodes in your original drawing that are being picked up during the cam portion of your process.
David

[dralex87]

So if it is completely random as you say, you should be able to cut the same file twice or more and the problem may or may not exist and may not happen at the same spot. Is that what you are seeing or does it always happen at the same location on the design?

I have cut the same 2 pieces on one sheet and it do it to one and not the other.

[dralex87]

It is also possible that you have some stray nodes in your original drawing that are being picked up during the cam portion of your process.
David

I have checked and couldn’t find any

[Plasma-art]

Could EMI be a culprit in this?
How is your grounding done?

[weldguy]

Any AC tig welding being done in the shop at the same time this happens?