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“We just made CNC easier”
Advanced Breakout CardsTable I/O CardsTorch Height Controls
Stepper Control SystemsServo Control SystemHand Controllers
MP1000C-THC SETUP MANUAL
All content Copywrited 2008 by CandCNC. All rights reserved.No repoduction allowed without permission of CandCNC
CandCNChttp://www.CandCNC.com
Including HLC301 I/O Card, MTA100 I/O Card and THC Sensor card“C SERIES” Addendum
REV6
RUN
CP
STEP
DIR
X Y Z
HANDWHEEL
MP1000-THC
MASTER CONTROLLER
UP
DWN
TORCHARC
FAULT
THCSET
STOP HOLD
OVP
Torch Volts
Scaled Pulse MonitorShows real-time status of motor outputs.
Step divide by 500 to 4000
Bright high contrast LED’sReadable across the room
100 % Digital ControlsAllows Presets and/or dynamic changes while
Cutting
THC Status IndicatorsLarge Bright LED’s
Front Panel DB9Connector for plug-in MPG’s
Front panel buttons can be used as inputs to MACH3OR
Directly connected to ACM-100 control Module Controller can be placed several feetfrom Power/motor cabinet
Indicator for Charge Pump active
10.062
3.2
66
FIGURE 3
Full two port interface + serialBi-directional communication with MACH3100% Digital ControlTight integration with MACH3Front Panel access to MACH3 featuresAvailable in three configurationsPositive snap-action switchesCharge Pump Active IndicatorUnit is plug compatible with other quality CandCNC productsBright LED indicatorsBuilt-in Step & Direction pulse monitorsAll outputs buffered; all inputs opto isolatedFront Panel connector for MPG (handwheels) and option switches.Exclusive remote Table I/O card makes hooking up homes and limits quick and easy. Optional relay outputs at the table where they belong.All connects made via standard data cables (DB25 & DB9)Completely self contained. No external power supplies or wall plug transformers.Drive voltage for Gecko’s provided.Choice of +5 or Gnd as drive CommonPC logic and ground isolated from other circuit voltages.Quality components. Designed and built in the USA.
Voltage control to + - 1 voltUsable with hand or machine torchesIncludes Arc Good sensor for machines not equipped with that signal.Presetable volts from panel or MACH3Operate the THC from the panel or MACH3Two separate preset ranges for Regular and Fine CutOn-the-fly push button adjustmentLast setting retained on power down (both preset ranges)Advance Digital Height Controller responds thousands of times per secondInterface to presets table in MACH3. Select your material from a list.Multiple profile settingsOptimized for use with touch-n-go surface sensingCompatable with SheetCAMBright LED readoutEasy to use controls.
THC Features
Basic Features
INTRODUCING THE MP1000 Master Control Unit
PO
RT 1
PO
RT 2
SEN
SO
R
CAR
D
SER
IAL
AXIS
I/O
ON
TAB
LE I/O
110 -125VAC
1 Ph 60H
Z only
15
69
15
69
Sin
gle
9 P
in C
able
inte
rface to the
TH
CS
ensor
Card
OR
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D Inte
rface for
Spin
dle
Speed
Sin
gle
Cable
inte
rface to o
ur
uniq
ue
Table
I/O
for
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ccess to
Table
lim
its a
nd R
ela
y o
utp
uts
Sin
gle
Cable
inte
rface to r
em
ote
Pow
er
Supply
and D
rive c
abin
et.
4 full
axis
sig
nals
+ p
ow
er
contr
ol*
Buffere
d o
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ted in o
n tw
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sS
erial P
ort
for
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MA
CH
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UN
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ITC
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RE
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PA
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Contr
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andC
NC
AC
M m
odule
s
FIG
UR
E 4
TE
ST
TIP
Volts
TE
ST
Button
and
LE
D
MP1000C Interface Unit
HLC-301I/O Card
(AXIS I/O)
Has buffers and Isolation for All motor (step & dir)signals up to 5 axis, Isolated inputs for I/O and
integrated Digitial Torch Height Controller (THC)
Provides quick screws terminal inputs for all tableswtiches, remote feedhold, E-stop(software) andpass-through for 4 aux relays (via optional QUAD
RELAY BOX) Test buttons and LED indicators.Isolated UP and DOWN Buttons for manual
operation of Z while cutting (Oxy-Acet)Connects VIA M-F DB25 cable to rear of MP1000C
Mounted in or near the Plasma Unit, thismodule has the Torch Relay (triggers the
torch from the software), the Tip Voltspickup/divider circuit, and inputs for either
dry relay contacts for ArcOK (only available onsome plasma units) or via a Voltage input from
the Arc OK cicuit in the plasma unit OR viathe Current Sense Transformer (CT) we provide.
Gives Interface options for the Step & DirectionOutputs of the MP1000C . Plugs into the rear of
the MP1000C (AXIS I/O Plug) and has connectionsfor screw terminal interface (up to 4 axis of S&D);
ribbon cable interface to the EZPlug series of GeckoInterface Cards and interconnect to our SPSC Smart
Conntroller series. Card is normally placed in theControl Cabinet with the Motor Drives and Power
Supply. Connects via single M-M DB25 cable.
MTA100 Mass Terminaion Card
THC Sensor Card
WHAT COMES WITH AN MP1000C-THC Unit
The setup of the MP1000-THC involves the installation of MACH3 softwareand some support files on the PC to be used for the machine controller.While we will guide you through the setup for MACH3 the MACH3 manualgives more in detail instructions on each feature. Familiarize yourself withthe controls on the front panel of the MP1000-THC and with the loading andoperation of MACH3 with the proper profile. The initial part of this manualis devoted to getting MACH3 properly installed with the right support filesand profile to run the MP1000-THC. After you have the software installedand the cables and satellite cards hooked up you will be guided through aseries of tests to determine if everything is working. We ask that you gothrought the setup and manual in the order presented. If at some point youcannot get the expected results and check your connections and setupwith no success then call our tech support person (also the engineer,assembler, tester, webmaster and marketing guy!) at 903-364-2740. Whilewe work a lot of strange hours we may not always be available to answerthe call so leave a detailed message of the problem and how to get in touchwith you will hear back from one of the staff (me or Jim).
Installation and setup of your MP1000-THC Torch Height Control.
There are a series of steps you must complete to setup and interface theMP1000-THC with your PC and Your Plasma torch
?? Install and setup the second parallel port in your PC
?? Setup and configure the first serial port (COM1) on your PC
?? Install MACH3 software
?? Copy your MACH3 license into the MACH3 main folder
?? Run the install program from the CandCNC disk to load customscreens and setup files
?? Connect the Five port cables (three 25Pin, two 9 Pin) to the back ofthe MP1000
?? Connect the THC Sensor Card to the back of the MP1000 but do notmake any plasma unit connections until later
?? Connect the HLC310 card to the Table I/O port on the rear of theMP1000
?? Connect the MTA100 Card to the motor drive modules
?? Run a quick series of tests to confirm the ports are working and thatMACH3 is configured correctly
?? Install the THC Sensor card in/on your plasma unit.
?? Install the Arc Good sensing Current transformer (some units)
?? Do final checkout.
?? Fire up the machine and cut a test file.
