Linatrol tracer set up on Koike Plasma

[arlenw]

Hello,
I am trying to set up a Koike Plasma table with a Westinghouse/Linatrol tracing head and a Lynx HL-8/9 controller. I have no manuals for the controller or tracing head and so far have been unable to get the tracing head to reliably aquire a line and make the corners on the pattern. If any one has any advise it would be appreciated.
Thanks in Advance
Arlen

[Al_The_Man]

I used to have a manual somewhere, If I remember, the critical points on not tracing reliably was lamp intensity (discoloured) and height. I will try and find the manual.
Al.

[tinman13]

arlenw, as al said bright lights are a must. I put new lights in mine a while back and couldn't believe the difference! Also the type of ink is important, a sharpie felt pen I find works as well as anything. My hl-90 is 1 1/8 off of the table but with the new lights I am suprised at what it will follow....like a 3/8 steel paperweight! Good luck, Steve

[arlenw]

Thanks for the help. I cleaned the outside of the lamps but did not replace them. I also cleaned up the cavity the lamps go into, but it still had a yellow tinge to it. There is a partial sticker on the outside of the tracer that says to set at 1.5 inches to the mark, but I could not find a mark any where. In the morning I will try to find new lamps, but the lamps in it had no marking any where on them so I am not sure what to get. Steve, if you can let me know what lamps you use that would be great. I will also try setting the hieght to 1.125 from the table top to the bottom of the tracer. Friday and Saturday I tried setting the head hieght from the bottom of the adjustmen to the top in .1 inch increments and did not find any sweet spots. There is also an adjustment on the top of the tracer head that rotates a limited amount left and right that has graduations the bottom edge. I was wondering what it is for, I tried the whole vertical adjustment thing with the top adjustment in 6 different positions spread over the adjustment range as well.
Al, if you happen to find that manual, I would be more than happy to pay for a photo copy. I have been looking on the web but so far have not found any down loadable or for sale copies.
This table started out as an acetylene tracer only and then was upgraded to the lynx cnc controler and plasma. I purchased it on ebay and the company I got it from did not have much in the documentation department. They had not used the tracer or acetylene portions for a long time. Other than the y rail being a little rough in spots and the pinion on the y gearbox being worn out it is doing pretty well. As soon as I can identify the pitch on the pinion (my pitch gauges do not go small enough) I plan to get a pinion and machine the old one off the main shaft and replace it. The machine came with 2 extra drive wheel/gear assemblies that the pinion drives that look usable. Koike is very proud of that little gear box.
Thanks Again
Arlen

[Al_The_Man]

The manual I have is for the Westinghouse HL-82, I can dig it out in the morning.
Al.

[tinman13]

Arlen, If I rember right the lamps are a GM dome or courtsey (spelling not my strong point!) light, mine came from Walmart, but they are a 12v dc lamp. There should be a line in the side of the black gizmo that turns, that is the 1 1/2" mark. Now that I reread your post is the part that turns on the top? Mine is on the bottom. That is for kerf offset or comp. What model of machine is yours? Mine is an IK1200J. Has been a good machine but I hope I never have to buy anything from Koiki! Steve

[arlenw]

Markings on the tracer head are HL-8, Linatrol, K.N. Aronson, 3926D32G02, SN. 0094
and on the section that holds the lamps L & S AG3, 1666C46G0, SN. 13412. On the alphanumeric strings I was making my best guess as they are not very legible. Table was manufactured in 1993. My part that turns is on the very top of the tracer head. The bottom of mine does not appear to turn, the only marks I can find near the lower portion appear to be scratches where the head has run into things. I am on my way to walmart to get some lamps.
Thanks
Arlen

[arlenw]

Sorry I forgot to include model Number. It is a IK1500G, controller is a Hybrid D9/8(appears identical to Lynx controller) made by Westinghouse Canada. The manuals I have are a Hybrid D6B Cutting Machine Control EIARS-232 programming manual, and a manual for the Hypertherm Max-100, a installation manual for the Hypertherm Torch Height Controller, A manual I downloaded for the Greco Minifile, and the original installation manual for the IK1500G. Machine appears to be set up and wired for an automatic torch ignitor, plate marking system, and sheet top coolant spray, but I did not get the parts for these that mount on the cutting rail or the ignitor transformer. If anyone has any of these parts they no longer use I would be interested in them.
Thanks Again
Arlen

[arlenw]

I tried new lamps today. Still having problems with the tracing head. only occasionally aquires a line, and will not make a corner. No better or worse with the new lamps. I am wondering about the set up files for the tracer. Any one know what kind of values I should expect to find there. I am kind of suprised at the values I found for the servo set up. X and Y Pgain 130, Igain and Dgains all 0. X axis is smooth as silk, I get a bit of oscillation at times on the Y (where my bad pinion is) but it damps out with a little stabilazation from my hand.

[tinman13]

What kind of pen are you using to draw with? Steve

[arlenw]

Steve,
I have been using a black sharpie, but perhaps it is not fine enough, it leaves a .058 or so line. I have been making the tracings on heavy drawing paper I use in one of my old pen plotters. I have also tried .5 mm soft drawing pencils. It seems to ignore these accept as follows. Strangly enough, I have found that if I make a pencil mark about 1 1/2 inches before the sharpie line, it seems to increase the chances of aquiring the sharpie line. It will then follow straight or slightly curved lines but will ignore significant bend and travel onwards in a straight line until it gives a lost line message.
Thanks
Arlen

[tinman13]

It still sounds like it isn't seeing the line.....have you cleaned the mirror and the lense? Mine dosen't care so much about the width as the difference between black and white. I have a manual for tha HL90, I will take a look and see if there is anything that might help. Good luck, Steve