New Plasma setup

[gfelippo]

I've upgraded my plasma machine. The new machine requires two signals to ignite, one opens air the second ignites the torch. But the Torchmate software and signal generator only sends ONE. So my machine never ignites, therefore never cuts. Is there any way the software could send two signals before begining to cut? Thanks.

[MoparJon]

Can you simply connect those two trigger wires together such that the "plasma on" signal from the torchmate box would trigger both? If not, perhaps you could add a relay to one of the lines coming out of the torchmate box. You could connect the torchmate box to your "open air" signal wire, and the relay to the "plasma ignite" signal wire. When the "plasma on" signal is given, this would of course start the air flow, and it would also trigger the relay, which would close the "plasma ignite" circuit. How you wired this would depend on exactly what your plasma cutter wants for inputs, but if just triggering both off the same wire doesn't work, using a relay may do the trick, to keep them on separate circuits but triggered by the same signal. (If you need a delay between "air on" and "ignite torch", you will need to do a little more work, probably just use a 555 timer to create the delay you need prior to firing off that relay, and you will need to compensate for this delay in the M code definitions of the torchmate software, unless you are using a torch height controller with an "OK to move" signal.)

[Mike@Torchmate]

As Mopar said you can either connect both start wires to the same plasma interface box, or if you need a delay between the two, you can add another plasma interface box and through some m-code macro's you can set the second output line to delay and then fire.

[gfelippo]

It is a bit more complicated. There is only one input line, to which I need to send the first signal (pulse) so as to begin air flow, and a second signal (continuous) so as to ignite and maintain the torch on. This isn't programmable?

[Mike@Torchmate]

It is a bit more complicated. There is only one input line, to which I need to send the first signal (pulse) so as to begin air flow, and a second signal (continuous) so as to ignite and maintain the torch on. This isn't programmable?

This should be programmable, based on how long your pulse needs to last.

For example, an M-Code macro designated M10 can have this macro assigned to it:

M52 (air purge on)
G04 P500 (P defines milliseconds)
M53 (air pulse off)
G04 X1 (X defines seconds)
M50 (executes Plasma On)

Then you can set your Automatic Executions to be 10 for on commands, and 51 for off commands.

[MoparJon]

I'm sure Mike will be able to tell you if that is possible in the torchmate software, but if its not or if you prefer the Rube Goldberg approach, something that may work for you is to have the output of the torchmate box trigger a relay which powers up two 555 timer circuits, and both of those timer circuits connect to the coil of a relay which opens and closes the circuit to your plasma cutter. Upon being powered up, one 555 timer would trigger the relay, and shut it off after a specified amount of time (the pulse), whereas the other 555 timer, upon being powered up would delay a certain amount of time, and then activate the relay (the constant on). Once the torchmate box cuts off the signal, the relay it is connected to shuts off and both 555 timers are de-energized, causing the torch relay to shut off. You could also do this with a single microcontroller, I just mentioned the 555 timers because they are cheap and versatile and require no special tools or programming. (You can do an Internet search to see the various ways to wire them up so as to create exactly the delay you need.)

If it is possible to do this with the torchmate box directly, it seems to me that would be the better route to take, I just mention the above in case it is of use to you. In the event that it isn't possible to program the torchmate setup to do what you need, something like the above may work for you.

Edit: Oops, I see Mike has replied in the meantime, and his idea sounds a lot easier than mine!

[gfelippo]

Great, this is what I'm looking for. Now, I've tried it but am having a little problem. I have an AVHC so with M52 the torch lowers and air flow begins, but with M53, air stops but torch rises and the lowers so as to begin cut, but since it took to long, the plasma just opens airflow again. By the way, with P (milliseconds) it does not react.

Thanks again for all the help!

This should be programmable, based on how long your pulse needs to last.

For example, an M-Code macro designated M10 can have this macro assigned to it:

M52 (air purge on)
G04 P500 (P defines milliseconds)
M53 (air pulse off)
G04 X1 (X defines seconds)
M50 (executes Plasma On)

Then you can set your Automatic Executions to be 10 for on commands, and 51 for off commands.

[Mike@Torchmate]

Great, this is what I'm looking for. Now, I've tried it but am having a little problem. I have an AVHC so with M52 the torch lowers and air flow begins, but with M53, air stops but torch rises and the lowers so as to begin cut, but since it took to long, the plasma just opens airflow again. By the way, with P (milliseconds) it does not react.

Thanks again for all the help!

The above example is using a two interface box configuration, with your single interface box, there is no way to activate two seperate signals.

[gfelippo]

PROBLEM SOLVED!!!