Plasma/Mesa Guru's

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05 Sep 2010 02:46 #3980 by austin.mn
Plasma/Mesa Guru's was created by austin.mn
I am looking to hook my plasma to a Mesa 5i20 and THCAD

I have already had it working somewhat with an MP1000 but it seems to be getting progressively worse the more I use it. I was told to do a bunch of different things that "will fix it" non of them ever did... it just kept getting worse. I would like to get away from using mach and into EMC. My current machine is more of a test bed/ learning experience. We plan to build a new machine in the spring that will be extremely accurate and closed loop. I would also like to have an oxy torch on it along with a plate marker. In the mean time I just want my current machine working and learn to add on all the bells and whistles a guy could want.

First off, is the mesa combo what I really want to be using? I haven't spent a ton of time with EMC as of yet, I do have my bridgeport boss machine running with it, and a Chinese laser. Those were really just plug and play installations though. I really didn't have to do much in the way of configuring the Hal or recompile the source code.. Is there a basic how to for using the Mesa thc cards?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

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05 Sep 2010 14:39 #3984 by Rick G
Replied by Rick G on topic Re:Plasma/Mesa Guru's
Plasma with THC is on my list of things to do...maybe this winter. However Mesa is well supported here at EMC. John is using the THC with Mesa and seems very pleased, I am sure he will pipe in with any details you need.

Rick G

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05 Sep 2010 16:13 #3985 by austin.mn
Replied by austin.mn on topic Re:Plasma/Mesa Guru's
I figured that this was a better place to ask about the mesa stuff than cnczone. I am pretty sure that everything will make sense as soon as I start really getting into using it. I remember back in the day, just getting a stepper motor working seemed like it was something just way out of my league. Then I found a driver schematic online and wired everything up. It still took some time just to get it working, but once I did it no longer seemed like rocket science.

I still wouldn't mind a few helpful hints to get me started though.

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05 Sep 2010 17:52 - 05 Sep 2010 17:53 #3986 by BigJohnT
Replied by BigJohnT on topic Re:Plasma/Mesa Guru's
What I use on my plasma is a 5i20 with the THC card. I wrote a comp to convert the signal from the THC to volts and then raise and lower the Z when your running to maintain the set volts. There are two versions of the THC now ( I have the prototype :) ) one takes 0-10v and the other takes 0-300v. I use the 5i20 to drive my Gecko 203v drives as well. I can get 500IPM on the X and Y with no problems.

My plasma table:

s47.photobucket.com/albums/f163/johnplctech/Plasma%20Cutter/

The big question is what kind of plasma cutter do you have?

I have a Hypertherm 1250 and they are very CNC friendly. As I understand some are not...

When I get a chance I'll upload a screen shot of my plasma pyVCP additions to the Axis interface.

EMC2 has an excellent blending algorithm and can cut very fast with lots of tiny lines and arcs that sometimes plague other control software and bring them to a slow herky jerky cut speeds.

I'm not a Guru but I do reply a lot here...

John
Last edit: 05 Sep 2010 17:53 by BigJohnT.

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05 Sep 2010 19:17 #3987 by austin.mn
Replied by austin.mn on topic Re:Plasma/Mesa Guru's
BigJohn

Thank you for chiming in. I have an Esab ESP-50 it has all the hook ups for machine control. Trigger, Arc OK and a 20:1 torch volts. I am thinking that I should be in good shape to use the 10V THC card.

The rest of my machine is a rack and pinion, single side drive gantry that is 6' X 10' I am running the older gecko 201's and I run 450 ipm conservatively. I have had it up to 575, but I backed it off to help assure I don't miss any steps.

Any files you would be willing to share would be a big help. I haven't been able to find much out there on using the Mesa THC.

