Auntomatically raise plasma gun on stop


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Thread: Auntomatically raise plasma gun on stop

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    Default Auntomatically raise plasma gun on stop

    I have built a small plasma table (I posted here a while ago: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31346 ) and have been using TurboCNC.

    I recently decided to get MACH3 and like it a lot better.

    One comprimise I made when building my table was to actuate the plasma trigger by lowering the z axis (using a small, adjustable spring loaded chain routed around the trigger button). This works better than it should, is VERY repeatable and is totally acceptable to me.

    I do cut think material (1/4") often and it gets pretty hot at the speeds required. What I want to be able to do is to manually "pause" to let things cool off and then resume where I left off. The "STOP" button works great in MACH 3 but I need it to raise the z axis when it stops (to shut off the plasma gun) and then lower it back to cutting height when I resume.

    Is there any way to do this? I haven't been able top figure it out. I obviously could program stopping points in the G-code but I want to be able to easily do it manually.

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    Member Weldtutor's Avatar
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    Arrow Plasma Torch Pause

    Quote Originally Posted by meincer View Post
    I obviously could program stopping points in the G-code but I want to be able to easily do it manually.
    Hi Meincer,
    Good to see that marvellous CNC plasma cutter of yours is still being used!

    Your previous posts indicated that you did not want to splice wires, although that is likely the easiest way to manually shut off the plasma torch.
    A normally closed switch, spliced into the torch switch to machine wires, that you activate when you use your "STOP' in Mach should accomplish what you asked for manually.



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    Gold Member LeeWay's Avatar
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    In Mach, go to Config and toward the bottom is safe Z settings.
    In that screen, you can check the box that will make it go to safe Z when you hit the stop button.

    Lee


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    Default Almost

    LeeWay, thanks, that almost does it. When I stop it goes to the safe z postion but when I start again t just stays there and does not go back to the cuttng heght. Is it supposed to?



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    Gold Member LeeWay's Avatar
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    Default

    I always just mash on the "Run from Here" button. It will then go to where you were just before you hit stop.

    Lee


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    LeeWay,

    Thanks for helping! There is so much stuff on the Mach screens its easy to miss things. I did not see or know about that button.

    I guess I should have just sliced into my cable at the beginning but I really didn't want to do that. This will work just fine.



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    Gold Member LeeWay's Avatar
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    Oh I didn't pick up what I have learned in a day.
    It takes time and lots of it. I try to learn something as often as possible with this stuff too. I taught myself how to use the Teach Wizard yesterday. In do that, I learned more about Gcode and how it works. I learn it more at a slow set feedrate rather than at rapid speed. That's G1 as opposed to G0.

    There is also a button on there you might want to play with called "Set Next Line". It basically does the same thing, but runs from where you are at that point. Might be a better button for plasma.

    Lee


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Auntomatically raise plasma gun on stop

Auntomatically raise plasma gun on stop