We’re having a bit of trouble keeping track of our pierce count and torce time,
which in turn is helping us keep track of consumable replacement for optimal cuts.
There’s a couple of guys here that run FireControl on their own laptops,
and what we found is that the software only tracks how many pierce cuts and
torch time is happening on that one PC/laptop and not registering it collectively
for everyone that uses it as a whole.
Is there a way we can get the CF Pro to register the pierce count and torch time
on the CNC side of things and not just one-sided through the software on our laptops?
It would really help us as a group to keep track of consumables much easier.
(We already flaunted the idea of just tracking it on an Excel sheet, but it’ll be very
inaccurate once one of the guys forgets to put in the data. And then another. And then
another. And so on.)
Just curious if this is a thing, or maybe possibly an idea or option for a future update?
It would be a lot easier if you just dedicated one computer to running the table. I run mine with a mini PC and a touchscreen monitor. The only thing it does is run Firecontrol. I think it was around $400 total for the computer, monitor and monitor arm.
Each person can put their cut files on a USB drive and take them to the table computer for cutting.
As David points out, the table is not keeping track of the “pierces.” You would need one computer to house that memory and that will only happen if that one computer directs all the activity of the table.
I am sure you already do this but:The other option is to have more of a protocol to check your consumables before each project starts. There is a chance that the consumables will not behave equally and will wear irregularly.
Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done with the way things work around here.
And transferring things to a USB would be a violation of our cyber security rules.
(In the corporate world, it is very much a serious thing.)
On top of it, if we could, trying to keep track of the USB when one guy needs it
and it’s on the other side of the facility. A huge waste of time and energy. So,
all-in-all, a USB is both illogical and unsafe to use here.
Checking our consumables each time would also pose a slow-down in our processes.
Often times we need to just cut something quick and go. We don’t have time to tear
parts down and reassemble them just to check.
Overall, it would be easier for FireControl to keep track of all the pierces and torch
times on the CNC side of things from our position.
Keeping track of all this externally is not a viable option, unfortunately. That’s why I was asking if there’s a method onboard of the CNC that keeps track of it accurately and displays the data on whatever machine is connected to it.
The things you ask for in fact do exist just within fire control. I have been scratching my head over this one ever since you started this thread.
It would be a cyber security issue for each person to use their own personal dedication flash drive to bring gcodes to a dedicated computer? I assume each person has access to the table are using a separate laptop with fire control on it. I don’t see the difference.
They restrict the use of USB/flash drives in the facility. My guess is that they’re easy to get in/out and someone could put viruses on it and cause problems. As where our laptops and computers generally don’t leave the facility. On top of all the security they put on the computers themselves. So, a USB or flash drive is easy to bypass most of that security.
But, besides that, they’re not giving us a laptop or device to use just for our plasma table. We aren’t running production parts on it (which isn’t making them money), so why put money into a comodity? Which, I understand. It’s a lot of time and money for something as small as we use it for.
That’s why I was asking if there was a way that the CNC table itself kept track of the pierces and the torch times (to display on whomever’s screen was connected to it) instead of it being recorded on the individual’s personal PC.
I get what everyone is suggesting, but in this atmosphere, none of those options are sensible or viable. I do appreciate the kind support and options. I really do! Unfortunately, none of those are able to work here.
The things you ask for in fact do exist just within fire control.
I get that the software on each person’s laptop records the pierce and torch times. But it doesn’t display the total of everyone else who has used it beforehand. It’s just onesided. Unless you know what I’m asking and there is an option! I’d love to learn how to display the total data instead!
The only way to get total times is buy a Hypertherm SYN plasma cutter and it will track everything. No matter whom uses it it will give you pierces, time on, hours, etc.
The alternative would be running an arduino programmed to count run time, and pierce count, requiring a manual reset for when the end user decides to restart the counter.
Could even connect a small display, and throw it into a DIY 3D printed enclosure and attach it right there with the table or computer.
but:The other option is to have more of a protocol to check your consumables before each project starts. There is a chance that the consumables will not behave equally and will wear irregularly.
