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Plasma Feed Hold and Plasma Restart

PostPosted: Thu Sep 21, 2017 11:58 pm
by cutmastercnc
Is it possible to add a Plasma Feed hold button that will continue to the end of line or segment stop the feed then issue a m5 torch off? Then when it restarts issues a m3 torch on and then begins the feed again?

Re: Plasma Feed Hold and Plasma Restart

PostPosted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 12:10 am
by cncdrive
Currently there is no function to stop at the end of the g-code line. When you pressing the Feedhold button or the Stop button they issue a controlled stop from the point you pressed the stop button, but it will not run to the end of the actual g-code line.
To restart with an M3 you can press the run from here button prior to Cycle start and then you get a popup screen when you can tick in the checkox to switch the spindle on before starting to run the g-code again.

Re: Plasma Feed Hold and Plasma Restart

PostPosted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 12:24 am
by cutmastercnc
Stopping when the button is pressed is fine. Is there any way to add a m5 command to turn the torch off at the same time it stops and then do a m3 before starting when you repress the feed hold?

Re: Plasma Feed Hold and Plasma Restart

PostPosted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 12:32 am
by cutmastercnc
I guess a better way of saying it is there a way to have an option to turn spindle off when feed hold is pressed and turn spindle on when fed hold is pushed back on. Adding another check box option in the pop up screen maybe.

Re: Plasma Feed Hold and Plasma Restart

PostPosted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 12:50 am
by cncdrive
With the feedhold there is no option like that, but the Cycle stop is also a controlled stop just like the feedhold, so you could Cycle stop and then the M3 goes off automatically and then press the Run from here (RFH) button and press the Cycle start again and on the popup screen make the spindle to turn on, so the M3 will be turned on by the RFH and the job will continue.

There is one thing to take care of is to not use incremental movement codes if you doing the above, because while feedhold will not compute the actual line again, the Stop and new Cycle start will execute the same code line again, so if it is an incremental movement then the machine will go off the displayed path, because the movement command will be an increment to the stop point.
However I know no CAM softwares which would output incremental motion code, so this could be a thing to take care of if you will hand code paths, then do not use G91, only G90 movements.

Re: Plasma Feed Hold and Plasma Restart

PostPosted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 1:22 am
by cutmastercnc
Thanks for the info. This is real close and will work. It backs up to the beginning of the g code line and recuts the partial path again. This keeps the torch from sitting in one spot and burning a larger hole in fine cuts.