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PlasmaCam help

10K views 21 replies 11 participants last post by  geo442 
#1 ·
Buddy just picked up a (used - for one cut) PlasmaCam unit, and we're having trouble getting it up and running.

Software is installed on a computer, we can get it to register that it is talking to the controller on the table.

But the "cut" option is greyed out, and at the bottom right corner it says "plasma disconnected".

And I am seeing an error 64 at one point?

Also the parallel port settings seem goofy - I changed the BIOS to 278, but in the settings for the software it still shows 378.



The PO had this thing set up, made a few cuts, and that's it. My buddy picked up the table and plasma cutter as a package unit - assembled and all wired up.


Any tips on what we are doing wrong, before he ponies up and pays for tech support from the mfg?

Thanks!
 
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#3 ·
We are using a 6ft cable - I'm gonna grap a couple of extra ones from work today to test and make sure this is not a cabling issue.

We were able to use the "connect" button in the settings to get them to talk - where you push buttons on the controller and the button lights up on the monitor, as well as it is showing the X, Y coords as you move the cutting head. We were even able to check the box to get it to pierce a hole in some metal - so we know the cutter works and can be controlled by the machine. but it still says "plasma disconnected" through all of that.
 
#7 ·
From what I understand - the included tech support is only for the guy who bought it from them - non transferrable.
 
#9 ·
Hell, I know there are at least half a dozen PlasmaCam owners here, if not more - why send the tech elsewhere? :p
 
#10 ·
Not sure on Plasma Cam but cnc's in general need to have the serial ports cables wired correctly. IE: not the way they come from radio shack. We only use 6 or 7 pins out of 20 or so. However if it is not wired correctly it will not communicate. We use RS232 cable and if you need to go farther than the recommended feet you can use a black box to amplify the signal. Again not sure on Plasma Cam however the computer and also the machine need to have the settings for baud rate and such set the same. If they do not match it will not work either. Hope maybe this gives you some insight and realize I have been in your shoes and it is definitely frustrating. Thanks Shawn
 
#11 · (Edited)
Thanks Shawn. It was getting late last night and I was kind of getting rushed tring to throw sparks. We will probably slow it down, read everything 4x and check each step again to make sure we're right.

I'm still thinking there is an issue with the parallel cord, or BIOS and/or I/O settings for the serial port.


Since this PC has a serial port built into the mo/bo, I'm thinking we might want to add a port card and try to work off of that from a fresh start.
 
#12 ·
i don't think its going to be the cable or settings. if the gantry moves after you initialize it then the pc to control connection sounds good. if you can test pierce and get an arc with the manual button it sounds like an issue for plasmacam. bring lots of patients when you deal with their tech support.
 
#13 ·
Thanks guys.

Got a decent (all things considered) tech on the phone, kinda helped point me in a direction. My thoughts that it was the settings of the onboard parallel port, along with the tech's suggestion that they have had past problems with Dell computers.

So we installed the software on a laptop we had on hand (against the manual's recommendation, BTW), and though it gave a resource error - we got it finred up and running "bounce2:

Now it's time to get it dialed in and learn how everything works.
 
#16 ·
Yeah, I'll take a boatload of pics and send you a CD, along with a copy of their demo DVD if you want... just let me know :)

I'm new to CAD, but I'm finally starting to pick up on it over the last few days of playing around with the software.
 
#20 ·
Ok, checked back... Used to be a $500 transfer of ownership fee but then found this:

http://plasma-blog.com/?cat=3

That was about a year and a half ago and I had been looking into it about two to three years back... They say "free tech support" until further notice, but nothing about it ending that I could find. Might want to check in with them.
 
#21 ·
I am a Plasmacam tech.

The "Torch: Disconnected" means that the controller is not reading the torch location because the Plasmacam is not initialized. When the machine is initialized you will see the XYZ location of the torch. That is the advantage of servo motors.

If you get noise errors, you must make sure that the table is earth grounded and the paralle cable and power cords are not bundled together. Keep some separation between the cables.
 
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