Blasted divots....

[davek0974]

Yes they have fixed the pause in my version of the system, it's totally transparent now and I can turn the the THC on or off whenever needed, mostly just let it get on with things though. I use the sheetcam feature that turns off THC for cuts less than... In my case I have it set to 75mm, seems to work.

[davek0974]

Just by way of an update to this thread, I was so amazed at the cuts I just did, I thought I'd post the solution, so far...

Finecut consumables
25A
2200mm/min
0.75mm pierce height
0.75mm cut height
Torch off 1.5mm before the end of cut
No lead out
Perpendicular lead in.

This was on 1.2mm stainless but the torch off early seems to work on thicker material too.

There was zero divot and almost zero browning along the cut line which can be a problem on stainless, no dross either. I was totally blown away with this as I cut a fair bit of this sheet and always get dross and staining. I spent a few hours dialling it in finely and am glad I did.

I know there is no pierce height and that is because these jobs have lines cut in them and having a higher pierce height gives a large hole at the start of the lines. Hopefully it will not damage the nozzles too early, thin sheet so I'm hoping to get away with it.

[Corfabrication]

Anyone running Ethercut able to get this to work? if so what post are you using?

[Corfabrication]

Ok, I have been told by Mr Caudle the m10/m11 will not work with ethercut..... to date those of us who bought the latest/greatest are stuck with the m03/m05 pause at end of cut, or at best use a lead out and hope it is good enough.

[beefy]

Ok, I have been told by Mr Caudle the m10/m11 will not work with ethercut..... to date those of us who bought the latest/greatest are stuck with the m03/m05 pause at end of cut, or at best use a lead out and hope it is good enough.

Wow, that's came as a bit of a shock. My understanding was that any macro (M command) caused a pause in motion and the later systems had got around this.

Did you ask Tom if there's any other way around this, or does he even have a future mod that may get around the problem.

I wonder if you could have a cut rule that inserts a piece of code to operate a Mach output. This output could open a relay contact that is in series with the TORCH ON wires, then close the relay again (another cut rule) after the M05 command. Of course if the Mach output command has to be put in a macro, then will that macro cause a pause ???? So most of the time that relay would be de-energised and the TORCH ON signal would go through a normally closed contact. It would only be energised when you wanted to turn off the torch like this (i.e. during motion).

Keith.

[vmax549]

HUM, Last I checked the ESS handled the M10 M11. Wonder why Toms version does not?

Just a thought, (;-) TP

[acourtjester]

I seem to be confused you keep stating M commands to turn off/on the torch while moving. In the path rules I am using with my DTHCIV it turns off the DTHC not the torch. With the older THC I had using M10/11 it was stopping for corners and the cut suffered. I have the MP3100 using rev 11C

[beefy]

I seem to be confused you keep stating M commands to turn off/on the torch while moving. In the path rules I am using with my DTHCIV it turns off the DTHC not the torch. With the older THC I had using M10/11 it was stopping for corners and the cut suffered. I have the MP3100 using rev 11C

Acourtjester,

you can create path rules that do whatever.

Turning off the DTHC (torch height control) is not what the guys are trying to do here. They are trying to turn the torch off during motion, in this case, just before the end of cut in a hole, in order to get rid of the divot.

Hope that helps,

Keith

[acourtjester]

OK thanks

[Metriccar]

These are 4mm thick with a 20mm dia hole.

Topside:

IMG_5470.JPG

Underside:

IMG_5469.JPG

IMG_5474.JPG

Sean, your photos give no indication where the lead in/out was. I didn't even know that was possible! I always have some sign. I guess I have more work to do.

[SeanP]

The sheetcam screenshot above those pics is what I used to cut those.

Sean, your photos give no indication where the lead in/out was. I didn't even know that was possible! I always have some sign. I guess I have more work to do.

[acourtjester]

Sean P
Are you using the "Overcut" in the operation so the lead out is past the lead in start???

[ben de lappe]

Well guys, I used to have those divots as well. I found a lead out to be of no benefit in plasma, and when I quit using lead out's the divots went away. Nothing was altered in G code, Torchmate settings, software or anything else.
I also did not use a lead in with a radius. I used a line at an angle of 45 deg.

Ben

[SeanP]

Sean P
Are you using the "Overcut" in the operation so the lead out is past the lead in start???

I don't bother using the overcut now Tom, it seems to be working fine just using the 'torch off' M10P1 just before the leadout starts.

It doesn't sound like that feature works with the new ethernet setup though Tom.

I will try a 'no lead out' like Ben is doing there, I just finished 800 pieces of 6mm parts I whittled down the lead out to just 2mm but sounds like I should have gone further! even had the rapid clearance down to 5mm to go as fast as poss

Cutting some of the smaller bits here:
https://youtu.be/InPyY_CqVPk

Here is another video I took a while back trying to see what was happening, you can slow it down further using youtube speed settings in the gear icon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V21pgyCB_Bw

[beefy]

Hey Sean,

you've got to cnc those two hand tools

Keith

[SeanP]

Hey Sean,

you've got to cnc those two hand tools

Keith

I could just keep up picking out and scraping dross
Still took me around 3 x sheetcam job time though!

[SeanP]

Just done a quick test comparison like Ben suggested, sorry it doesn't work on my setup like the torch off does.

3mm HR - 20mm dia, photos underside

[ben de lappe]

Wow Sean, that no lead out sample is terrible! What a difference, in a bad way. Why did you listen to that fella?
You apparently don't know what you're doing at all!. Just ribbing you a little. Sorry it did not help, I just knew it would.

Ben

[davek0974]

Lead outs with the torch on really do make it worse.

I find turning the torch off 1-1.5mm before the end of cut works well

[Corfabrication]

that top pic is pretty much what all mine look like. I still havent had a chance to wire a relay into my machine to be able to turn off the torch on the move....
latest,greatest,gotta love it.

[beefy]

that top pic is pretty much what all mine look like. I still havent had a chance to wire a relay into my machine to be able to turn off the torch on the move....
latest,greatest,gotta love it.

The Candcnc ethernet system is what I've got my eye on too. Hopefully Tom manages to get a fix for this in the not too distant future. I've seen the progress of his systems over the last few years, so I'm pretty confident he'll sort it out at some point.

Keith

[beefy]

Just done a quick test comparison like Ben suggested, sorry it doesn't work on my setup like the torch off does.

3mm HR - 20mm dia, photos underside

Thanks for posting those Sean.

Goes to show what is possible when you know how. Just to confirm that last photo was 0.2mm not 2mm.

Keith

[SeanP]

Yes it was just.2 overcut Keith.

Gee there are that many variables I still haven't really settled on one setting, can normally get those results up to 6mm thick though.

I'm happy enough with the parallel port setup to be honest it works really well for me and is plenty fast enough reaction times.

[beefy]

Thanks Sean,

bit of a price difference too between the parallel port system and the ESS. I came so damn close to having the cash to buy one of Toms latest systems. Had a big job in Feb / March then just as the cash started coming in from that job, my excavator crapped itself big time, I knew I couldn't be so lucky. Ended up out of work a total of 5 weeks and spent plenty money in parts. Most of that big money all gone Mind you I did sell my first decorative corten screen while I was waiting on parts.

I built the crane in this picture from my "scrap" (that's a dirty word) metal stock, just for this one repair. I have to take it apart to get it into the shed. Now the excavator is fixed I guess I can use the crane to fix the bobcat My advice - stick to plasma cutting, you'll live longer

Guess my pause free THC control will have to wait a bit longer.

Keith

[SeanP]

Wow that's a big job! good work with the gantry.