Installing the second parallel port on your PCMost PC’s do not have a second parallel port and on newer PCI buss computersyou will need to install a PCI Parallel Port Card. Make sure the card you installhas drivers for the version of Windows you are running. Win2000 drivers may ormay not work in XP (or visa versa). When you install the card in your computerand turn it back on, it should find the new hardware and when prompted, youshould use the disk that comes with the port card to install the correct drivers.There should be instructions with the card on the proper way to install the drivers.
NOTE: For newer computers with NO communication ports contact us to get adual port PCI parallel port expansion card. We have one that is tested and workswith MACH3
After you install the second parallel port and Windows recognizes the second(LPT2) port then open the device manager from the Hardware section underWindows /Control Panel/System and open the Ports icon and find the LPT2entry. Open that and click on the resources tab.
Write down the first number in the Input/Output range (DE00 in this caseabove). We will have to enter that number in the MACH3 setup procedurelater
PC Serial Connection.
In order for the MP1000-THC to communicate with MACH3 to transfer screensettings you must have it connected to your COM1 serial port on the control PC.Use a straight through DB9 cable (not an RS232 cable or null-modem cable) forthe connection. Make sure that you do not have any other device (modem, serial
You will have to setup the COM1 serial port in Windows. It should be setup with9600 baud, 8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, no Flow control.
Testing: We will test the functionality of the com port after we hook up theMP1000 to the computer.
Installing MACH3 and the custom MP1000-THC files
The actual installation of MACH3 software will not be covered. It’s fairly straightforward since the file is downloaded from the website at http://www.artofcnc.caand the file when clicked on will take you through an install of the software onyour machine. If you have problems downloading the file or getting a valid installplease contact the author at art fenerty@artofcnc.ca or post a question on theprimary support list in Yahoo Groups (MACH1MACH2CNC). While we cananswer questions about the proper interface of our MP1000-THC with MACH3the actual setup and use of MACH3 on a specific PC may better be handledthrough the actual software provider or the support list. Our custom filesprovided on our install disk should setup the PC to work correctly with theMP1000-THC but be aware that changes you make to setup parameters after theinstall make changes to the profile.
We have included a version of the MACH3 Manual on the CD. For plasmacutting most of the manual information is not needed and if there is a conflict ofplasma specific setup or procedures (this) MP1000-THC manual should prevail.
After you have installed MACH3 on your computer reboot and before loadingMACH3 again, open the main folder on the CD and run the MP1000-THCinstall.exe file in the directory. It will ask you to define the Drive and directorywhere you have installed MACH3.
The installer should put the correct files under the right folders. If you decide todo it manually there is a folder on the CD called “Manual Install” and foldersunder that. Read the “Manual_Install.txt” txt file in the Manual Install directory. Itwill provide you with any notes and tell you the correct files to install in the correctdirectories.
About the MACH3 LicenseYou must copy your MACH3 license (provided when you purchase a full copyfrom the Mach3 website or from an authorized dealer) into the main MACH3folder. A MACH2 license will work as well. You can check to make sure yourlicense is active by re-loading MACH3 after the license copy and opening theHelp/About and making the “licensed to” line is NOT “Demo”. The MP1000-THCtorch functions WILL NOT WORK WITH A DEMO copy of the software. Theother motor drive functions will work. If you cannot get the THC button to showactive, then check your copy to make sure the license is there. If you upgradethe version the license will remain but if you manually remove the MACH3 folderor change it’s name prior to loading a new copy the license file will have to be re-installed into the working directory.
Setting up the Port 2 address.Within MACH3 on the Ports and Pins and Port Setup and Axis Selection tab:
?? Enter the hex address you recorded earlier for your second parallel port.The actual address you have written down should be proceeded by a”0X” (Zero, X) so something like DE00 becomes 0XDE00 for the inputvalue (or 0xde00 will work since the value is not case sensitive)
?? Make sure the “Use Pins 2-9 as Inputs” box is checked
?? If the port 2 address is correct the CP (Charge Pump) LED should be onwhen MACH3 is not in e-stop mode. If it does not come on then Port 2may not be working correctly. We have found that some older ParallelPort add-in cards do not work properly with XP. Make sure your card hasspecific drivers for the version of Windows you are running.
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Connecting up the MP1000 Controller box. Take a look at the block diagramdrawing (Fig 5 THC Installation Manual), that gives an overview of the controlbox, plasma unit and table. Note that there are three cables that run from the PCand connect to the THC Controller box. These are labeled Port 1, Port2 andSerial It’s important that you connect the first parallel port in the computer(normally the existing printer port or LPT1 port) to Port 1 on the MP1000 box andthe new port you added to Port 2 on the MP1000. There are also three othercables that connect three satellite cards (HLC301MTA100 and THC SensorCard) to the MP1000-THC as well.
1. Install a DB25 Male to Male extension cable (All pins straight through)between two parallel ports on the PC to the parts marked Port 1 and Port2 on the back of the MP1000-THC controller unit.
2. Install a straight through DB9 cable (not a modem cable) from your Com1port on the PC to the Serial port on the MP1000-THC
3. Plug the MP1000 into a standard 110VAC to 120VAC 60HZ wall socket.4. The Step and Direction lights will come up in a random on/off pattern
(could be all off)5. LED readout may have a value showing the last test voltage used in final
testing. The MP1000-THC retains the last setting it was using even afterpower down.
6. Turn the unit off with the power switch on the back.
Installing the HLC301 I/O Card.We have provided a functional remote breakout card to use as your interface atthe machine to connect the Home and any limit switches via crimp-onconnectors. The HLC301 as status LED’s for each signal mounted on the cardand small test buttons to see and test the switch functions. The HLC301 is aCandCNC exclusive design and will make wiring and test of any machine easierand faster. All of the table switch signals are returned to the MP1000-THC via asingle DB25 shielded cable into isolated inputs. While the isolators provide ahigh degree of noise immunity it is not good practice to run any signal cable inparallel and close proximity of high current wires like the motor drive cables. Themaximum length we recommend for the card to MP1000 interface is 15ft. Longerlengths may need additional grounding or noise suppression techniques.
As an option we offer a power output package consisting of four relays. Theapplication of those outputs are covered later. It is important that the HLC301 beconnected for any testing since there is a remote E-STOP set of terminals thatmust be shorted (closed) to make MACH come out of RESET. You can usethese inputs at the table to hookup a normally closed (opens when activated)Stop switch. If you elect not to use it the terminals need a jumper between thetwo EPO connectors. The MP1000-THC will not come out of e-stop with theHLC301 card disconnected.
