z raise after plasmacut

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Pakko
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2016 6:17 pm

z raise after plasmacut

Post by Pakko »

Hello,
I have a problem. When I make a cut it should do a G00 Z15 move after M05, and it does that on the screen, but the machine does not move in real life. And this does not happen all the time either. I have a proma thc and I wonder if its stopping the Z movement or something.
This is not always a problem, but when I am cutting thin sheets it can buckle a few mm and then the torch crash in to it.
Do anyone have a solution? I tried to put a delay after the cut, but that didnt work. Maybe write m101 after each cut?
Last edited by Pakko on Mon Dec 05, 2016 3:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Les Newell
Site Admin
Posts: 3661
Joined: Thu May 11, 2006 8:12 pm

Post by Les Newell »

Does the Z move show in Mach? If so the problem is probably mechanical or electrical. Check your Z motor acceleration and speed settings.
Pakko
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2016 6:17 pm

Post by Pakko »

ok, thanx. I will check the settings =)

yes it moves in mach3, but not in real life =)
Last edited by Pakko on Mon Dec 05, 2016 5:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Pakko
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2016 6:17 pm

Post by Pakko »

I slowed down the z acceleration and speed, but that didnt help. And sometimes it raises to the correct hight.... strange. The z ref trigger seems to be working fine also.

Can it have something to do with the height it stops cutting at? If it is a minus value for example at the end of the cut then it may not raise the torch?
Pakko
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2016 6:17 pm

Post by Pakko »

It seems that it does not raise the z axis when it is below Z0 at the end of the cut. Anyone else that have the same problem?
I have attached a file, if anyone can find a problem there
Attachments
brp120.tap
(25.75 KiB) Downloaded 95 times
Pakko
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2016 6:17 pm

post processor

Post by Pakko »

function OnAbout(event)
ctrl = event:GetTextCtrl()
ctrl:AppendText("Plasma MP1000-THC -ZRef post processor\n")
ctrl:AppendText("Use with floating head (auto touch off) ONLY\n")
ctrl:AppendText("Modal G-codes and coordinates\n")
ctrl:AppendText("Comments enclosed with ( and )\n")
ctrl:AppendText("M03/M05 turn the torch on/off\n")
ctrl:AppendText("Incremental IJ - set in mach3\n")
ctrl:AppendText("The torch is referenced at cut start and every 500mm of movement thereafter\n")
ctrl:AppendText("Designed for use with Mach3 and CandCNC MP1000-THC and Floating head Touch-n-Go\n")
end


--Post variables:

--refdistance - sets the distance between each reference (default is 500mm)
--switchoffset - sets your net switch offset amount (actual measured switch offset on your table)
--zrefslowdown - sets your distance that the Z uses ref-speed on the touch off. If larger than the Rapid Height it uses Rapid Height


-- modified 10/05/07 by Tom Caudle
-- Based on plasma1.post



function OnInit()
bigarcs = 1 --stitch arc segments together
minArcSize = 0.05 --arcs smaller than this are converted to moves

post.SetCommentChars ("()", "[]") --make sure ( and ) characters do not appear in system text
post.Text (" (Filename: ", fileName, ")\n")
post.Text (" (Post processor: ", postName, ")\n")
post.Text (" (Date: ", date, ")\n")
if(scale == metric) then
post.Text (" G21 (Units: Metric)\n") --metric mode
else
post.Text (" G20 (Units: Inches)\n") --inch mode
end
post.Text (" G53 G90 G40\n F1\n")
--NOTE: Variable numbers below are in MM and are converted to INCHES by the scale factor
dist = 9999999
refdistance = 10 * scale
zrefslowdown =12.7 * scale
--Put your switch offset value here
switchoffset =3
lastz = 0
if(zrefslowdown > safeZ * scale) then
zrefslowdown = safeZ * scale
end
end

function OnNewLine()
post.Text ("N")
post.Number (lineNumber, "0000")
lineNumber = lineNumber + 10
end


function OnFinish()
endZ = 10
OnRapid()
endX = 0
endY = 0
OnRapid()
post.Text (" M05 M30\n")
end

function OnRapid()
dist = dist + math.hypot(endX-currentX , endY-currentY)
post.ModalText (" G00")
post.ModalNumber (" X", endX * scale, "0.0000")
post.ModalNumber (" Y", endY * scale, "0.0000")
post.ModalNumber (" Z", safeZ * scale, "0.0000")
post.Eol()
end

function OnMove()
dist = dist + math.hypot(endX-currentX , endY-currentY)
post.ModalText (" G01")
post.ModalNumber (" X", endX * scale, "0.0000")
post.ModalNumber (" Y", endY * scale, "0.0000")
post.ModalNumber (" Z", endZ * scale, "0.0000")
post.ModalNumber (" F", feedRate * scale, "0.0###")
post.Eol()
end

