While cutting parts on my pro table, about 75% of the way through the cut, the z axis starts to raise up, until it loses arch…The THC is turned OFF and the z axis on fire control says it is not moving, however, I can watch it cut as it raises up from .05 to 1" before it cuts off…
I’ve been having this issue for months but just making do or finding work arounds, however, I now have to fix this…
Has anyone else had this issue…how does the program not know it is raising up the z axis, while it is turning the servo?
when did you last update FC?
there is actually 20.6.2 out…but it only shows as 20.6…
try this…
remove FC from the computer by add/remove programs in the control panel of the PC.
also go into your file list and remove the Fire Control folder under your profile…
then reload the FC from the website…
reboot…try that.
I can try and take a video of what is happening, but it is just as I described before. After when making any continuous cut that sustains arc for more than about 15/20 seconds, the torch begins to rise until it looses arc. FireControl does not read that the z axis is changing, but I can watch the servo turn the lead screw.
the pictures work now…a couple of things I see…
Your THC and torch holder look incredibly dirty…I mean caked with dirt.
do a serious cleaning on the THC module and z axis assembly…there is a contact relay in that that needs to be clean
also check your consumable tip…is it worn out…there seems to be a lot of dross
can you post you Tap file so we can look at it?
also some details on what you are running…do you have good volume of dry air?..metal speed and thickness alonmg with torch settings
I cleaned everything and changed out consumables. The contact for the THC was not dirty. I have a 60 gallon air compressor and mostly dry air. Generally, the dross is not bad on the finished piece. There is a little from each penetration fire. I can run the same file and sometimes it will cut fine, sometimes it will get about 6 inches before it starts to raises up, and sometimes it will go for most of the cut before it messes up. It isn’t my .tap.
I ran the same file 3 times, only changing the origin. On the third attempt, it cut.
These are the results. The spots on the top of the cut that are inconsistent are where I attempted to add tabs. The tabs are not the issue. I need to work on the length, but I was trying to see if I could mitigate some of the issues by reducing the length of continual run time/length.
So after breaking down the machine, cleaning everything and then going through every possible that was suggested, I was still encountering the same issues of the torch head raising up, while the z axis in fire control says that height was remaining the same.
After trying everything, FINALLY I found a fix that works for me! Maybe it will help other folks out that have encountered the same issue… I simply adjusted the THC tolerance up and the problem seems to be fixed. I found that the factory 1.5V tolerance works fine for 16-18 ga, however, when cutting 1/4" I moved the tolerance up to 2.8V and 3.8V for 1/2"…