HOME SWITCH Indicators (On shows switch is active)
HARD LIMITS (Indicator must be ON if hard limits used)*
* Hard Limit connectors are in series on the board. Use Normally Closed (NC) type switches.Any input not connected to a switch MUST have jumper wire between the two pins. Hard LimitSensing can be turned off in MACH2/3 if none are used. If are used the jumpers are neededon unused inputs.
any
AUX Inputs (NO or NC inputs can be used. Must be setup in MACH3)
EPO Needs jumper if switch not used
Ta
ble
Mo
un
ted
Em
erg
en
cy O
ff
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XHome
FIGURE 11
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Buttons not included with stock MP1000 units
UP
1
PWR
A HOME DWN
AUX 11
J27
1
NC
J26J25J24J23J22J20 J19
J18J17J16J15J14J13J12J11 J4
25
LIMITS
CABLE
Z HOME
J5
UP DWN
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1
FGND
A HOMEZ HOME
Y HOME
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1
MACHINE INPUTS
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TABLE I/O
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13
14
1
PLUG
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1
D8
CANDCNC
TO TESTPUSH BUTTONS
Y HOMEX HOME B HOME
HLC301
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G
RELAYREMOTE
LIMIT
X HOME Y HOME Z HOME A HOME
TO
MP
1000
TO
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elayHOME-LIMIT CARD
Connection for using the UP and Down during cutting operations (for oxy-acet)
Two Normally Open PushbuttonSwitches
Up
to
25
’a
wa
y
To use the UP and DWN while cutting manaully youmust check the “Allow THC UP-DOWN...” box in
MACH configuration
UP and Down test buttons will simulatea hand control
REAR PANEL
TABLE I/OAXIS I/O THC / SPINDLE I/O
Panels shown out of case for clearity
Less t
han
25 f
eet
FIGURE 14
MTA100 Expansion Card (Breakout)
Rear Panel of MP1000 Case
See M
TA
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anual fo
r hookup w
ith
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r E
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ard
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ote Shutdow
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J6
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SC
Interface
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MIN
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+5 +5 GNDDir
ST
EP
Dir
ST
EP
Dir
ST
EP
Dir
ST
EP
(TOP) (BOT)
The MTA100 Extension Card install.The MP1000-THC is provided with a small interface and breakout card that isused to deliver the Step and Direction signals to the proper inputs on your motordriver module(s). Note that the connections for step, direction and common aremarked for each axis. Locate the MTA100 Extension Card close (within 12”) ofyour motor drives. Connect each signal to the proper pin. The MTA100 can bemounted inside the chassis where your motor drive modules and the DB 25 cablerun inside that chassis or the card can be mounted through a cutout and use thejack screws on the DB25 board connector to hold it in place. See Figure 14 forideas on using the MTA100 card in your particular install. For Installs using theEZPlug Modular Expansion Cards refer to the Specific produt manual forconnection details. For Units shipped with the PlazPak or Router Pak ElectronicPackages all connections have been setup,
The common signal for most Gecko’s is +5 and the MP1000/THC is shipped withthat as default. If you are running motor drives that require a ground ascommon there is a jumper inside the MP1000-THC that can be set to allow itto work with Gnd common drives. See the MP1000C Addendum Section forjumper locations and settings.
NOTE: You cannot run both +5 and GND common type drives in the samecontroller IF YOU SET THE MP1000C Polarity Jumper to GND. With theMTA100 you can select either polarity by the drive connection (hardwired) or ifusing the EZPLug Gecko Interface Modular cards each card can be set with adrive common polarity. Do not change the jumper in the MP1000C unless ALL ofthe drives use common GND. If you don’t know DON’t CHANGE the polarityjumper in the MP1000C unless you are told to do so by a CandCNC technicalsupport person.
.
C&CNCMP1000-MB
REV 129
2
1
J3
2
202
19
D6
1
J4
25
131
10
J10
10
9
2
1J1
1
10
9
POWER
PORT1 PORT2
AXIS-IO
MPG FRONT PANEL
MPG/Switch inputs
MPG/Switch inputs
FRONT PANEL
REAR PANEL
Front Panel Interface
Front Panel Interface
Table I/O Card
TABLE I/OAXIS I/O
AXIS I/O
THC / SPINDLE I/O
See next page
ACM-A ACM-BJ7 J5
To route the and Switches and LED’s to port input pinsplug ACM cable into ACM-B as shown.
To Use STOP and RUN switches and indicators to control theOptional ACM-100 or PSC650/1500 products plug ACM cable into ACM-A
STOP RUN
STOP RUN
Panels shown out of case for clearity
SERIAL/RS232
Power LED
ACMCABLE
FIGURE 10
The function of the three bottom front panel switches is determined by the position of the ACM cable. When plugged into theACM-A Socket on the MP1000C-MB the Unit is setup to control and indicate a remote SPSC650/1500 Power Controller. If you
are using the MP1000 with our PlazPak series of Power Controllers the cable should be plugged into ACM-A
The function of the front panel switches and indicators change when not used with an ACM Power Control Module. With thecable plugged into ACM-B (factory default) the switches are connected to input pins for MACH3 and have the functions listed inTable 1. While the functions can be changed in MACH3 it is recommended they remain as setup from the factory. We cannot
support other functions mapped to those switches.
Normally JumperedFrom Factory
EPO ControlledFrom Table I/O Card
THC is upper socketSpindle Speed lower (not used)
Connected to DB9on Front panel
Pin 1
Pin 1 Pin 1
Pin 1
NOTCH NOTCHPIN1 PIN1
IMPORTANT NOTE ON INTERNAL PLUGS:
The ribbon cable connectorsmay not have a key to prevent them from being plugged in backwards
IF you unplug an internal cable note the stripe or specific color of the pin 1 wire on the ribbon cablemake SURE you plug it back in so that the cable is oriented as shown.
Pin 1 stripe
Pin 1 stripe
Stripe goes to side with PIN1
Typical Ribbon reader
X
X
Setting the initial Steps per Unit in MACH3 motor tuning.Every table will have different Steps per unit, velocity (max speed) and Accleration settings. Todo testing on the table you must determine the correct settings for your table. Use the followingmethod:For Steppers:
1. Determine the number of steps your motors need to make one full revolution(Normally 200 for most steppers)
2. Determine the ratio of any belt reduction between the motors and the mechanicaldrive on your table.
3. Determine the drive ratio of your mechanical drive (how far does the leadscrewor pinion move the load with one revolution.
4. Determine the step frequency of you drives (Full, half, quarter, 1/8, 1/10 etc)
Now, multiply the motor steps times the drive ratio. A reduction (most used) is the step downration (like 3:1) so it would be (200 X 3) or 600. If the leadscrew for example has to spin 5 timesto move one inch multiply the above number by 5 (600 X 5) or 3000. (see rack and pinionexample if you don’t use leadscrews) We now know it takes 3000 pulses to move our load 1 inch(obviously if your table is setup in MM then all of the units will be in MM.)
The last number we have to provide is the step frequency of your motor drives. Lets say you arerunning in 1/10 th step mode (all Gecko Steppers use 1/10 microstepping). It will take 10 timesas many steps to rotate the motor so you also multiply by the step factor (10 in this case) to get afinal answer of 30,000 steps per inch.
If your drive is rack and pinion you may find that the multiplication number is less than one. Forexample where one revolution of the pinion moves the axis 3.14 inches (1” DP pinion) we need afractional rotation of the pinion to move 1 inch. The number will be one divided by the distanceyou move in one pinion revolution. For the above pinion example you get 1/3.142 or .3185.NOTE: The distance a pinion moves is a function of the Diametric Pitch (DP) of the gear times PI(3.1416). The number of teeth or tooth pitch does not determine the linear travel per rev.
