Getting a Torchmate 4400 running

[jlasater]

I picked up a relatively unused Torchmate 4400 with the Accumove 2 controller and Flexcut 80 torch setup. I don't currently have the Flexcut connected or wired for power.

I'm totally new to CNC plasma tables but do work in IT. I was able to figure out how to move the three axis via the VMD console after cleaning the linear rails well.

A current list of issues I'm having (may well be based on my ignorance):
1) VMD won't load any jobs. When I pick one and click Ok, nothing happens...at all. I can cancel out and try again. Still no go. I am currently missing the software licensing dongle, but I think that is only for the Torchmate software which I'm not using yet. If I'm wrong, let me know.
2) The auto torch height control doesn't seem to be working when I click Datum. The torch will drop down and just keep pushing on the sheetmetal plate I have on the bed. I have to click Stop to get it to quit. As far as I can tell, THC is enabled, and the wire is connected to the torch nozzle.
3) I am unable to effectively grease the bearing cassettes. I have tried multiple grease couplers (I have a number of tractors and grease them all the time), but it just oozes grease around the coupler-to-grease nipple. I haven't ever had that happen before.

I'm looking forward to get this machine running fully! TIA.

[jlasater]

Ok...looks like I might be getting ahead of myself on #2. That feature relies on power, and the torch is not connected at the moment...so never mind on that one.

[weldguy]

I think that without the dongle you could be dead in the water on the software issues.

Can you unscrew the grease nipples and inject some grease that way?

Whatever you do I would suggest you not take the cassettes off the rail or things could go real sideways.

[jlasater]

It looks like the dongle only affects licensing for the Torchmate CAD software. So I'm curious why VMD still won't load any jobs. It'd help if it threw errors, but it doesn't...nothing happens when clicking Open/Ok. Have any of you guys seen that behavior?

[weldguy]

Not really familiar with Torchmate but I am curious if are you using the Torchmate software to post process your designs or different software?

[jlasater]

At this point, I'm not using the Torchmate CAD software at all. The VMD software (or driver as Lincoln calls it) can open projects itself, or should be able to. There are a few jobs included just to test the machine out. I seem to be unable to load any of those for some reason.

May be time to call Lincoln.

[jlasater]

Does the Flexcut power unit need to be connected and powered up for IHC to work, and to do a dry run of a sample file?

[jlasater]

Yeah...I think I need to call Lincoln. I'm really out of my depth here.

I logged into admin mode to look at configuration settings and created a very simple circle pattern in VMD. Set for 2" because I only had a small piece of sheetmetal (plasma still isn't powered up, was looking to see if IHC would work). When I hit Run, the torch moves vertically instead of down, hits the stop, eventually times out, throws an error, and if I click ok, it then lowers until it either maxes out or hits the metal...and just sits there ramming it until I hit stop. The on-screen Z controls also seem to operate backwards from when I was messing around in the regular Operator mode. It would then throw out of travel errors on the X and Y axis, and literally wouldn't let me manually job the torch outside of some defined space.

It's probably something simple, but I'm a noob with this stuff.

[adbuch]

Did you get an operator's manual with the table? If not, perhaps order one from Lincoln/Torchmate.
David

[adbuch]

https://torchmate.com/uploads/images/PD ... -guide.pdf

22.jpg

[jlasater]

Yeah...I have a PDF copy of the manual and have been reading through it. It makes some assumptions that things are a certain way out of the box vs. what I have which is a used machine. Every evening I make more progress...

[SegoMan DeSigns]

It looks like the dongle only affects licensing for the Torchmate CAD software. So I'm curious why VMD still won't load any jobs. It'd help if it threw errors, but it doesn't...nothing happens when clicking Open/Ok. Have any of you guys seen that behavior?

Without the dongle it will not export the DXF file from the program, I have an older 2x2 growth series. I would do the basic cad / cam software which is free then get a Dongle to make it active. Do your designing / drawing in another program, I use CorelDraw as I was active with it prior to the words CNC appearing on the scene.

My protocol on the growth series is to draw parts in C D / export as DXF to a dedicated T M folder (called T M drawings for example)
Import that file into TM ver 9 cad/cam lite - under arrange / click make path - under machine / make tool path (m or f) set proper leads in.
export that file into a separate TM folder (called T M export for ex) .
if table /controller software is attached to another machine open the TM cutting program / home machine / set program coordinates by jogging machine to material / then import your file (from the TM export folder) set speed and save.. You should be good to go with torch on or off. (sometimes Ill do dry run of the outside tool path of the part to verify it fits on the metal piece)

Your system may vary slightly.

Here is the T M user group:

https://www.fabricationforum.com/thread ... ricks.440/

[adbuch]

Steve - the only free basic TMCad software I am aware of is the Educational version - no dongle required. This version will only save in .edu format.
I have the "basic version" of TMCad installed (paid version with dongle). It won't work without the dongle - at least on my computers. I paid around $300 for it.

David

[jlasater]

Put a 25ft cable on the Flexcut 80 unit last night, 6/3 SO cable plus end. Connected air, turned the unit on and everything looks good other than a "part-in-place" warning on the front. I pulled the consumables out of the torch and will give them a good cleaning. There's light surface corrosion (very light, mostly discolored). The electrode shows very little wear. I'm still convinced this thing only cut a few sheets of steel in its lifetime to this point...good news for me

I think the VMD is fine without a dongle. As you guys said, TMcad needs a dongle to save anything. It opens fine, but if I try to save a file, it shows a License -1 error, which is to be expected.

Progress!

[jlasater]

After cleaning, the FC shows PiP is good to go. That's all I had time for today. Tomorrow I'm back to figuring out IHC and seeing if it'll do a dry run without trying to crash the torch at the start.

