Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

I have recently completed my very first Acorn retrofit on a my 5x10 Viacom plasma table. I am using a Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma power supply with a SL100 torch. I have added the Z axiz control however I have not gotten the THC board yet (waiting to see the outcome of compatability with the Thermal Dynamics plasma cutters) and using the float switch for torch touch off. My 60i has the automation board insalled so I have the 50:1 voltage divider output, plate contact, start, and ok to move. This plasma cutter has on inital start up an approximate 2.5 second air purge prior to starthig the pilot arc. I have added a 2.5 second pause currently in the piercing cycle macro however I would like to use the wait M101 command with one of the Acorn inputs in cojuction with the ok to move contact in the plasma cutter.

My questions are, has anyone else done that?

If I do add the M101 command in the piercing cycle macro after M3 will I need to add also M100 to turn the "wait" off before the M5 code in the M62 macro?

If there is a better way of doing this I'm open to any suggestions!

Also has anyone use the Acorn THC with the Thermal Dynamics 60I(x) with any sucess yet? I would love to get torch height control so I can cut thin Aluminum.

Thanks!
-Nick

M101 is a one-shot action. On the line that you program M101, the control will stop and wait until the specified input is closed (or memory bit is set, or output is on). Then the control will proceed to the next line and that M101 is history.

If the signal you had waited for subsequently goes away, that doesn't make any difference at all.

The pierce Macro currently Looks for the "ARC OK" input to start the pierce delay. This should prevent the Torch from moving past the pierce cycle before the ARC has started. Is that not the case ?

Im not using the THC board so the acorn has no way of knowing when the arc is established. Im holding off getting the THC board until there is an OK to use it with the Thermal Dynamics plasma

Assign the "Torcharcok" in the wizard input menu and use that with the "Ok to move" signal from the plasma cutter. No need for the THC kit.

Set it up and it works perfect, thanks!