That becomes your multiplier for the table ratio so for the above example (given the same beltreduction and steppers) the answer would look like this:
(200 X 3)(.7353) or 191.082 pulses per inch
The last number we have to provide is the step frequency of your motor drives. Lets say you arerunning in 1/10
thstep mode. It will take 10 times as many steps to rotate the motor so you also
multiply by the step factor (10 in this case) to get a final answer of 191.082 X 10 or 1910.828steps per unit.
You have to do the calculation for each axis and enter the number in MACH3. Make sure you doa “SAVE AXIS” (button) on each axis as change them.
For velocity (unless you already know what that should be) enter a conservative number like 120(120 inches per minute or 120 IPM) and for acceleration use a number of ½ the velocity (60inch/min/sec). The acceleration in MACH is set in Inch/sec/sec so divide the number by 60. Anacceleration of 1 to 3 would be a good setting to get started.
These numbers and settings are just to get the machine where you can check the operation ofthe MP1000-THC and should be refined before actually trying to make any test cuts.
For proper tuning of MACH3 please refer to the MACH 3 manual. The exacttuning of the software is beyond the scope of this document.
Motor Tuning Screen in MACH3
Testing the MP1000-THC for motor controlAfter you have connected the Axis I/O pins via the MTA100 to the proper MotorDriver pins and installed the HLC301 card, you will need to check the properfunction of those pins. In order to get motion and you need to have MACH3running with it out of E-stop and the CP LED on the front panel active (ON).Without CP active, you will not get motion.
?? Make sure all of the cables are connected.
?? Power up the MP1000C-THC
?? Load Mach3 with the proper profile (MP1000C-THC) and Screen
?? Hit the Reset button. The LED over the Reset will turn solid Green
?? The CP LED on the front panel of the MP1000C-THC will turn solid Green
?? Make sure power is on to your motors. (Customers with the CandCNCPower Controllers need to get the unit connected to the Power Controllerand the Power Controller powered up. The DC power to the motors iscontrolled with the RUN and STOP pushbuttons on the Front of theMP1000C. You MUST be in RUN mode (Green RUN LED ON) to getmotion!
?? Use the keyboard arrow keys to jog your machine. Don’t worry if they jogthe wrong way with the keys or the wrong axis jogs. We will fix that later.
?? The Step and Direction Monitor on the front panel will confirm that thesignals are getting out to the MTA100 card. If the LED’s flash and you arenot getting movement the problem is between the MP1000-THC and the
Setting up the proper axis direction and motor tuningWhile the Profile file (MP1000-THC.XML) provided with the THC sets up all of thepins there are several things we don’t know about your machine and so certainparameters have to be set based on your specific machine. A good example iswhich axis you may define as X and Y. There are two ways to swap the axisdefinitions. You can rewire the motor drives (physically move the step anddirection signals at the motor drive, or swap the step and direction pins in thesetup of MACH3. In either case you need to first get your definition into thesetup. To swap the definition in MACH3, open the Config menu off of the topmenu bar. Open Ports & Pins and click to open the Motor Outputs Tab.
Note each axis has a Step and Direction pin. To swap the X and Y axis simplyswap both parameters. In the example above the step pin for X would bechanged to 4 and the direction to 5 while the Y would be 2 and 3 respectively.At this point do not worry if the axis moves in the wrong direction, simplythat you have the axis as you define them correct.
The next step is to make the axis movement agree with the DRO and g-codecommands for that axis. The DRO (Digital Read Out) for each axis is at the topof the screen. You will need to take MACH3 out of E-stop by pressing the Resetbutton.
1. Jog your machine so the cutting head is away from the limits (approxcenter of the table is good). Don’t worry if the jog keys aren’t correct orthat the DRO’s are running in the wrong direction.
2. If your machine is setup so that one corner is X0,Y0 (lower left corner?)then all moves from 0,0 should be a positive number.
?? The MDI is a line to allow you to type in direct g-code commands to makethe machine make specific moves. You don’t need to have a deepknowledge of g-code to use it for testing.
(Your MDI may look different)
?? When you type in a g-code command it is not case sensitve but be sure touse zeros’s and not “O’s” for the numbers! At this point do not worryabout which hotkeys are assigned to a direction.
?? With the machine out of e-stop and power on, type the following into theMDI Frame:
o Move the screen cursor to the MDI frame and click on it. The framebackground color should change to yellow meaning it is ready forinput. No other movement keys work when the MDI frame isselected.
o G00 X3.0
o Enter key activates command
?? The X axis should move 3 inches in some direction It should have movedaway from your established X zero and the DRO numbers should haveincreased. If it did not then you need to reverse the direction of axistravel.
?? To reverse the direction of any axis open the Ports and Pins/ MotorOutputs and change the polarity of the Dir LowActive setting for that axis.Clicking the Green Checkmark or the Red X will swap the definition. RedX is positive and Green Check is negative polarity.
?? Work with each axis to establish that the movement direction is correct.Use the MDI frame and change the axis letter from X to Y then Z. DoNOT change the polarity of the step signal (Should always be GreenCheckmark) UNLESS you are running Gecko 203V Drives which takeGND Common signals. 203V Drives need Positive (RED X) Stepsignals.
The final step is to open the Config/System Hotkeys menu and for eachdirection select the keyboard hotkey you want to use for that direction oftravel. Now when you press that key the machine should jog in the properdirection. There are lots of other parameters in the menus. For moreinformation about them use the MACH3 manual.
A word about homing: It works well to have each axis with a Home switchand to make that position “0” (absolute zero) for that axis. The Z with afloating head (discussed later) is an exception.
By having it setup X and Y that way you can always re-establish you positionon the table. There are circumstances where the DRO position can vary fromthe actual machine position. An example is if you do an e-stop during a cut.That form of stop stops the machine instantly and any code in the look-aheadbuffer is dropped.The only way to be certain you have not lost position is to home each axisand reestablish where 0,0 is. The homing in MACH3 is setup using the menuunder Config/Motor Home/Soft Limits
(Note: the example above is for our machine and may vary for yours!)
There are several parameters of interest. If you click the Ref X button next to theX DRO on the Main Screen the machine should start moving towards the homeswitch for that axis at the speed listed in the Speed % column for that axis. If itmoves in the wrong direction flip the polarity of the Home Neg value. You willhave to close the menu to test the move. Make sure all axis’s move towards thehome switch for that axis when the button is activated. The machine shouldmove to the home switch, the switch should make contact and the movementshould stop and MACH3 will back off the switch slightly to “un-make” it. You canuse the Diagnostics page in MACH3 to “see” the LED for each axis come on asthe switch is made and then go off. All limit LED’s should remain off unless theswitch is activated. You can test each switch manually by pulling up thediagnostics screen and manually clicking each switch on your table and watchingthe LED’s.
If your switch location is not where you want X and Y table zero’s (0,0) to be thenyou can tell MACH3 what offset you want to use. Normally the offset will be anegative number since it says “this axis switch is past the established zero pointon the table”. The 20% homing speed that is default works well. You do notwant to home at high speeds as accuracy (repeatability) will suffer.
Confirming proper operation
1. With Mach3 running and the MP1000-THC powered up we are going to gothrough a series of tests that will confirm the unit is operating .
