Plate Marker and Dynatorch

[djreiswig]

Your post has no Z moves because apparently they're handled my the g61. I'm curious what it does if you add a z move manually. Maybe you can trick it. If that works, then we could possibly get the scriber to work the way you desire.

[ROKCRLER]

I just wanted to thank you guys again for all the help, this setup works great. Only drawback is remembering to measure to top of material before starting.

Excuse the mess and noise.
https://youtube.com/shorts/TdvRuZOXWW0?feature=share

These were bend marks for a square to round. Millscale sucks, but this should speed up the bending process.

[djreiswig]

Very cool. Glad you found a workable solution. It is nice to be able to use the motor to move the scribe up & down, but this looks like it does the trick.

[djreiswig]

Not sure why I didn't notice it, but it looks like there is a G24 move that will rapid the Z. This might be the key to moving the scribe up and down. I'm not sure how to determine what the values should be for this. The raise could be whatever you want, but the lower might be tricky to figure out. I guess if the Z with the scribe touching is zero, then it would be easy to go back to zero. Maybe you can confirm what the Z value is when the scribe is scribing. If this is consistent, then I''ll tinker with the post.

[ROKCRLER]

Man.. thanks for thinking on this.

Currently I have to lower the Z to -1.90" on 1/8" plate, that changes with material thickness.
I have adjusted the torch up a bit to allow the scribe to "float". With the scribe touching material, the torch is .75" higher but the Z can travel about .5" beyond the top of slats.

[djreiswig]

Okay, so does the table set zero the same every time? And negative Z is up or down? If you have to adjust the Z for the thickness, then what is the z zeroed from? On mine the torch finds the material and then the offsets are applied so the scribe is always the same distance into the material no matter the thickness. I push down 1/4", but I can adjust it in the software. We could probably make this a material variable so it would adjust correctly per the thickness.
I'll look at the post again when I have some time.

[ROKCRLER]

I move Z down to where the torch tip is around 0.5" -0.625" from the metal for each piece or start or restart. This gives approximately 0.25" preload on the scribe to float.

[djreiswig]

So you set the Z height one time for each job? Or you have to set it every time a new line starts?

[ROKCRLER]

Set once for each scribe job, not each line.

[djreiswig]

Okay. I'm thinking maybe we could set the offsets in dynatorch to zero and set them in sheetcam instead. Then we would know where to move to.

[ROKCRLER]

Excellent!
Thanks man.

[ROKCRLER]

So I haven't found a good way to paint after scribing and leaving the scribes bare for clear coating, so I got to thinking, cut, paint, put back in the skeleton and scribe.. Seems to work well. There's a couple spots that missed since I didn't lower the torch/scribe height low enough.

The paint is meh at best, this was a proof of concept kind thing. I held the part down by hand with not cured paint.

[djreiswig]

Looks good. As long as you clear it, it shouldn't rust.

[ROKCRLER]

Thanks again for all your help

[djreiswig]

No prob. Let me know how you come out on your testing.

[acourtjester]

Not sure of how many projects like this you are going to do but, what if you used Aluminum. Then anodized if before scribe work and then clear powder coat or paint after

[ROKCRLER]

Tom, I was going to use alum on this one but wanted to see how well the scribe work would show up without removing the mill scale.
I did try brushing in PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) which is release agent used in composite making (carbon fiber/fiberglass). It is water soluble, but after painting I tried to rub the scribed areas to expose bare metal but it didn't work as intended...fyi I hate painting..

[djreiswig]

I'm not really sure..

Here is a TAP of the calibration file I used.
In this one, i scribed the cross pattern completely, then cuts the inside cross then the outside square.
I have cut this successfully but i don't see any Z movements either.


