+1 for SheetCAM and Draftsight! I am sure that you can use these with your existing Torchmate too.
-----Original Message----- From: Gregg Eshelman [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 24 August 2014 09:32 To: Enhanced Machine Controller (EMC) Subject: Re: [Emc-users] LCNC replacement for Torchmate control? On 8/23/2014 1:38 PM, Chris Kelley wrote: > I converted a 5' X 10' Torchmate to LCNC 'bout a year and a half ago. > > The THC box was crap, couldn't hold the torch height withing + or - 4 > volts. The operator would just manually control the height for hours on end. > > I ditched the THC box/servo and the USB controller box but kept the > box that housed the stepper drives and power supply. I built another > box to hold a Mesa 7i76 and a Mesa THCAD-300. Replaced the Z-axis > servo with a stepper, added another driver, added a touch-off switch > to the Z, and installed limit switches for the Y axis and both sides > of the gantry (used > JA3 branch to auto-square the gantry every time it's homed). You could > probably sell the parts you don't need and cover the cost of new Mesa stuff. > > One that machine, I also added a pneumatic air scribe on a pneumatic > slide next to the torch for plate marking. > > For rip cutting, I just saved programs that would cut 48.5, 60.5, and > 120.5 inches in both X and Y directions. I never got around to it, but > a NGCGUI tab shouldn't be too hard to make to do this. > > For CAD, we exported DXFs from Solidworks, but I do a lot of simple > stuff in Draftsight (runs on Linux and is free-as-in-beer). For > CAM/tool-path generation I am a big fan of SheetCAM (not free, but > worth it). SheetCAM also runs under Linux but works better under Wine. > > Before I converted that table, it would take one of the engineers > almost an hour using the Torchmate software to make a program for a > couple of parts for the table operator to run. After the conversion, > SheetCAM was easy enough to use that all us engineers had to do was > export a DXF and let the machine operator handle the nesting and program generation. This one has the THC with the blue display and the Z axis is run with a stepper. The gantry never needs squaring because it has a rack on both sides and the drive gears are connected by a shaft. (No idea why it's an ACME threaded shaft.) I dunno why anyone would ever *want* a gantry where the two sides aren't mechanically linked. It's so dead simple and can't get out of whack, plus you don't need an extra motor and driver. The shop was going to buy a CandCNC all in one box and motors then build a table and gantry from scratch, but those units are built to order and I was browsing Craigslist and found this cheap Torchmate table "ready to go". Well, ready except for the dead PC that probably ate too much metal dust. Since the frame is all heavy 4x4 tube a water table convert was easy as welding a sheet of steel to the bottom. On the List Of Things To Do is build a control booth to keep the electronics clean, keep the operator and cutter box cool and un-deafened* (damn that thing is LOUD when cutting) and have a window with a welding screen for eyesight saving. *I was not one of those dumb teenagers always with the stereo at TOP (Threshold Of Pain) and at 43 still have hearing as good as I ever did. --- 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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