2. Make sure the MP1000-THC2.set file is the screen for the MP1000-THCprofile. The CandCNC logo will appear lower left corner and the MP1000control for tip volt presets will appear in the center of the screen.
3.NOTE: If the screen is not correct or any buttons or the background iswrong/missing make sure that the CandCNC directory was created under theBitmaps directory of MACH3 and that the MP1000-THC5.set file has beeninstalled in the Main MACH3 folder. DO NOT USE THE PLASMA.set file thatcomes with MACH3.
4. To confirm proper operation of the serial port, select the top DRO and typein a voltage number between 50 and 255 volts followed by a return [Enter]key. Click the “Send to MP1000” button and the value you just enteredshould appear on the MP1000-THC LED readout. If there is no changeyou need to recheck the serial port connection, cable and setup inWindows. Make sure the baud rates and other control bits are setcorrectly. You should not have to bring MACH3 out of e-Stop (Reset)mode to move data to the MP1000.
Confirm the operation of the Table I/O card. Make sure it is connected and thatyou have your table Home switches connected as shown in the diagram. Openthe Diagnostics screen in MACH3 and watch the “M Home” group of statusLED’s at the upper right side of the screen
The M1 Home should light up when you manually activate X Home switch. Itshould be off when the switch is not active. If it is reversed (i.e. goes OFF whenyou activate the switch but stays on otherwise) you will need to reverse thepolarity of the switch in Ports & Pins/ Input Signals. We recommend usingnormally open (NO) contacts on Homes and Normally Closed (NC) contacts onthe far limits (if used).The far limits are wired in series by the HLC301 I/O card and it is setup sobreaking the string at any point activates a hard limit. The hard limits are safetyswitches located at points on the table to prevent the machine from going pastthe table travel limits. You can have FAR limits (opposite the 0,0 location of thetable) AND NEAR limits (at points where the machine would crash on the otherside of the Home switches. Limits are optional and on stepper based systemsyou could elect to have just hard stops since the motors can be stalled withoutdamage. Servos present a different issue. There can be conditions where aservo will “run away” like if an encoder wire comes loose or becomes defective.Servos are harder to stall and can self destruct if allowed to stall and voltage isstill being applied.
There are other options for using table limits besides just shutting down MACH3.If you are using our SPSC series of AC Power Control you can actually wire the
hard limits up to the provided inputs in the SPSC Smart Control module and anactivation of a limit will actually shutdown all power to the motors….period.Please see the SPSC manual for details.
Hooking Up Your Plasma Machine to the MP1000-THC
CAUTION: Portions of this install may include opening your plasma cuttermachine and attaching wires. MAKE SURE THE UNIT IS UNPLUGGED PRIORTO REMOVING ANY COVER(S) OR MAKING ANY CONNECTIONS. Plasma
units have HIGH VOLTAGES present that can be dangerous or lethal. IFYOU ARE NOT EXPERIENCED WORKING WITH HIGH VOLTAGES, DO NOTATTEMPT TO INSTALL THIS OR ANY OTHER DEVICE INSIDE YOURPLASMA UNIT YOURSELF. SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP.
In order to control your plasma unit, there are three main connections that needto be made to the plasma unit itself. All of the following operations are to be
done with the power disconnected from your plasma unit You shoulddecide if you want to mount the THC Sensor PCB inside your plasma unit or in asmall external box on the outside of the unit. You will need access to the DB9connector on the THC Sensor card so if you mount the card inside, it should beso that the DB9 is exposed If you cut a small square in the cover or front panelso that the connector frame will pass through and drill two holes for the connectormounting holes you can use the connector mounting jack screws to hold theboard in place. If you use an external box you will need to provide holes for thesignals listed in the following steps. Also there is a trigger level adjustment pot onthe front of the card (VR1) to adjust the level of current that trips the ARC GOODsignal. Drill an access hole to be able to adjust that pot. External connectors,hookup wire and external enclosure are not provided.
THC SENSOR PCB INSTALL:
If your plasma unit does not have an external activate (remote) torchswitch, you must find the torch activate switch connections. Normally the torchhandle will have at least one set of small wires coming from the torch head cableand attaching to a screw terminal post inside the box. Find the point where thetorch cable enters the box and identify any small pair(s) of wires that travel up thetorch head cable. Most machines are setup to be able to change out the entiretorch head and cable assembly and will have screw terminals (or a plug) inside tomake that operation easier. Some machines have different types of specialconnectors to make changing the torch out easier so you may have to trace backwhere the wires make attachment to a terminal strip or an internal card. If youmodify any wiring or circuitry be aware it may void your warranty on the plasmamachine.
To Current Transformeror
Arc Xfr (voltage signal)
Torch Switch Wires
Air and/or tip voltage
Hi Volts
Workpiece Clamp
Torch Switch Wires
DB 9 Connector to THCPort on MP1000-THC
Adjustment forARC OKAYSensivity
WARNING: High voltage present here when plasma unitis in operation. DO NOT TOUCH!
THC SENSOR CARD DETAILS
NOTE: Probe Switch (J10 & J11) is not used
Some torches will have more than one set of small wiresfor other sensors in the head. Confirm switch pair with an ohmmeter
while operating the switch (Plasma Unit power OFF)
Good connection to the workpiece with clamp is essentialfor proper operation of the THC
Chassis Ground
Torch SwitchRelay
Arc
Good
Rela
y
C
J11
K1
J12
J7
C7
R1
R3
L2
Q1
C6
~
L1
R2
Tip
Volts
Torch
Switch
Probe
Switch
Arc
OK C8
J1
THC Sensor Rev 8
EarthTP1
TP2
TP3
TP4
~
~
~-
+
BR1
-
D1
+
J3
D2
+
D5
VR2
J2
J10
J13
J9
J8
-
K2
ArcOk V
J2
Q1
R2
TipVolts
Torch
Switch (v)
VR
2
ArcOK
LS1
THC Sensor
J14
J15
J4
TP1
TP2
TP3
TP4
Rev 12
J15
+Standoff
R6
J13
Tip
J12
J11 J10
J5
C3
CAUTION!HIGH VOLTAGE
C2
Insulated
Volts
R1
J3
LS2
C
J11
Arc
Ok V
J12
J7
R1
R3
E
K2
Tip
Vo
lts
To
rch
Sw
itch
VR
2
Arc
OK
C8
D9
THC Sensor Rev 11Sound Logic
TP1
TP2
TP3
TP4
~
~-
+
BR
1
D6
D7
J3
+
J2
J10
J13
-
D8
J1
J5
J4
SW
Arc OKSW
Turns on torch. Connectto terminals to activatetorch or in parallel withexisting torch swtich
Tu
rns o
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orc
h.
Co
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erm
ina
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or
in p
ara
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ith
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tin
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orc
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wtich
For use with Units that have avoltage signal for Arc Good OR
that use the Current Transformer
Fo
r u
se
with
Un
its t
ha
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ave
avo
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sig
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rc G
oo
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urr
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rFor Units that have Dry Contacts
for Arc Good. NOT FOR USEwith Current Transformer
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th
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ry C
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oo
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TF
OR
US
Ew
ith C
urr
en
t Tra
nsf
orm
er
TIP VOLTS (RAW). Across workclamp andElectrode connections
HIGH VOLTAGE PRESENT WHEN TORCH IS ON!