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06 Sep 2010 11:28 - 06 Sep 2010 11:32 #4002 by BigJohnT
Replied by BigJohnT on topic Re:Plasma/Mesa Guru's
Here is a link to the man page for THC

www.linuxcnc.org/docview/html//man/man9/thc.9.html

I'm in the process of adding that to the manual but got sidetracked by a Bridgeport Discovery 308 on my trailer that wants to be in my shop... before the rains come.

I use a floating torch head with a micro switch to indicate material height. So at the beginning of each cut I do a probe move down until I touch the material. The I move up to pierce height. Then start the torch, when I see the Arc OK input I start my motion and the THC starts to compensate.

I've attached my configs.

What software are you using to generate your cut paths?

John

File Attachment:

File Name: plasma.zip
File Size:7 KB
Attachments:
Last edit: 06 Sep 2010 11:32 by BigJohnT.

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06 Sep 2010 16:48 #4013 by austin.mn
Replied by austin.mn on topic Re:Plasma/Mesa Guru's
I have an older version of artcam that I wrote a plasma post for. It works good, but I would like something that works in ubuntu. I am no longer going to be using windows on the shop computer. I have banned myself from creating posts in my office computer for the plasma. I made the mistake of forgetting that I was using the plasma post on the mill toolpaths and crashed my spindle right into the table looking for a Z touch off. It was a bad day. So I have need to find something to create gcode on the plasma computer. Sheetcam seems popular, so I will probably use it.

Is it tough to add control knobs in EMC? My friend is used to having a knobs to increase/decrease pierce time and cut height. I may have to tell him he needs to live with buttons for the time being. Boy, after saying that now I feel as if I need to make a bad mamba jamba pendent. Something that has a digiital display, a joystick, and a bunch of buttons.

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06 Sep 2010 18:02 - 06 Sep 2010 18:07 #4014 by BigJohnT
Replied by BigJohnT on topic Re:Plasma/Mesa Guru's
If you get Sheetcam I can share my EMC2 post with you. In sheetcam you can define each tip/material combo with the pierce height and delay...

Are you talking about physical knobs and buttons? I use a joy pad on my plasma to jog it into position before a cut.

I wrote this article about adding the joypad to my plasma.

wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/emcinfo.pl?Simple_Remote_Pendant

Or are you talking about virtual knobs and buttons like pyVCP?

www.linuxcnc.org/docview/html//hal_pyvcp_examples.html

I need to get a screen shot of my config for you. BTW, you can't run my config files unless you have a 5i20 installed or you have to comment out all the 5i20 stuff just to see what it looks like.

I also have used the PoKeys55 to connect up to 4 analog and a whole butt load of buttons to EMC2 via a USB connection.

The toughest part is just figuring out what you want to do... there are enough EMC folks hanging out here to help with that end.

John
Last edit: 06 Sep 2010 18:07 by BigJohnT.

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17 Sep 2010 20:34 #4238 by austin.mn
Replied by austin.mn on topic Re:Plasma/Mesa Guru's
Alright. I am finally going to pull the trigger on monday. But, before I do....

What are the things that I need to buy/order. I am living in a rural area, so everything will pretty much need to be ordered and I want to try and make sure that I have everything that I need.

5i20
THCAD 10v version to use the 20:1 output on my Esab ESP-50

Is there breakout boards available, or do they come with them. I am currently only running steppers, but I plan to build a new table using AC servos in the near future.

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18 Sep 2010 23:02 #4247 by BigJohnT
Replied by BigJohnT on topic Re:Plasma/Mesa Guru's
I made some breakout boards for mine but ordered the 50 pin cables from Mesa. If I did it over I would just order a breakout board and 50 pin cable from Mesa next time. If you plan on mounting the board you need the smaller standoffs I think they are 3mm x 6-32 or something like that.

Speaking of rural you can't see my house for the trees and my internet has to come from a tower up on top of the hill to the next hill... ain't it grand to live out in the country.

I just looked and I used P2 for the THC and P4 for the steppers. Depending on what firmware you use is where and what is on each plug. I can share my complete configs with you if you like.

John

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