Z Ht. changes in the cut

[Fountaine]

Today my z ht. changed in the middle of a cut. The torch went out and the torch went to the rapid ht.

I tried to back up and refire but it continued to do the same thing.

I let it run the balance of the cut and it went to the next pierce axis and ran perfectly for the balance of the design.

Yesterday it would pierce and not move. It did this on 2 separate runs of the same design and a different spot.

I would like to be able to back up and restart but do not know how.

Are there any trouble shooting guides out there that would cover these odd things that pop up?

HELP!

[jimcolt]

Well...it would probably help if you identified the plasma system, the cnc control, the height control as well as the software your system uses. There are many different machine designs....


Jim Colt Hypertherm

[Fountaine]

I have a Thermal Dynamics A40 torch. I also have a Gecko Drive 545 and a Texas Micro Circuits THC. My software is BobCad V24 and Mach 3.

Just to refresh from today: I ran a design successfully 7 times. I ran fine, with some dross and a little angular.

I loaded a second design and it made it's 1st move, pierced and sat there. I reloaded my 1st design and it did the same thing. Regardless of running prior.

I have grounded my table and keep my work cable attached to the material.

I am getting so dumbfounded on 2 steps forward and 1 back.

Thanks for your looking at this.

[Fountaine]

Here are the first several lines of the g-code that 1st ran, then would not.

(BEAR HEAD WELCOME 11.NC)
(Post processor: Plasma THC300.millpst)
(MON. 09/17/2012)
G20 (Units:Inches )
G53 G90 G40
G0 Z0.5
X6.8912 Y2.8192
(FEATURE PROFILE)
M06 T1
G00 Z0.5
G28.1 Z0.12
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z0.1014
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z.375
G00 Z0.16
M03
G04 P0.2
G1 X6.2658 Y3.5029 F110.
X6.2337 Y3.567
X6.0214 Y4.0826
X5.9904 Y4.331
X6.0499 Y4.5988
X5.9613 Y4.835
X5.9007 Y5.2288
M05
G04 P0.3
G0 Z0.5
X6.8321 Y6.5811
G00 Z0.5
G28.1 Z0.12
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z0.1014
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z.375
G00 Z0.16
M03
G04 P0.2
G1 X7.1067 Y6.7184 F110.
X7.1982 Y6.7609
X7.1851 Y6.8131
X7.0625 Y6.9469
X6.8284 Y7.0812
X6.6652 Y7.1395
X6.5501 Y7.1855
X6.5139 Y7.101
X6.4913 Y6.9541
X6.498 Y6.8801
X6.612 Y6.7698
X6.7325 Y6.5361
X6.8321 Y6.5811
M05
G04 P0.3
G0 Z0.5
X7.4992 Y6.438
G00 Z0.5
G28.1 Z0.12
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z0.1014
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z.375
G00 Z0.16
M03
G04 P0.2
G1 X7.0266 Y6.2277 F110.
X6.7313 Y5.9538
X6.5494 Y5.6121
M05
G04 P0.3
G0 Z0.5
X7.8333 Y5.178
G00 Z0.5
G28.1 Z0.12
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z0.1014
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z.375
G00 Z0.16
M03
G04 P0.2
G1 X7.6139 F110.
X7.5255 Y5.1401
X7.6046 Y5.0479
X7.7491 Y5.0158
X7.8816 Y5.0655
X7.9517 Y5.1122
X7.8333 Y5.178
M05
G04 P0.3
G0 Z0.5
X8.9279 Y4.9031
G00 Z0.5
G28.1 Z0.12
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z0.1014
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z.375
G00 Z0.16
M03
G04 P0.2
G1 X9.1542 Y4.8729 F110.
X9.3215 Y4.9033
X9.3099 Y4.9731
X9.22 Y5.0181
X8.9918
X8.9279 Y4.9031
M05
G04 P0.3
G0 Z0.5
X9.3776 Y4.1059
G00 Z0.5
G28.1 Z0.12
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z0.1014

[JJsCustomDesigns]

I see several things wrong with your G Code.

G1 should be G01. Which is your Feed.
G0 should be G00. Which is Rapid Movement.

Try this:

(BEAR HEAD WELCOME 11.NC)
(Post processor: Plasma THC300.millpst)
(MON. 09/17/2012)
G20 (Units:Inches )
G53 G90 G40
G00 Z0.5
X6.8912 Y2.8192
(FEATURE PROFILE)
M06 T1
G00 Z0.5
G28.1 Z0.12
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z0.1014
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z.375
G00 Z0.16
M03
G04 P0.2
G01 X6.2658 Y3.5029 F110. (<-- im guessing your plasma was sitting at this line and not moving?)
X6.2337 Y3.567
X6.0214 Y4.0826
X5.9904 Y4.331
X6.0499 Y4.5988
X5.9613 Y4.835
X5.9007 Y5.2288
M05
G04 P0.3
G00 Z0.5
X6.8321 Y6.5811
G00 Z0.5
G28.1 Z0.12
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z0.1014
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z.375
G00 Z0.16
M03
G04 P0.2
G01 X7.1067 Y6.7184 F110.
X7.1982 Y6.7609
X7.1851 Y6.8131
X7.0625 Y6.9469
X6.8284 Y7.0812
X6.6652 Y7.1395
X6.5501 Y7.1855
X6.5139 Y7.101
X6.4913 Y6.9541
X6.498 Y6.8801
X6.612 Y6.7698
X6.7325 Y6.5361
X6.8321 Y6.5811
M05
G04 P0.3
G00 Z0.5
X7.4992 Y6.438
G00 Z0.5
G28.1 Z0.12
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z0.1014
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z.375
G00 Z0.16
M03
G04 P0.2
G01 X7.0266 Y6.2277 F110.
X6.7313 Y5.9538
X6.5494 Y5.6121
M05
G04 P0.3
G00 Z0.5
X7.8333 Y5.178
G00 Z0.5
G28.1 Z0.12
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z0.1014
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z.375
G00 Z0.16
M03
G04 P0.2
G01 X7.6139 F110.
X7.5255 Y5.1401
X7.6046 Y5.0479
X7.7491 Y5.0158
X7.8816 Y5.0655
X7.9517 Y5.1122
X7.8333 Y5.178
M05
G04 P0.3
G01 Z0.5
X8.9279 Y4.9031
G00 Z0.5
G28.1 Z0.12
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z0.1014
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z.375
G00 Z0.16
M03
G04 P0.2
G01 X9.1542 Y4.8729 F110.
X9.3215 Y4.9033
X9.3099 Y4.9731
X9.22 Y5.0181
X8.9918
X8.9279 Y4.9031
M05
G04 P0.3
G00 Z0.5
X9.3776 Y4.1059
G00 Z0.5
G28.1 Z0.12
G92 Z0.0
G00 Z0.1014

I went thru the above code and added the G01's and the G00. This must be only part of the code? Do you write your g-code manually?