Interference From Plasma Cutter Freezing FireControl

I am sorry to hear about the problems I am still working on the water tabel and a storage systme…

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I have not received my machine yet will this update be on my machine
Crossfire pro ?

Hi and yes! All machines shipped since a few weeks ago have this repair from the factory.

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This is fantastic

Hi all, I currently have so many problems with this I am not sure where to begin. I assembled the table indicated and adjusted everything and tossed a file of a header flange into sheet cam on 1/4 inch plate steel, and walah everything worked perfectly with the exception of the hole size. Which was my issue because I didn’t completely understand all of what sheetcam was doing. I got the 1/4 cut specs on here from someone on here they were spot on. after this I did several jobs in 1/4 and 5/32 steel with almost zero issues, aside from the hand torch moving around in the clamp. To solve that issue I purchased a machine torch. I’m now trying to cut 16ga steel and am having no luck at all. The software freezes or doesn’t load at all, torch height moves way up above the sheet for no reason and still thinks its at .062 above material. sometimes torch comes down to find the material goes up back down again and goes to cut height as it should sometimes it lights sometimes sparks some times moves a bit sometimes runs the whole loop unlit sometimes the air is on other times not. usually while validating a program the z will not move but the control panel will indicate it has. sometimes while validating the fire control will lock up and never load the program. occasionally it will quit in the middle of the cut for no apparent reason. I watch the torch height control lights go from ok to low to high but never see the z axis numbers change to reflect the THC sensing. From what I have read on here EMF seems like a big issue or noise. I would like to locate the plasma cutter further away but the THC cable limits that. I would also like to move the control box from the leg of the machine to a location where its easier to get to and away from the water and filth that happens from the cutting process. I haven’t removed the inductor yet but plan to. Can I buy a longer THC cable and can I get an extension cables for the stepper motors. Am I wasting my time with this? can someone give me a set of tool parameter’s for 16ga mild steel. sorry this was so wordy I really don’t know what to fix first, Thinking a lot of it is related. current settings are PD.8 PH.073 CH.0625 cutter on 30 amps air pressure at 70 psi while cutting. thanks all.

what cutter do you have? have you tried to go back to the hand torch to see if maybe the machine torch is at fault?

I use this to extend the leads on the TCH and torch fire cables. you need 1 for each obviously.

you can also use male to female DB9 or serial extensions to extend the motor cables.

I have the razor weld 45 machine, machine torch I bought uses the same consumable’s as the original hand torch says J45H on it think it is one of the newer ones. I have went back to the hand torch seems to still have issues. Today it seems the THC doesn’t even want to work says com5. Also don’t some of the serial cables have a couple of wires flipped from end to end.

i know a couple of fellas on here have extended their motor cables. you’ll need to search for that. i’m sure there are straight thru cables as well.

Yes I believe I found them on amazon as well thanks. The com cables we use on the cncs we have with serial communications use a null modem cable. Do the tool parameters I posted look like something that will work, or is that even an issue for the problems I am having.

@tdbowtie There is a firmware update (and accompanying Sheetcam post) available to deal with the torch losing its bearings as far as height. Check the sticky post on that topic. Also, check for continuity between the USB plug shell and gantry and, if present, message CS for some plastic isolators. I just did the latter fix, but haven’t tested yet. I thought I had licked the issues, but after 20.4, I almost never have an uneventful cutting session. I experience all the problems you mention and they are beginning to dampen my enthusiasm.

agreed, I operate and program multi axis mills and lathes at my day job and a small side business I own with several machines and I have never had so many problems in my life. I really wished they would have decided on a home position on this machine and of included a couple of micro switches to home it on and used fixture offsets to skip around on the sheet. When everything locks up and and you lose you coordinates it is next to impossible to get back to the same start position. I am also not fond of the software renumbering the program when you restart in the middle, I suppose it may not bother some people but after 30 years of programing this stuff you get used to certain things.

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v20.4 fire control is what I have is there a newer version? If so do I want it?

what version of the THC firmware do you have installed? should be 1.09

Hmmm I see fire control V1.5 scpost thinking that is not what your talking about. that posts the gerber file corect? the ls thc driver is 3.4

@tdbowtie i think they are getting close to releasing 20.5, but 20.4 is It.

1.5 is the sheetcam post processor version you should e using.

in firecontrol, next the the THC button, it should say 1.09.

Sorry you’re having such trouble!

I think the L1 inductor removal will solve your freezing and disconnection issues. With this, you are likely fine with the location of your plasma cutter as it related to noise disconnecting the machine from the computer. Definitely do this fix first before anything else.

When under THC control the Z axis DRO will not update as it is not aware of the moves the THC is making.

The Validation step sends the first 1000 lines of the program to the Motion Control board in the electronics enclosure. This simulation can’t stop the IHS sequence when the switch is triggered so each pierce moves to its full probing depth of 5" and this movement stacks up as more IHS sequences are ‘validated’. This should be fully zeroed when the program is finished validating.

It definitely seems like you’re having some issues with the plasma cutter with your description of it blowing air and moving.

Have you reached out to our Support team? We’d be happy to help you with your specific issues!

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Hi, currently removing inductor L1 I will see how this works out and if I’m still fighting it I will get in touch with support on the plasm torch. I wish I could give you a more descriptive idea of what its doing, but it seem like there are several issues happening simultaneously, some maybe connected some maybe not.

Mine says 1.02 looking like I will have to update it. Although I see several posts where there are bugs in 1.09??

Well you’re having problems now so why not have everything up to date and start there… Most likely Langmuir support is gonna have you do all the updates as well and troubleshoot from there if needed.

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