New Tool voltages

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swiftkiwi
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2020 2:40 am

New Tool voltages

Post by swiftkiwi »

Hi all

New on the forum have just set myself up with a swifty 1250 table hypertherm 45xp

cam software that comes with table is damn horrible so been playing with sheetcam liking it so far

my question is i have been setting up tools out of the hypertherm manual and some of the voltages for the thc on thin sheets are around the 78v range but sheetcam keeps defaulting them to 100v, am i doing something wrong? or just clueless lol

Cheers Dave
Blackslacks
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Dec 08, 2018 2:58 pm

Re: New Tool voltages

Post by Blackslacks »

Not sure what your doing, but there is nowhere in Sheetcam for entering voltage values (or amps for that matter). On THC, you enter the voltage value to maintain your proper cut height (usually .06 with the Hypertherm). Depending on your setup, these values can very from the Hypertherm cut charts. You adjust the voltage to whatever it takes to maintain the desired cut height.
WyoGreen
Posts: 257
Joined: Wed May 07, 2014 10:02 pm

Re: New Tool voltages

Post by WyoGreen »

It's been a while since I set up my tool table, but if I remember right, you can't add/change the values in the tool table directly. Instead you have to make a new tool by choosing "Create a new Jet cutting tool" in the "Tools" menu.

Steve
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djreiswig
Posts: 471
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2016 4:47 am
Location: SE Nebraska

Re: New Tool voltages

Post by djreiswig »

Do you have a setting in the tool window for volts?
This setting comes from the post processor as an extra option. The variable in the post may be setup incorrectly causing it to default to an incorrect value.
What post are you using?

Do you have a THC that can be controlled from gcode? If not, then the volt settings aren't going to be of any use.
swiftkiwi
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2020 2:40 am

Re: New Tool voltages

Post by swiftkiwi »

With each tool you input there is indeed a voltage and amps column

Hence the question why it only lets me go as low as 100v when fine cut settings go as low as 78v
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djreiswig
Posts: 471
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2016 4:47 am
Location: SE Nebraska

Re: New Tool voltages

Post by djreiswig »

Which post processor are you using. The setting is in the post. It provides the range. You can modify the post to allow lower values.
robertspark
Posts: 257
Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:11 am

Re: New Tool voltages

Post by robertspark »

Probably the most modified / altered post processor that I know of is that from CandCNC which you can learn a lot from reading that post processor:

latest ones are available for download from their website here: https://www.candcnc.net/downloads/

below is an extract of a custom tool parameter for the Plasma Tool, which allows you to set the voltage from 0 to 200 with a default value of 49

Code: Select all

post.DefineCustomToolParam("PlasmaTool", "Preset volts", "presetVolts", sc.unit0DECPLACE, 49, 0, 200)
Post processor documentation extract below:
DefineCustomToolParam(toolClass,caption,varName,units,default,min,max)
Adds an extra parameter to a tool definition.
toolClass is the tool class name. See the toolClass variable for a description of tool classes
default is the default value. Note that values are always in METRIC for linear units, RADIANS for angular units and a decimal fraction for percentage e.g 0.1 = 10%
The rest of the syntax is as DefineVariable above.
Its probably worth noting that defining a new parameter does nothing unless the post processor is coded to do something with it / insert the code somewhere.
swiftkiwi
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2020 2:40 am

Re: New Tool voltages

Post by swiftkiwi »

hi

yes my post processor takes these voltages and amps direct from the tool table
swiftkiwi
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2020 2:40 am

Re: New Tool voltages

Post by swiftkiwi »

Thanks Robertspark

Modified that line in my post processor and it fixed this issue

cheers
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