TIP
VO
LT
S (
RA
W).
Acro
ss w
ork
cla
mp
an
dE
lectr
od
e c
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HIG
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PR
ES
EN
TW
HE
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OR
CH
IS
ON
!
DB9 Cable to SENSORplug on MP1000-THC
DB9 Cable to SENSORplug on MP1000-THC
ARC GOODSENSITIVITY
ARC GOODSENSITIVITY
Set at 1/2 range formost setups
Set at 1/2 range formost setups
Use non-conductiveScrew for mouning
on this hole
TorchON
ARCGOOD
J3 JumperON = Normal
Off = 2X
+
-
Use J12 & J13 withCurrent Transformersetup. If the ArcOK(Arc Good) Signal isDC voltage, then the
polarity marked must beobserved
ArcOK Led will lightwhen ARCOk signalis enough to trip the
relay
Torch ON Led will lightwhen signal from MP1000
Fires the torch
Quick Test: Shorting J4 and J5Should turn on ARC (arc ok) LED
on front of MP1000 ANDLED on MACH Screen
REV11 BOARDS
REV12 BOARDS
THC SENSOR CARDHOOKUP
Use non-conductiveScrew for mouning
on this hole
1. The terminals provide a convenient place to do your connections. Usecrimp-on spade or round terminals to attach the wires to the terminalstrips. Make sure the new wires you install do not touch adjacent metalobjects. On some machines there may be more than one set of smallwires and are used for sensing tip shorts and other conditions. To identitythe correct pair use an ohmmeter or continuity checker across each pairwhile you manually push the torch head button. When you identify thepair make note of where they attach. Use #22 to #18 stranded wire(twisted pair) to connect between the two screw terminals on the THCSensor PCB marked “Torch Switch”) to the two switch terminals in theplasma unit. There is no polarity. NOTE: IF your unit has noise filterchokes from the torch switch wires up to its internal logic card, it isrecommended you place the two wires to the THC Sensor PCB on theother side of the chokes from their torch head connection (end closest tothe internal logic card).
2. If your unit has a tip voltage connection point (i.e. like the Hypertherm1000 series) ,you will need to use their manual and suggestions as to howto connect to the two points and run those wires to the THC Sensor card.Just make sure you use wire that has insulation rated for at least 400 V.Small signal wire like telephone wire (UTP) is not rated that high and canarc to nearby components. The THC Sensor card is designed to take thefull tip voltage and divide and filter it. Open circuit full tip voltage can beas high as 300VDC in some machines.
3. If your plasma unit does not have a designated raw tip voltagemeasurement point, you will need to locate a place inside the unit whereyou can get one wire onto the Workclamp lead and another on the heavylead(s) that connect to the torch tip.
a. Note: some machines like the Hypertherm 380 do not have a singleheavy wire to the Torch tip and instead have a set of parallelsmaller wires that all terminate into one connector. In the case ofthe 380 the WHITE wires are the tip volts.
b. You can identify both locations by visually tracing the two leads asthey come into the box. You should find several locations/terminalstrips that have connections to these two points and you can usethose for your sense wire connections. Use unshielded strandedtwisted wire of #22 to #18 ga rated for at least 400V insulation.
c. Make a connection between the locations you have identified thattie directly to the two leads (workclamp and torch tip) to the two“Torch Tip” terminals on J3. Make sure that these wire are routedwhere they cannot come into contact with hot or movingcomponents.
a. where they cannot come into contact with hot or movingcomponents.
2. If your plasma unit does not have an “arc good” signal jack do thefollowing: Make SURE the cord to the plasma unit is disconnected fromany voltage source. If you have room inside the unit disconnect one of theAC hot leads prior or following the Main switch and slide the wire throughthe center of the current sense transformer like a finger through a donut.There are two connections on top of the transformer and the large powerresistor supplied needs to be connected with one lead on eachconnection. In addition you need to connect a twisted pair wire betweenthe two connections and the terminal on the board marked “ARCGood”(J6). No polarity. The transformer is a current transformer andforms its voltage across the power resistor. This is an AC voltage that werectify and use to trip the Arc OK circuit /relay on the THC Sensor PCBand use the isolated relay contacts to signal the parallel port and MACH3.A good way to mount the current transformer inside the unit is to use aplastic cable tie and secure it to a nearby bundle of wires or bracket.
3. If you have a plasma unit that DOES have an Arc Good signal, you donot need to install the Current Transformer and power resistor. Just makethe connection to the proper Arc Good terminal. Some units provide onlyrelay contacts; that will not drive the Arc OK V input (J12 and J13)relay. The Hypertherm has a provision on some machines that have ArcGood to make the signal a +24 output on a valid arc. Their manual coversthe conversion (one jumper) In the THC Sensor card Testing section thedifferent hookup and testing is covered .
Note: The term Arc Good is interchangeable with Arc Okay , Arc Xfer andOkay to Move (Thermal Dynamics)
4. NOTE: IT is ESSENTIAL that the chassis of the plasma unit have a goodearth ground. Refer to the suggested grounding section of the diagrams(#####) and provide for a good earth ground close to the table. A safetyground back to a breaker panel many feet away may be a good ground forAC frequencies (60hz) but poor for higher frequencies like plasma noise.Since we are bypassing any high frequency noise to the plasma chassis, ifit has a poor noise ground it can actually put noise back into the tip voltsrather than shunting it away!
35 to 100A range Plasma units
Less than 35A Units
Pass one conductor from the AC line straight
through the center of the Current Transformer
Take a full wrap with one wire fromthe AC line.
Wires to ARC OKAYscrew terminals onTHC Sensor Card
Wires to ARC OKAYscrew terminals onTHC Sensor Card
Provided Power Resistoracross terminals
Provided Power Resistoracross terminals
INSTALLATION OF CURRENT TRANSFORMERUsed for plasma units that do not have
Arc Good (Arc Xfer) signal
MP1000 Master Control Box
PLASMAUNIT
THC Sensor Card
PC w/MACH2/3
Tabel I/OCard(limits, homeAux relay)
Controller Cabinet
CNC PLASMA TABLE
Gantry
Ground Rod or Metal polein earth ground
#10 to #4 Ga heavy wire
#10 to #4 Ga heavy wire
Grounding plate
Attached to metalChassi
Do Ground PC or Controllers toEarth Ground Rod. Conrollers will reference themselves
to power ground through their AC lines
NOT
Note THC Sensor Card shielded cableis not connected to any ground in the Control box
Ground runs shouldbe less than 10’
Use ground strap to gantry from table
THC500 has built in isolation on all inputs from the tableto prevent noise transfer and ground loops
Grounding practices to reduce noise and increase safety
That concludes the internal connections you will have to make for your unit.Make sure all leads are insulated and away from possible physical damage.Double check to make sure there are no loose connections and that you haveattached/ re-attached any wires mentioned in the above guidelines.