function OnArc()
dist = dist + math.hypot(endX-currentX , endY-currentY)
if(arcAngle <0) then
post.ModalText (" G03")
else
post.ModalText (" G02")
end
post.ModalNumber (" X", endX * scale, "0.0000")
post.ModalNumber (" Y", endY * scale, "0.0000")
post.ModalNumber (" Z", endZ * scale, "0.0000")
post.Text (" I")
post.Number ((arcCentreX - currentX) * scale, "0.0000")
post.Text (" J")
post.Number ((arcCentreY - currentY) * scale, "0.0000")
post.ModalNumber (" F", feedRate * scale, "0.0###")
post.Eol()
end


function OnPenDown()
if(dist >= (refdistance/scale)) then
dist = 0
-- modaltext (" G00")
-- text(" Z")
-- number (pierceheight * scale, "0.0000")
-- eol()
post.ModalText(" G28.1 Z")
post.Number(zrefslowdown, "0.00")
post.Eol()
post.ModalText(" G92 Z0.0\n")
post.ModalText (" G00")
post.Text(" Z")
post.Number (switchoffset, "0.0000")
post.Eol()
post.ModalText(" G92 Z0.0\n")
post.ModalText (" G00")
post.Text(" Z")
post.Number (pierceHeight * scale, "0.0000")
post.Eol()
else
post.ModalText (" G00")
post.Text(" Z")
post.Number (pierceHeight * scale, "0.0000")
post.Eol()
end
if (preheat > 0) then
post.Text ("\n G04 P")
post.Number (preheat,"0.###")
post.Eol()
end
post.Text ("\n M03\n")
if (pierceDelay > 0) then
post.Text (" G04 P")
post.Number (pierceDelay,"0.###")
post.Eol()
end
end


function OnPenUp()
post.Text (" M05\n")
if (endDelay > 0) then
post.Text (" G04 P")
post.Number (endDelay,"0.###")
post.Eol()
end
end


function OnNewOperation()
post.Text (" (Process: ", operationName, ")\n")
if (plungeRate <= 0) then
post.Warning("WARNING: Plunge rate is zero")
end
if (feedRate <= 0) then
post.Warning("WARNING: Feed rate is zero")
end
end

function OnToolChange()
post.Text (" M06 T")
post.Number (tool, "0")
post.ModalNumber(" F",feedRate * scale,"0.#")
post.Text (" (", toolName, ")\n")
end

function OnNewPart()
post.Text(" (Part: ",partName,")\n");
end
User avatar
Les Newell
Site Admin
Posts: 3661
Joined: Thu May 11, 2006 8:12 pm

Post by Les Newell »

I looked at the g-code and it raises the Z axis to 15mm after each cut. If you aren't seeing that it must be either a mechanical or electrical issue.
Pakko
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2016 6:17 pm

Post by Pakko »

Yes it seems so. But when I put a delay after the cut, it shouldnt be any noise issue at least. But it does not raise the z axis. I wonder if it is the thc who stops the z axis from moving...
Pakko
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2016 6:17 pm

Post by Pakko »

I think im going to turn the thc of directly after m05 and turn it on directly after m03. Maybe it is a easy way to rule it out, or not. :)
User avatar
Les Newell
Site Admin
Posts: 3661
Joined: Thu May 11, 2006 8:12 pm

Post by Les Newell »

Try disabling THC altogether. If the problem goes away you then know it is THC related.
Pakko
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2016 6:17 pm

Post by Pakko »

I disabled the THC and the problem was gone. Now I have to modify the post in some way...
Pakko
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2016 6:17 pm

Post by Pakko »

now I know exactly what the problem is. It is when the cut ends and the torch is in a -Z value the z axis dont move.

Can I fix the problem like this: when the torch touches the material it will normally write Z0, but the solution will be to write like Z10 instead. In that way it will always be at a +Z value....?
Pakko
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2016 6:17 pm

Post by Pakko »

modified the post and now it looks like this

80 M06 T1 F800 (Plasma, 1.5 mm kerf)
N0090 G00 Z15.0000
N0100 X64.3162 Y210.1509
N0110 G28.1 Z12.70
N0120 G92 Z10.0
N0130 G00 Z13.0000
N0140 G92 Z10.0
N0150 G00 Z12.5000
N0160 M03
N0170 G04 P0.2
N0180 G01 Z12.0000 F200.0
Pakko
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2016 6:17 pm

Post by Pakko »

I was wrong again....
The code worked fine, but it doesn´t matter if the z value is positive or not. It will randomly not raise the torch to safe z :cry:
Pakko
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2016 6:17 pm

Post by Pakko »

maybe I should ask this question in the mach3 forum, but I think the knowledge is here too.

Does the thc on/off button work when the "Allow thc up/down control even if not in thc mode" is checked? If I want to turn it off directly after m05
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