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Torch Table programming
  • I just checked out the torch table page on the Wiki site. Marcin, I am not clear how you plan to make this work. How do you plan to start/stop the cutting cycle for instance? Your very simple DXF to G Code utility will probably not work very well. Is it necessary to use open source software? There are so many better alternatives that will work seamlessly.

    You will have to find a way to insert an M Code to trigger the torch to cut or not to cut. Also, center line tool paths are not going to be very useful because the torch cut is not laser thin. The flame cut has thickness so to speak. So you need to offset the cut in order to get the result you're looking for.

    Most plasma tables I've seen use the HP plotter file type. The reason being is there is a built in "pen up" and "pen down" command. This can be used to trigger a post processor to insert an M Code for cut and a different M Code for stop cutting. You then have to set up your control software to recognize the M command and react accordingly.

    Hope this helps.

    The Dawg
     
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  • there was interference with the plasma cutter so we're oxyacetylene for now, manually controlling the gas to cut. 


    we have a script that modifies the G code to perform preheating and piercing within the circles. the gcode indicates to the operator, through pen movements and wait times, when to turn on the cutting. eventually we may do the same for convex polygons, so there's also no blooming on the edges of those.  


    not sure how they modify their dxf to account for cut thickness, but they must be (and the tolerances are not that tight on mounting plates and such). 


    thanks for the tip on the hp plotter file format. 


    marcin very strongly leans towards open source software whenever possible.

    v

     

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