N0010 (Filename: etch calibration.tap)
N0020 (Post processor: Dynatorch2.scpost)
N0030 (Date: 27/05/2023)
N0040 G20 (Units: Inches)
N0050 G90
N0060 G17
N0070 (Part: etch calibration)
N0080 (Operation: No Offset, scribe, T101: Pen Tool)
N0090 G61
N0100 F45
N0110 G00 X4.0000 Y2.0000
N0120 M60
N0130 G01 X0.0000 Y2.0000
N0140 M61
N0150 G00 X2.0000 Y0.0000
N0160 M60
N0170 G01 X2.0000 Y4.0000
N0180 (Operation: Inside Offset, Inside, T3: 45A, 16 ga)
N0190 M61
N0200 G60
N0210 F350
N0220 G00 X1.8750 Y2.0775
N0230 G23
N0240 G01 X1.8750 Y2.0975
N0250 G01 X1.0000 Y2.0975
N0260 G03 X0.9025 Y2.0000 I0.0000 J-0.0975
N0270 G03 X1.0000 Y1.9025 I0.0975 J0.0000
N0280 G01 X1.8750 Y1.9025
N0290 G02 X1.9025 Y1.8750 I0.0000 J-0.0275
N0300 G01 X1.9025 Y1.0000
N0310 G03 X2.0000 Y0.9025 I0.0975 J0.0000
N0320 G03 X2.0975 Y1.0000 I0.0000 J0.0975
N0330 G01 X2.0975 Y1.8750
N0340 G02 X2.1250 Y1.9025 I0.0275 J0.0000
N0350 G01 X3.0000 Y1.9025
N0360 G03 X3.0975 Y2.0000 I0.0000 J0.0975
N0370 G03 X3.0000 Y2.0975 I-0.0975 J0.0000
N0380 G01 X2.1250 Y2.0975
N0390 G02 X2.0975 Y2.1250 I0.0000 J0.0275
N0400 G01 X2.0975 Y3.0000
N0410 G03 X2.0000 Y3.0975 I-0.0975 J0.0000
N0420 G03 X1.9025 Y3.0000 I0.0000 J-0.0975
N0430 G01 X1.9025 Y2.1250
N0440 (Operation: Outside Offset, Outside, T3: 45A, 16 ga)
N0450 G25
N0460 G00 X4.1525 Y4.0000
N0470 G23
N0480 G01 X4.0275 Y4.0000
N0490 G01 X4.0275 Y0.0000
N0500 G02 X4.0000 Y-0.0275 I-0.0275 J0.0000
N0510 G01 X0.0000 Y-0.0275
N0520 G02 X-0.0275 Y0.0000 I0.0000 J0.0275
N0530 G01 X-0.0275 Y4.0000
N0540 G02 X0.0000 Y4.0275 I0.0275 J0.0000
N0550 G01 X4.0000 Y4.0275
N0560 G25
N0570 G25
N0580 M30

Curious that you have M60 & M61 in your gcode, but they don't appear anywhere in the post except for the OnAbout section. Also the post had M08/M09 to control the marker, but those don't appear in the gcode. I'm not sure how to explain this other than possibly you attached the wrong post? I did notice that the name of the post in your code is Dynatorch2.scpost. Not the same a the one you attached.

If you could send me the actual post and maybe a job file from SheetCam, I will try and construct a post for you to test.

[ROKCRLER]

I think i did attach the wrong post. Here is the one im currently using with success:
function OnAbout(event)
ctrl = event:GetTextCtrl()
ctrl:AppendText("Dynatorch post processor\n")
ctrl:AppendText("\n")
ctrl:AppendText("Designed for use with machine having fully automatic thc\n")
ctrl:AppendText("\n")
ctrl:AppendText("Non modal G-codes and coordinates\n")
ctrl:AppendText("Comments enclosed with ( and )\n")
ctrl:AppendText("G23/G25 turn the plasma torch on/off\n")
ctrl:AppendText("M04/M05 turn the oxy-fuel torch on/off\n")
ctrl:AppendText("M60/M61 turn the plate marker on/off\n")
ctrl:AppendText("M08/M09 lower/raise the scriber\n")
ctrl:AppendText("Setting the feed and plunge rate to 0 disables feed rates\n")
ctrl:AppendText("Incremental IJ\n")
end

post.SetOptions(post.ARC_SEGMENTS)

