Air Scribe for plasma table.

[Axlworks]

I hope this is the right forum. I was wondering if anyone’s heard or installed one of these on your tables? It seems like a good choice as it comes with all the parts. Wiring to the controller is the only thing keeping me from making the purchase. Thoughts?

[djreiswig]

In my opinion that's a lot of money for a couple of regulators, an air valve, an air slide and some tubing & fittings. The additional information tab on their site says the air scribe is not included so you would have to buy that separately. If you look on this site (plasmaspider), you will find some pretty good directions on how to put your own air scribe together for a lot less money. If you look at the pictures for their ES Air Scribe, they have an air diagram that shows you how to plumb it. As far as the wiring to control a scribe, you just need a single output to turn on the air valve. You will also need to program some offsets in your CAM software to account for the offset from the torch to where the scribe is mounted.

[Axlworks]

Very true. I already purchased the scribe on eBay for $60. I’m looking at slides and regulators now cause I’m all about saving a couple bucks. Plus making it yourself is always funner.

Thanks for the intel.

[djreiswig]

Check out this thread on what I figured out to control downpressure.
http://www.plasmaspider.com/viewtopic.php?f=100&t=22927
The precision regulators are da bomb.
Also might want to consider setting up your scribe slide so it turns on and stays down and use the Z motor to raise and lower your scribe between moves. It seems to solve the start delay issue a lot of people are having.

Yeah, I agree, funner is better.

[Axlworks]

So I’m getting all the parts for my air scribe this week and wondering how the wiring will work. From the scribe controller output to my CNC controller? Any pointers or related posts would be much appreciated.

[djreiswig]

Just wire both valves to the output relay so they both come on together. Not sure what controller or software you are using, so not much help there.

[Axlworks]

Ok I gotcha. I’m using a 5-axis brekout board and running Inkscape, Sheetcam and Mach 3. Wondering if it’s possible to run the scribe output relay wires to the existing port on my breakout board?

[djreiswig]

It looks like you only have one relay on that board and there are wires in the connector for it circled in yellow.

file.jpeg

Assuming this is for your plasma. The connector you have circled in white is for a b-axis motor. I'm not really familiar with the board, but what I read in the data sheet doesn't look like that connector will control an air valve. I could be wrong.

[djreiswig]

It looks like there might be a way to connect a solid state relay to one of the axis pins. You would have to determine what port & pin to set in Mach. The info I found said to connect the ground on the relay to the 5v ground and the pin will provide the +5v. That's about all I can figure out. No guarantees, but good luck.