Trying to get IHS working on my CrossFire XL. Using version 21.1.5 of FireControl. Firmware 1.3ls on the control box. Firmware 1.10 on the THC. Ran the tests and got good voltage of 126.06+ after detaching the control box from the table. Attached to the table with the plastic bracket it was getting a ground fault and only 12v+/-.
Using the Langmuir standard IHS SheetCAM settings (as displayed at CAM with SheetCAM | Langmuir Systems) for the RazorCUT 45, the head will move to the first pierce point and immediately try to drive itself through the table until it errors. It is not sensing the work piece. This is after setting the work zero at the bottom corner of the 12x12 16ga steel sheet. I set the initial Z height over the piece at 0.080, though that doesn’t seem to matter.
I have used the machine by using the non-IHS settings and manually setting the Z height. It works, but produces passable but not great results. But I bought the IHS add-on and want it to work and hopefully help clean up my cuts so they have less backside dross.
Attached is my QCAD dxf file and SheetCAM .tap files. Hopefully someone can offer some ideas as to what is going on and how to correct this.
When you are not running a program in fire control can you grab the torch with your hand and just move it up softly till it clicks the IHS switch. There’s a light in the bottom left middle of fire control that turns green with IHS written on it. Does this light come on when the switch is triggered?
Well, I guess that would explain it then. No, light isn’t coming on when switch is activated. checking the connections now, but seems like it might be a bad switch. Thanks!
Actually, nope, bad instructions. Langmuir instructions say it doesn’t matter which side the leads are plugged into, but it does. Reversing the connections fixed it.
Polarity doesn’t matter on the IHS wires. It’s just a simple open or closed circuit.
If the the circuit was open, you would get the “IHS fail” error at the start of the program.
The only thing I can think of, is the switch is not connected to the Z axis carriage or to the lead nut. That would allow the switch to remain closed when the carriage stops and the lead nut keeps going down.
The code tells the Z axis to drive down, up to 5 inches, until the switch opens. If the switch doesn’t open, it will keep trying to drive the torch down until the motor torque limit is reached or something breaks.
Look for missing screws where the switch attaches to the back of the carriage and the lead nut assembly.