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

-- revision 2/12/09
-- Added plate marker


function OnInit()
lineNumber = 10
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 (" G90\n G17\n")
bigArcs = 1 --stitch arc segments together
minArcSize = 0.2 --arcs smaller than this are converted to moves
oldfeed = -1
lasttoolClass = ""
end

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


function OnFinish()
if(toolClass ~= "PlasmaTool") then
post.Text(" G60\n") --Enable torch mode
end
post.Text (" G25\n M30\n")
end

function OnRapid()
---text(currentx," ",currenty," ",endx," ",endy)
if (math.hypot(endX - currentX, endY - currentY) < 0.001) then return end
if(endX > 1e17 and endX > 1e17) then return end
CheckFeed()
post.Text (" G00")
if(endX < 1e17) then
post.NonModalNumber (" X", endX * scale, "0.0000")
end
if(endY < 1e17) then
post.NonModalNumber (" Y", endY * scale, "0.0000")
end
post.Eol()
end

function OnMove()
if (math.hypot(endX - currentX, endY - currentY) < 0.001) then return end
CheckFeed()
post.Text (" G01")
post.NonModalNumber (" X", endX * scale, "0.0000")
post.NonModalNumber (" Y", endY * scale, "0.0000")
post.Eol()
end

function OnArc()
CheckFeed()
if(arcAngle <0) then
post.Text (" G03")
else
post.Text (" G02")
end
post.NonModalNumber (" X", endX * scale, "0.0000")
post.NonModalNumber (" Y", endY * scale, "0.0000")
post.NonModalNumber (" I",(arcCentreX - currentX) * scale, "0.0000")
post.NonModalNumber (" J",(arcCentreY - currentY) * scale, "0.0000")
post.Eol()
end


function CheckFeed()
if(feedRate == 0) then return end
if(feedRate == oldfeed) then return end
post.NonModalNumber (" F", feedRate * scale, "0.###")
oldfeed = feedRate
post.Eol()
end

function OnPenDown()
if (preheat > 0) then
post.Text (" G04 P")
post.Number (preheat,"0.###")
post.Eol()
end
post.Text (" G23\n")
if (pierceDelay > 0) then
post.Text (" G04 P")
post.Number (pierceDelay,"0.###")
post.Eol()
end
end


function OnPenUp()
post.Text (" G25\n")
if (endDelay > 0) then
post.Text (" G04 P")
post.Number (endDelay,"0.###")
post.Eol()
end
end


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

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

function OnToolChange()
if(toolClass == lasttoolClass) then return end
post.CancelModalNumbers()
if(toolClass == "MarkerTool") then
post.Text(" G61\n") --Enable scriber mode
end
if(toolClass == "PlasmaTool") then
post.Text(" G60\n") --Enable torch mode
end
if(toolClass == "FlameTool") then
post.Text(" G62\n") --Enable flame mode
end
lasttoolClass = toolClass
end


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

function OnDrill()
OnRapid()
OnPenDown()
OnPenUp()
end

Here is a sheetcam job:

[djreiswig]

There is still no M60/M61 in that post.

[Dignified]

Hello

Just curious if your Dynatorch uses the black control box from Dynatorch with the red E-Stop button. I am asking because I am repairing my box and need to reference some wire locations. I was surprised when I opened the nox, every wire was black. Makes it pretty difficult to keep track of what goes where under that condition.

Thanks,

David

[ROKCRLER]

Both of my tables have the red box with the red E-stop on top.
I can send you pictures of the inside if it will help you.

[ROKCRLER]

dj, i havent had a chance to test the script, i have become accustomed to the steps of manually setting Z

Here's some 18ga alum, not perfect but did the job 45a 325ipm regular consumables.
Not too much warping and minimal dross

PXL_20230803_230028763.jpg

Grained with scotch brite and attempted to polish with nevrdul

PXL_20230803_232206557.jpg

Polished with blue shop towel and cleaned up pretty good. Scribe needs adjusting, it dinged the backside in some spots.

PXL_20230803_234114247.jpg

[Dignified]

Those are very nice looking parts!

[ROKCRLER]

Thank you!