Starfire CNC Piercing & not moving

[pike76]

I have a ProPlas 1530 table & a StareFire cnc controller with a HP 105 THC ( both Chinese).I am running a Hypertherm 85 amp machine with it. Have had no issues with it until now. Will pierce but not travel.
Can manually move & will trace the outline but won’t move when cutting. Have tried adjusting pierce time & torch height. Doesn’t seem to be getting the signal to start travelling once pierce time is finished. Has anyone had a similar issue & how did they fix it?
I have also put a new HP 105 THC in but hasn't fixed the problem.

[weldguy]

I don't have experience with your equipment other than the Hypertherm 85 but it sounds to me like you are not getting the OK to move signal from the plasma or the settings in your controller have changed and it is not doing anything with the ok to move signal. Does your software have a window where you can view input signals?

[acourtjester]

I agree with weldguy, A test you can do is run the G-code without the plasma unit on (and THC). Most software with move the table around with no cutting action. This should show that the system will run a G-code and the arc Ok signal is where the problem is. The arc OK signal comes from the Hypertherm and may or may not pass through the THC. Since your table was operational you may find a broken wire in the Arc OK circuit path. If you understand electronics circuits you will see where the signal starts from the back plug on the hypertherm and goes to the controller board as an input.

[tcaudle]

Let me know if oy get tired of the StarFire and the HP105 THC. We are working on a Plug in and run replacement for several of the Starfire and THC controls that are all USA designed, built and supported . We have done several retros on Chinese tables and controls and the wiring is the biggest issue in the process so the concept of unplugging the cables from the back of the StarFire control panel and into a a box with integrated THC (not a separate control panel) and a single cable interface to the Hypertherm might be appealing. Yes. We use the "Transfer" (Arc OK) signal from the Hypertherm to hold motion when the torch fires (or fails to) but we have indicators on the screen, on the control box and on the digital sender unit (PWMIIA) along with a test button on the PWM to test with. Its possible they simply use the torch volts to detect if its fired to release motion so check to see you are getting the volts to display on the THC THC.