Replace all covers and safety devices on the plasma unit and plug the plasmaunit into power with the unit switched off. Turn the unit on, and make sure theunit works correctly in manual mode. (i.e. cut a piece of metal by hand). If youhave a machine torch manually fire the torch from the Torch On button in MACH3
The MP1000C has some unique testing circuits that simplify setup and testing. On if those isthe new Total Isolation Analog circuit used for Tip Volts feedback. It consists of a linear A/Dand D/A isolation circuit. The grounds of the MP1000 power are now totally isolated from theoutside plasma side ground.
As part of this circuit we have added the ability to quickly test for the presence of Tip Voltvoltage at the back of the unit.
Once you have the MP1000C-THC connected to all of it’s cards and have it firing the torchyou can confirm that voltage is getting from the THC Sensor Card to the Sensor input byobserving the small Test LED on the rear of the MP1000C-THC close to the Sensor (DB9)connector. The LED will light up with a proportional brightness to the applied Tip Volts. If youfire your torch and the LED does not light you are not getting Tip Volts to the rear of the unit orthe analog isolation card is not working.
To test the input of the Analog Isolation Card there is a small recessed test button under theTest LED. You will need a small screwdriver, or stiff wire (paperclip?) to depress the testbutton. It takes only a slight pressure to activate the button. DO NOT PRESS TOO HARD.With the button depressed you should see the LED illuminate. If it does it means the AnalogInput section is operational. If you still do not get an LED when the torch fires (button NOTdepressed) you have a problem in the cable, of at the THC SENSOR Card.
With the release of the new REV12 THC SENSOR CARD we have added test LED’s to thecard itself. They indicate the operation of the two on-board relays. If you are using the cardwith an external VOLTAGE for ARC GOOD (using our Current Transformer or voltage fromthe internal logic supply of the Plasma machine) the ARC GOOD LED will light on the cardwhen it senses the signal. IF you are using the DRY CONTACTS input for ARC GOOD theLED will NOT light on the THC SENSOR Card since it bypasses the relay.
The TORCH ON LED will light anytime the TORCH ON Signal from the computer (TorchButton in MACH or M03 in g-code) is active. To test your Sensor cardprior to install, attach the THC Sensor card to the 9 pin cable and the other end to the Sensorinput plug on the rear of the MP1000C-THC. DO NOT MAKE THE CONNECTIONS TO THEPLASMA YET! Make sure you have the other cards plugged in (HLC301) and have gonethrough the testing for basic motion control. Turn on the MP1000C-THC, load the properprofile
Temporarily short the ARC GOOD SW terminals (J4 & J5) input with a clip lead or jumperwire. This should turn on the ARC LED on the front of the MP1000C. If it does not, check allof your connections and make sure you have the proper MACH profile (XML) loaded. Itshould be the provided on the support CD or off the Support Site ofCandCNCSupport Yahoo Groups.
Once you have the ARC LED on the MP1000C-THC AND the ARC GOOD LED in MACH,then turn on the TORCH button in MACH. (MACH diagnostics screen) should goactive and the Torch Relay on the THC SENSOR CARD will turn on and the TORCH ON LEDon the Sensor card will light.
Testing the operation of the THC SENSOR CARD.
MP1000C.THC profile
Output1
(and the MACH setup)
With the Torch button on, and the Torch ON Led active on the THC Sensor card AND theARC LED on the MP1000C the voltage readout on the TORCH VOLTS readout on the frontof the MP1000C will spool down close to zero and the Fault LED will light.
With the unit responding to zero volts input (TORCH RELAY ON; ARC GOOD ON) carefullypush the rear panel test button next to the Sensor input. The TORCH VOLTS should start tomove from 0 to 128VDC. It will take a couple of seconds. Hold the test button down until thereading stabalizes. If should read between 126 and 129 Volts DC and remain steady as longas the test button is depressed. It the unit passes this test it indicates:
1. The Analog Isolation card is operational.2. The voltage reading circuit in the MP1000C-THC is operational3. All the power supplies in the MP1000C-THC are operational.
Getting ARC OK (ARC GOOD) from your plasma unit.
Most plasma units do not have an easily accessable Arc OK signal. Check your UserManual for your machine. Some Units offer the ARC OK as a set of isolated relay contacts(Hypertherm 1000 series and TD with their optional Computer interface card (expensive).Some units will offer the signal out as a voltage from 5 to 24VDC. Others have no way toaccess the ARC OK signal (almost all plasma have some form of arc sensing since theirinternal circuitry uses it) witout digging into the internal circuits.
We supply a Current Sense transformer that measures the AC current into the plasma unitbut simply wrapping one or more turns of single HOT AC input wire. The setup andadjustment has been covered in the Arc OK section. This section is to test the signal andconfirm it’s operation with the THC Sensor Card. If you have a unit that has an ARC OKRelay output (”Dry Contacts”) then those wire should be attached to the two terminals (J4and J5)
IMPORTANT: DO NOT ATTACH THE OUTPUT OF THE CURRENT TRANSFORMER ORARC OKAY FROM A UNIT THAT OUTPUTS A VOLTAGE TO J4 and J5!. Doing so willdamage the isolation circuit inside the MP1000C-THC and make the Arc OK non-operational.AN ARC OK SIGNAL IS REQUIRED TO USE THE MP1000-THC. If you don’t get one theonly way to cut is to turn off the THC Button in MACH and use the unit manually.
If you use the Current Sense Transformer (supplied) you must use the ARC OK V (voltage)Input.J12 and J13. Make sure the resistor is across the CT terminals as shown. Use thetest procedure outlined in that section to fire the torch and adjust the sensitivity to make sureyou are getting arc good. The ARC OK light on the THC SENSOR card will light (REV 12and higher card) and the ARC Led on the front of the MP1000C will come on.
On the REV 12 there is a jumper (J3) that when removed increases the sensitivity 2X for usewith the Current Sense Transformer. For DC Arc Ok signals from plasma units where theCurrent Sense Transformer is NOT being used DO NOT REMOVE THE JUMPER on J3
FINAL TESTING
1. If you are not using the charge pump enabled, It is possible for themachine to start up with the port pins in the active state and fire the torchon bootup. Always have the computer running PRIOR to turning on yourplasma unit. NOTE: The UP and DOWN inputs are active low (boxchecked). There is a button to enable the THC in MACH3. With thetorch head ½ to 1 inch above the material manually activate the torchfrom the MACH3 console by using the button/hotkey (Torch On Button)associated with Output1 (normally the spindle ON or an M03 command inthe MDI). IF the torch lights then go to 4. If it does not, double check allof your logic and pin setup in MACH3. Go to the diagnostics page andmake sure the Output1 LED is flashing.
2. Once you have ignition, you are close to liftoff! Load a test program forthe plasma. We have included a program that cuts a series of simplegeometric shapes on a two foot square piece of material. The feedrate isset for 1/8” material and is 55IPM ; it may need to be changed for thinnermaterial or other materials besides steel or other types of machines. Forexample the proper feedrate for a Hypertherm 1000 (1250, 1650) set to60A with a 60A tip is about 120IPM. Follow the recommend cut rate foryour machine.
3. Make sure the THC is turned on (enabled) in MACH3 (THC led flashing)and you have the pos and neg limits (correctons) set to logical numbers.Start out with min= -.125 and max=+.5. The THC function is disabled inthe demo versions of MACH3. Make sure you have your licenseinstalled and the Help\About screen does not display “demo” as the user.
