Hello All I have built a JD Garage plasma table which has gone quite smoothly. I have had some issues with electronics and software which i managed to resolve where everything seems to work as it should. The issue im having is the little glitches in the cut. I have supplied a pic with some arrows where the issues are. The gcode file for trial is supplied with the instructions from JD and is known as good. Im not quite sure where to start looking for the solution here. Hopefully someone here can point me in the right correction Thanks Mick
Hello David. Excuse my ignorance, but the comment "backlash and flexing" are you describing issues in the belt drive system. Thanks Mick
something is loose such that when pushing against the cutting forces it flexes one way then after a bit it overcomes the cutting forces and cuts whee it is supposed to, thus the wobble. which way round was it cutting? if we know that we can know which axis is flexing. the flex can be: (but not limited to) loose belts loose wheels set screws on pulleys, one must be on the flat on the shaft, both tight axis not attached to end plates properly grab the bit and try to move it by hand (spindle off of course), you should be able to feel which way to can move a bit and then go stiff again. also, search these forums for 'backlash' and such words, there have been many discussions
Thanks David Looking at the picture the letters start at the pierce point and run clockwise.The outer oval cut starts on the right and runs clockwise as well. Will check all the hardware again but this was my first thought of where the problem was. Will also search the forum as well Mick
Mick, did you ever figure it out? I just got done with my plasma cutter build and I'm having problems too. My issues look exactly like yours. I know my wheels are loose on my Y gantry so I'm hoping that's just my issue. Congrats on getting your machine up and running. Hopefully you'll find out what's going on and get to cutting!
thanks, ,.looking at the J we can see that the head is cutting left to right and moving bottom to top to do the curve, then X stops moving and Y continues until force builds up and X 'catches up' leaving that kink. the same , in the same place on the D and G. This points to something stuck to a wheel or blockikng a hweel, on the X axis.
Hi T-Rav I had checked all the gear screws at the time and all were tight. As I was pulling the machine down to paint, fix some issues i didn't like i thought i would double check everything with final assembly. Only finished this machine off last week. With no issues. But everything i was told and read said drive issue. I made a big point of belt alignment. Good Luck Mick
Mick, I pulled my machine apart and discovered my X axis pulley had slipped on the shaft. Went ahead and applied red loctite to it and all other pulleys, then cranked down the set screws. Going to do another test cut and will let you know if my problems are fixed.
Yes, I too had that exact problem on my table (which only started out as a JD's Garage build -- ended up a whole lot larger & more complicated.) -- and that was also my fix. Worked like a charm -- it seems that small steel set-screws in small aluminum gears just won't stay tight without Loctite Red.
just recently got everything set up to run my 2x2 cnc table. So for a bit of back ground info, I bought the torchmate unit, the plasma cutter is an everlast 60s blowback with a tramifet cnc machine torch ( I know I know it's not a hypertherm but the reviews and functions of this machine where excellent for the price ) I have wired the cnc control box to the plasma cutter wiring in pins 1 and 2 like supposed to. The problem I'm having is when I go to test the plasma cutter though the aux menu nothing happens? I don't know if this is relevant but when I change from 2t to 4t the plasma turns on and runs continuously with no control from the software. All I'm trying to do is a line test cut on some 14 gauge steel and and having a heck of a time trying to get it to work properly. I'm new to the fabrication world so any input would be greatly appreciated!!!
A little bit more info would help -- what "CNC control box" are you using, and how do you have it wired? I use an Everlast PowerPlasma 82i and you are using the correct pins from the Everlast. My own setup is a bit more complicated (as in LinuxCNC now, but started out as an Arduino Uno controller), but the Arduino-based controllers use a relay to switch the torch-on wires (pin 1 to relay normally open, pin 2 to relay common) with the trigger signal coming from the Arduino trigger pin (I believe that was digital pin 11 on the Uno). On the 60S, I don't believe that you have to have any special front panel settings -- just 2T selected on the torch switch control. Oh -- and make sure that your work lead (ground clamp) has a good connection; Everlast cutters are very sensitive to this and will give sporadic results if your ground clamp isn't getting a solid connection. I wire brush or grind a shiny spot for my ground clamp on the work piece to make sure.
Hi Lewis Cnc truckers info is good to work off. Double check all connections. I have seen in other posts around the net that people have used the wrong voltage relay to switch the plasma on and off. So double check the relay voltage. If all is connected properly you should be able to activate the relay and hear it switching on and off using the "tool on/tool off" buttons in open build control. Plasma dousnt need to be switched on. This will at least give you an idea if its plasma control or hardware issue. Mick PS are you using a fake Arduino.
If its arduino / relay modules. Lots of those relays are inverted because of bad implementation of opto coupler. Active low. No way to use those. Replace. If you invert the signal to make it work, then plasma is on any time controller resets or or is off (bad idea). Best to use correct modules, or a proper controller like a https://docs.openbuilds.com/blackbox-x32
