Torch raises up away from material after it starts cutting?

[BRadix]

I recently purchased a built command cnc setup and just got it up and running. I attempted to make the first test cut and during the cut the torch raised up in 2 steps to about .75 in above the material and continued the rest of the cut at that height. I disable the torch and then attempted another pass and it ran fine without raising. I tried again with the torch on and it lifted again.

I am new to this setup but familiar with CNC.
Any help would be appreciated! Thanks

[djreiswig]

Are you cutting with the thc on or off? If on, what is your voltage setpoint and what is the voltage reading while cutting? What material are you cutting? What plasma cutter? Try cutting a straight line with the thc off and see what the voltage reads. There is a cut test in the manual. Have you run this?
Do you have your work lead clamped directly on the material and not just on the slats or table frame?

[weldguy]

I am with djreiswig on this. Do your test cuts with THC off and once successful turn it on and continue your testing and go from there.

[BRadix]

I am very new to this system and have not got very far into the manual yet. I will continue into it for sure. I appreciate any guidance and help to get this thing back to cutting! Thanks

Im using the Hypotherm Powermax 65
DTHC IV ( it was ON)
cutting 14g cold roll

The rest I will have to look into again today when I get to the shop.

My problem now is that the z axis will not move at all. The motor will work powered through a different axis port. Z axis port gives no output.
When trying to jog the Z axis, the DRO changes as if its moving but there is no movement at the machine.

[weldguy]

Sounds like you have had a motor driver go bad. Are there any lights on the Z axis driver like the others when power is on?

[BRadix]

I can jog the motor through the utility hub but thats it.
No lights or faults displayed.

[weldguy]

Well I am stumped. If you can jog the Z motor with the Z driver through the utility hub as you say then it sounds like the hardware is ok and must be a software configuration issue.

[harrymorley]

Ive had the is same trouble . Check your consumables. Every time Ive had this issue its with aluminum and the a small piece of dross gets bridged between the shield
and the nozzle.

[tcaudle]

I recently purchased a built command cnc setup and just got it up and running. I attempted to make the first test cut and during the cut the torch raised up in 2 steps to about .75 in above the material and continued the rest of the cut at that height. I disable the torch and then attempted another pass and it ran fine without raising. I tried again with the torch on and it lifted again.

I am new to this setup but familiar with CNC.
Any help would be appreciated! Thanks

With any THC and especially the DTHC,it is ALL about volts. The Torch Volts feedback HAS to be correct or the height will not be. You symptoms are consistent with it not have volts so it trying to lift to the torch it INCREASE the volts. The voltage is proportional to the ARC GAP (distance of the nozzel tip to the work) and somewhat on the cut speeds.

In the DTHC Manual ou will find (about page 85) an INITIAL CUT TEST that takes you though 4 steps to narrow down problems with the DTHC. Most important step is to make a straight line cut with the DTHC in MANUAL and OFF, and read the voltage (like taking the air pressure in your tires ) If its not close to the chart value for that material then something is wrong. Zero volts is BAD! Its like zero PSI in your tire !

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