[adbuch]

After cleaning, the FC shows PiP is good to go. That's all I had time for today. Tomorrow I'm back to figuring out IHC and seeing if it'll do a dry run without trying to crash the torch at the start.

Thanks for the update! Keep us posted.
David

[jlasater]

So...the PiP issue is back. I cleaned the two little brass spots in the torch body that the body of the nozzle presses on when screwed in but still no go. All the torch parts look clean. Not sure why the FC still thinks something isn't connected.

The IHC ohmic feature doesn't seem to be working. Following the troubleshooting instructions, I made it to checking continuity from the frame ground through the work piece via the ground clamp, ran the torch down manually until it touched, and then checked continuity at the plug that goes into the IHC module screwed to the side of the AccuMove 2 box. Max of 10 ohms, and I think I read that it needs to be below 30 so it should be fine.

When I log into VMD as admin and look at the configuration, I found the screen that I believe should show in real time when certain features are triggered, like the ohmic feature, but that doesn't change when I ground the torch tip. I opened up the IHC control box, snugged up some of the wire headers, and noticed a couple pieces of white tape around two of the wires. Also the strain relief nut was off the threads entirely. Wondering if the wire got yanked and broke something inside the box.

[jlasater]

So...I traced the PiP issue down to something wrong with the parts in the torch end. If I leave the nozzle (not the cap) out and put it all back together with the electrode, swirl ring, retaining cap, and shield cap, the FC PiP LED blinks a few times and goes off. It would seem something with the nozzle is keeping the retaining cap (the part with the ohmic connection) from seating far enough to close the circuit with the two little brass-looking nubbins at the base of where the assembly screws on.

I painted the brass part of the retaining cap end with a Sharpie and when I screw it down with the nozzle in, the brass contacts don't leave a mark. With the nozzle out, you can see a fine line created followed by two spots where the contacts obviously touched like they were supposed to. I attempted to pull the black two-part sleeve with four screws apart because I thought I could see a little corrosion in there, but the one end of that just doesn't want to come apart. I don't know if it's held together by the grey body tube or what.

If any of you guys have the LC105M torch on your Torchmate, would you mind taking the retaining cap off and see if the two brass "nubbings" are supposed to be spring loaded? Mine don't move and I'm wondering if they are stuck in place.

I really don't want to fork out for a new torch (LC100) at this point. This machine needs to make a few parts before I look at any upgrades.

One thought that perplexes me...isn't the PiP feature supposed to warn you if parts are left out, yet it happily turns off when I leave the nozzle out. Strange.

[jlasater]

Still interested in hearing from any of you guys about the PiP issue I'm having.

I contacted Lincoln tech support and they said they wouldn't sell me a replacement dongle for the Torchmate CAD software and I'd have to buy the whole license for $1,000+. So...I'm looking at QCAD and Sheetcam based on a few posts I've seen. I'm interested in your opinions about that and if I would be better served with other programs. The Torchmate VMD controller wants .gm files and I'm trying to find out if Sheetcam can create those or if there is another processor I need to run files through first.

I see QCAD also has a CAD/CAM option. Any idea if their CAM software is decent?

[adbuch]

Still interested in hearing from any of you guys about the PiP issue I'm having.

The Torchmate VMD controller wants .gm files ...

I believe you may be referring to .gc files, which are the g-code files created by TMCad when you create your cut paths using the TMCad software. You can use any cad program which will export dxf or svg file types and import these to SheetCam for cut path creation and post processing (converts cut paths to g-code).

David

[jlasater]

The part I'm not understanding is the file format. SheetCam saves as a .tap but Torchmate VMD only wants a .gc (I think that's the file extension, I'll have to double-check). Do I just rename .tap to .gc so VMD can read it?

I'm new to CAD/CAM but in ten minutes I had a simple square plate with four holes laid out in QCAD, and run through SheetCam. Elementary stuff, but that seriously gets me excited to get this machine up and running!

[adbuch]

The part I'm not understanding is the file format. SheetCam saves as a .tap but Torchmate VMD only wants a .gc (I think that's the file extension, I'll have to double-check). Do I just rename .tap to .gc so VMD can read it?

I'm new to CAD/CAM but in ten minutes I had a simple square plate with four holes laid out in QCAD, and run through SheetCam. Elementary stuff, but that seriously gets me excited to get this machine up and running!

.ngc.jpg

This is the file that was post processed to produce the g-code file shown above.

33.jpg

[djreiswig]

The part I'm not understanding is the file format. SheetCam saves as a .tap but Torchmate VMD only wants a .gc (I think that's the file extension, I'll have to double-check). Do I just rename .tap to .gc so VMD can read it?

You can select the file extension you need for your gcode in the settings in SheetCam. It can be anything you want. It doesn't have an effect on the code itself.

[adbuch]

TMCad offers the g-code export file types as shown below. I don't personally own a Torchmate table, so I can only go by what the TMCad program is showing me.

David

TMCad gcode formats 1.jpg

TMCad gcode formats 2.jpg

[adbuch]

By the way, when I purchased my TMCad V9 lite license with dongle several years ago, the cost was right around $300. It should still be about the same. I think the price they quoted you of over $1000 was for the full version with all the "bells and whistles" - such as curving text to a circle and things. Most all of these extras can be accomplished with Inkscape for free.

The reason I bought the TMCad software was for the Polyarc feature - very handy for creating artistic pieces.

TM Cad polyarc example.jpg

If you don't really care about that capability, then using SheetCam along with either one of the free cad programs mentioned above, or maybe CorelDraw ($108 for perpetual license) would be a less expensive way to go.

David