Feature suggestions: Point-to-point straight cut, manual jog speed

Software FireControl
1

I am super new to CNC plasma, so please forgive me if I’ve overlooked something obvious. I’ve tried searching here but haven’t seen this mentioned, but I may also not have my search fingers down just right!

Today I was using my CF Pro to rip some 1/4" plate. It is extremely useful to use the table in this manner; it saves me quite a bit of layout, and I don’t even have to get out the clamps and fences and the saw and all the PPE!

However, squaring the sheet to make good cuts that maximize sheet use is a bit time-consuming. I need to mark out my path, jog to the start and get the torch set, then jog to the end and make sure that I’m still on my mark, then jog back to the start again and make a quick “straight cut” program in FireControl.

This does totally work. So does using the software to set a low jog speed and manually fire the torch and then just holding down the jog key.

However, it would be really great to be able to just flop the sheet on the table and go to a point and say “this is X0Y0,” jog to the end (without squaring the sheet) and say “this is (for example) X32Y0, please cut a straight line between these two points.”

Maybe this feature exists and I’ve overlooked it. Again, newbie. Also super-new to Gcode. However, it would be really handy to be able to do this and not worry about squaring the sheet. Similarly, it might be nice to just have a manual field for jog speed so instead of choosing from 10/50/100/200/300 I could just enter a value – say, 20ipm – and do a quick cut that way.

It’s 100% possible I’m just not using the software to its full capacity but these would help extend the already significant functionality of the table.

Thanks!

1 Like
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If they would add an MDI mode to the software it would allow you to do what you need to, and so much more. I would also ask that they add a button that allows for editing of the program withing FireControl, that would be super useful too.

2 Likes
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How difficult would that be to do? Is that something that’s reasonable to ask?

I also like the idea of editing within FC. It would be great not to have to go back to CAD/CAM and revise and then reload.

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Not sure, I’m a lot of things, but programmer is not on the list. My thinking is that is SHOULDN’T be too hard, but reality has rarely cared what I thought should be the case.

1 Like
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The more I think about it, the more I think that this would be a truly excellent feature. I’m thinking about some of the pieces I normally make on the mill that I could transition over to the CNC plasma. Squaring up the piece to the head on the plasma is a pain in the butt, and many of my pieces are built around a pattern on the X axis.

It would really be excellent to be able to load a program and set X0 and X1 to determine a referent line or point in the program. E.g., if I have a plate with several holes in it along the same line it would be nice to just mark the center of the stock, put it on the table, match the nozzle to the center of the stock at origin and at finish and have FC determine the straight path between them.