Interrupted Rip Cut Possible?

[JakeGG]

I want to cut up the skeleton using a rip cut. When the cut gets to a void in the material it stops cutting and says "cut sense lost". How can I get around this so it keeps moving the head through the void and starts cutting again when the void ends. So I can cut the skeleton clear across in one go. Hypertherm XPR300 with a Cert Machines table. Thanks for the help.

[TJS]

Is the THC on when trying to do this. I did this a few times and forgot to shut it off and when there was blank space it stopped or kicked up. I cannot remember. Albeit I am running commandCNC.

[djreiswig]

Does your cutter have an expanded metal mode? I'm guessing it's detecting that it has lost the arc, maybe the other mode might help keep the arc on.

[adbuch]

This is the way I do it. Also sometimes I just manually jog the torch across each cut location while holding down the "fire torch" button on the controller.
David

[kicktillmonday]

I am not familiar with the XPR300 controls whether they be physical button and dials or all done within the software but my Powermax65 has a physical dial with a mode for cutting expanded metal that I use for rip cutting. I use that mode with THC off and it works perfect. Maybe you find a dial or software button with an icon like the one shown below with the dashed line being cut.

ExpandedMetal.PNG (15.97 KiB) Viewed 2518 times

ExpandedMetal.PNG (15.97 KiB) Viewed 2518 times

[adbuch]

I am not familiar with the XPR300 controls whether they be physical button and dials or all done within the software but my Powermax65 has a physical dial with a mode for cutting expanded metal that I use for rip cutting. I use that mode with THC off and it works perfect. Maybe you find a dial or software button with an icon like the one shown below with the dashed line being cut.
ExpandedMetal.PNG

[JakeGG]

Thanks for the replies guys. As far as I know none of these things are possible with my controller. I will explore thru all the menus and options and may even look thru manual. I don't have Torch head control, or an expanded metal option, or a fire torch button or the ability to manually draw cut paths. All I do is hold the arrow key in the direction I want to rip cut, it will lower the head and begin a cut in the direction of the arrow key i'm holding down. It stops the cut when it runs off the plate or I let go of the arrow key. Granted I believe the machine we bought is low end. Even the tech from hypertherm said our controller called phoenix looks like it was a college project.

[adbuch]

Thanks for the replies guys. As far as I know none of these things are possible with my controller. I will explore thru all the menus and options and may even look thru manual. I don't have Torch head control, or an expanded metal option, or a fire torch button or the ability to manually draw cut paths. All I do is hold the arrow key in the direction I want to rip cut, it will lower the head and begin a cut in the direction of the arrow key i'm holding down. It stops the cut when it runs off the plate or I let go of the arrow key. Granted I believe the machine we bought is low end. Even the tech from hypertherm said our controller called phoenix looks like it was a college project.

How did you get the file of the nested circles into your controller in the first place? I would assume that you started with a drawing in some cad software, saved as dxf, used some sort of CAM software to create your cut paths and post process to g-code to send to your controller. If you go back to your original drawing - you should be able to edit it to include the new cut paths for cutting it up. Let us know what cad/cam software you are using and we can probably show you how to do it.

David

[JakeGG]

David, our controller has a set of basic shapes and we select the circle, input the diameter, thickness, number of pcs etc. and it will make the program on the controller. The software is called phoenix and pronest cnc. There is an option for dxf, but it would be a headache to have to go into the office and have the engineer make a dxf to cut a line across a skeleton. It would be easier to use the hand plasma to cut up the skeleton or take the time to re-align the torch head at the edge of each void to cut across in like 5 cuts. I've gone thru the manual and there is nothing about expanded metal options.

It looks the THC is sensor controlled, I am going to see if I can disable the sensor before doing a rip cut. I doubt this is possible because I have never seen an option for it but I will try.

[adbuch]

In that case, I would suggest you just keep doing what you are doing.
David

[JakeGG]

I cant find any way to disable the sensor for THC on the controller. David, I know I am just hoping someone will see this that has the same machine and knows how to do it.

[adbuch]

I cant find any way to disable the sensor for THC on the controller. David, I know I am just hoping someone will see this that has the same machine and knows how to do it.

[ROKCRLER]

Just a thought, but sometimes I put a strip of 16ga across the skeleton I want to cut or if I have gaps to jump.... that way I don't lose the flame.

[adbuch]

Just a thought, but sometimes I put a strip of 16ga across the skeleton I want to cut or if I have gaps to jump.... that way I don't lose the flame.

Mo - that's a great idea for him to try.

David

[weldguy]

Just a thought, but sometimes I put a strip of 16ga across the skeleton I want to cut or if I have gaps to jump.... that way I don't lose the flame.

Great idea Mo, never thought of that. This is one of the best things about this site, so many great ideas from others that you would never have thought of!

[metalmagpie]

wire cutters?

[SegoMan DeSigns]

Just my 2 cents of opinion here, but with the price of XPR consumables and the additional wear they get cutting air, you could buy a used 45 - 105 Duramax(non sync) with a hand torch to harvest the skeletons with.

Edit: An even cheaper option would be a 1250 / 1650 with the updated Duramax torch. I have seen adds where the 1650's are cheaper due to the 3 phase only electrical input.

[DieselFumes]

I keep worn out consumables specifically for this purpose, set my Hypertherm to expanded metal cutting mode referenced above and it works great for this.

[jteller07@hotmail.com]

Looks like the OP was/ is using an Edge Connect CNC with Pronest CNC to make the parts. Unfortunately, Pronest CNC doesn't have the ability to do skeleton cutup but either full Pronest or Pronest LT do have the feature to add the cutlines once all the parts are nested. Like many others have said another easy solution is a hand torch with an air plasma.