M66 for arc-ok plasma

[Bentiggin]

Hello, I’m trying to figure out a post processor for my Linuxcnc controlled plasma. I’m not using qtplasmac since I have a standalone thc. I have no control over the z axis with Linuxcnc. Everything’s in inches.

So I’d like find a very simple post that uses m66 to wait for my arc ok signal. Something like-
G00 x1 y1
M03 M66 P0 L3 Q30
G01 y7
M05
Is there a post I can use like this? If I manually type the code in Linuxcnc, it’ll work for what I’m thinking.
Basically, m03 tells the thc to do initial height sense, and start the arc. Then I want it to wait till it gets the arc-ok signal to start moving.
I know I’m missing a few things and I may not have setup linuxcnc the best way, so if this seems dumb, let me know, and maybe I can adjust linuxcnc to suit.

[sheetcamCS2]

I believe @rodw is well versed in LinuxCNC, perhaps he can reply in more detail to your setup viability.

In the meantime, I took a quick look at LinuxCNC plasma.scpost which ships with sheetcam. It may be what you should use in your case, but I am NOT familiar with LInuxCNC. However, to adjust it to your suggested gcode, all you need to do is change the function OpPenDown() by replacing -
post.Text (“\n M03\n”)
with
post.Text(“\n M03 M66 P0 L3 Q30 \n”)

[rodw]

Normally, we would use a touchoff procedure in a seperate file that was called on pen down

Here is a very old example. Normally, I would touch of in reverse until contact broke for cleaner probing.

o<touchoff> sub
(#1 pierce height, #2 pierce delay, #3 cut height)
F10
G38.2 Z-1.75 (Probe to find the surface)
G91
G1 Z0.070 (Raise up to Z0)
G90
G92 Z0 (Set Z0)
G1 Z#1
M3 S1
M66 P0 L1 Q5 (Wait for Arc OK from Torch)
G4 P#2 (Pause for pierce delay)
F25
Z#3 (goto cut height)
o<touchoff> endsub
M2

The matching post is on this page. CNC Plasma Cutter