Has anyone used LCNC to run a Torchmate plasma cutter? Its Windows control software leaves a lot to be desired.
A couple of annoying things about it, I can't find a way to send it back to where it started when it's done cutting and if there's a problem like the cutter overheating it cannot pick up right where it stopped, it has to back up to where the G-code line it's on starts. Fat lot of good "pause" is without "unpause", and the Home button apparently only works with limit switches, can't find a way to have it send it back to the current origin. Their CAD program looks to be pretty old and is missing some of what I'd think should be common sense features and functions for things that require several steps. (I should try some other CAD programs to see if they can create toolpath DXF files the driver software can import to convert to G-code.) One more thing, if you just want to make a rip cut you must have a DXF of a straight line to import or G-code file or use manual input. Having a justgothatwayandcuttilIclickSTOPdammit function would be highly useful. (Should probably just build a dead simple motorized plasma ripper.) The hardware looks like I could just remove the box that goes between a USB port and the next box down the daisy chain of four boxes then connect directly to a parallel or serial port, whichever it is the USB box converts to. (Or LCNC could get USB motion controller support, nudge, nudge.) Linear scales for absolute positioning or at least some limit switches for homing would be a useful addition to the hardware. It's about a 5x8.5 foot table which made it a bit of an adventure ripping a 10 foot piece of 1/4" plate. Then cutting some pellet mill die housing parts from 1/4" stainless steel had the cutter overheating a few times on the long cuts. (Note, install AC and duct cold air into the fan inlet.) Even with all the "WTH is wrong with it NOW?" problems it was still much better than cutting metal by hand using templates and straight edges. Oooorrrr, could sell the four boxes and software to some suc...lucky person and buy some more up to date and better integrated control system to operate the gantry. This used Torchmate was only $4K --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Slashdot TV. Video for Nerds. Stuff that matters. http://tv.slashdot.org/ _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
