So I’m having an issue that happens at random, it just started recently. I’ve been using the table regularly since August, and haven’t really changed anything. I believe it’s an actual issue with Mach3, but not sure.
So what happens is Mach3 will freeze up in the middle of a cutting a part. It will leave the torch on and I have to shut the torch off by hand and I have to restart Mach3 cause it grays out and says not responding. Then I can restart it and change nothing, and it will cut fine.
I’ve read through some of the trouble shooting issues that might be a grounding issue or high frequency problem, but all of them seem like Mach3 doesn’t have to be restarted, just have hit the reset.
Hp laptop (usually not plugged in)
Everlast 50s plasma
Ground connected to part
Sometimes not the only program running
Mach 3 full version? Plug your laptop in, could be going in power save mode halting communications,. Reload your mach 3 profile, I’ve had it corrupt for no reason a couple times. I have customized my version, so I keep a “gold copy” so it’s always loaded up the same way. Actually wondering right now if I can make it read only???
most likely electrical “noise” via the USB cable. add the 2 loops with a ferrite choke on the end that goes into the control box. along with separating the cutter from the table a bit and not having any coils or loops in any of the power cables.
I tried this… “cutter from the table a bit and not having any coils or loops in any of the power cables.”…and it made it all the way thru the cut this time but when I went to reset the the software at the end it froze again and I had to reboot the pc…I am not sure what you mean by " add the 2 loops with a ferrite choke on the end that goes into the control box." can you explain that in more detail…also do you think it could be a mach 3 software issue. The screen freezes and goes white or foggy and the PC acts like its working but its locked up…again its random. I have run older TAP files and have not locked. So far its only locking up on this new TAP file I’ve created.
Could be a bad USB cable as well but this is what I’m taking about with the choke and 2 loops… it reduces or eliminates the electrical interference it’s getting from the cutter. Just the fact that your cut completed when you moved the cutter away from the table points to noise.
ok I understand let me make some more changes and i’ll try again…my table could use a good cleaning as well. But I’m still not sure i understand why the software locks up but I guess disruption in the communication between the PC to the CB to the cutter?
What i did was always make sure my laptop was plugged in, so grounded, moved the plasma cutter farther away from control box and started using a double choked USB cable. I haven’t had issues since doing these three things.