4. TURN OFF THE PLASMA MACHINE but leave all cables connected.Click the RUN button . The code should start to scroll, the Torch ON ledshould light and the table movement should stop. It should be waiting forthe Arc Good signal from the plasma. If it does not stop, check thepolarity of the input for TORCH ON in MACH 3 NOTE: IN MACH2 andMACH3 the “ARC OKAY/ ARC GOOD” is labeled/named on the input pinas “TORCH ON. (confusing). Check the screen LED associated with thatinput. It should be OFF (inactive). Once you have the Arc Good portionworking proceed to 6.
5. Establishing a material Zero. You need to carefully move the tip to aknown reference point above the surface of the material. If you do nothave a unit with a floating head, The safest way to reference the head is toplace a small block of wood below the head on the top of the material andcarefully lower the tip until it just touches the block. In MACH2/3 Enter thethickness of the wood (measure with dial micrometer for precision andmark the number on the block) into the Z DRO and hit the Enter key tostore the value.
6. Establishing a material Zero with a floating head and sensor switch. Ifyou have a floating head and sensor switch and the switch is mapped to the ZHome function in MACH3 simply perform a Reference move on Z. If you areusing MACH3 there is a location in the MACH3 config to apply a Home switchoffset. You can enter your switch travel value there and no further moves orinputs are needed.
a. Note to SHEETCAM users. We have provided a special Post forMACH3 and the MP1000-THC to be used when generating outputfrom SheetCAM. It has an automatic “touch-n-go” feature thatreads the traveled distance and once it exceeds 500mm (about 20inches) a Z reference is performed just prior to the next pierce.This post is intended for use with the MP1000-THC and a floatinghead setup ONLY.
b. For non-SHEETCAM users. Mach 3 provides added THCfunctionality and has inputs for pierce height, initial cut height , etc.At this point we have not tested those features so their use isdiscouraged. It is recommend that any references for the Z whilecutting be edited into the g-code as:
G00 Z.75G28.1 Z.5G92 Z0G00 Z[your switch travel here]G92 Z0G00 Z.5
This should be inserted just prior to the Torch ON (M03) event atany given pierce point where you wish to re-reference the Z
7. Establishing the starting tip voltage for the cut. The MP1000-THC has theprovision to preset the tip voltage (and thus the cut gap) for the cut prior torunning the program. While each brand of plasma unit is different the tipvolts will typically be in the range of 100 to 150VDC (Fine Cutconsumables are an exception and operate at lower voltages and smallergaps). You should find a chart of recommended voltages fordifferent materials and tips for your machine. A few volts can make alot of difference. If you are in doubt, start high and work your way down tothe optimum voltage and height to prevent crashing the tip into thematerial. You can reload a value from the MP1000-THC MACH3 screenby typing the value into the upper DRO ( the one shown below as “144”)and hitting the Enter key to store it in the DRO THEN hitting the “Send toMP1000” to move the value into the MP1000. This will be the target valuefor cutting.
8. With the plasma unit powered up and with the Z referenced, rewind thetest program and with the THC enabled, start the cut using the RUN (cyclestart) button. The fault light should go out and the ARC Good light shouldcome on. (see 9 if it does not). The Up and Down LED’s in MACH2 shouldhave distinct transitions and the front panel LEDs should track the screenLED’s. The ARC GOOD LED on the front panel should be on. Note theindicated tip voltage and the height in the Z DRO. Make sure that the THCDRO in MACH3 (bottom DRO in the axis DRO group) showing the amount ofadjustment is changing. This is an incremental value. The Z DRO will change(not as fast as the THC DRO) and give you an absolute value. If UP orDOWN stays on you have reached the limit of the values you have set in theMax and Min (or the head is not adjusting correctly). The best setting iswhere the head is tracking about .125 above the material (.080 for someunits) and the UP and DOWN LED’s are mostly both off. As the cut isprogressing note the average voltage at the MP1000 panel and use the Upand Down switches on the MP1000-THC front panel OR the UP and Downarrow buttons in the MACH3 screen change the setting if needed. At the endof the cut the voltage (after the torch is turned off) the voltage on the LEDmeter of the MP1000-THC will revert back to the target voltage. If you havechanged it during the cut it will display the new target voltage. If you do nothave the recommended cut voltage setting for your machine, you willneed to observe the gap as it cuts and set it for a position that gives good cutresults. This could be anywhere from .062 inches to .140 above the materialdepending on the machine. Trial and error is the only way to get the best cut.
a. Cut quality in plasma is a function of several factors:
?? Clean DRY air.
?? Sufficient and consistent air pressure (typically 65 to 80PSI)
?? Good consumables.
?? Proper cut height (Proper adjustment of THC voltage)
?? Proper Feedrate (cutting speed)
?? Proper settings of the THC Rate and CV settings inMACH2/3
If your cut edges are flared in or out check all but the lastfactor. If your MP1000-THC does not respond fast enough onuneven (warped/un-level) material you may need to increasethe THC Speed (percentage of Max Z speed) from 20% to ashigh as 50%. Do not go much higher than 50% on a stepperaxis, since while the THC has control of the Z, accel/deccelsettings for the motor are ignored. If the cuts are jagged oncurves, or the movements of the machine becomes jerky youmay need to alter the values for Constant Velocity tuning inMACH2/3. Each machine is different and the values arepreset for a value that works with most machines but yourresults may vary. See the section for CV tuning forsuggestions or refer to the MACH manual for more detail.
1. Setting the Arc Good trip point. If you are using the supplied CurrentTransformer for Arc Good sensing, It is possible that you will need toadjust the trip point of the ARC GOOD circuit by adjusting it with VR1 onthe THC Sensor Card. Turn the control fully counterclock wise anddetermine it if lights the ARC GOOD led on the front of the MP1000 whenfiring the torch against the metal. (doing a normal pierce). If it does notlight it is possible your torch is a smaller unit and you need to change thevalue of the power resistor at the Current Transformer from the 15ohm to
a 30 ohm. Make sure you disconnect the plasma until fromany power BEFORE making any of the listed modificationsUnits smaller than 35A ratings (especially if they are wired and runningfrom 230VAC) need the higher value of resistor in addtion on some unitsyou will need to loop the AC line going through the CT hole two or moreturns. (See diagram #####) This increases the developed voltage peramp of current. The new REV12 THC Sensor Card has a jumper (J3)when REMOVED doubles the voltage from the CT transfomer. You mayneed to do one or all of the changes to get a valid ARC Good.
2. Once the Arc Good LED comes on you should slowly increase the settinguntil it ceases to turn on with a valid pierce or you hit the stop. In eithercase back the pot off of the max setting so you are about 2/3’s of the waybetween the Min setting and the Max setting. The goal is to have the ArcGood fire when there is a valid arc under most of the current settings youwould use with your machine but NOT when it just idling or firing the torchin the air.
Setting the Tip volts from a stored table in MACH3.
A feature of the new MP1000-THC and MACH3 integration is that you candefine a table of Material/voltage values that an operator can pick from.We include a default table based on the recommended settings for aHypertherm 1000. You may want to modify the settings for you machineor add new ones. To do so you need to use a simple text editor likeNotepad to open the TorchVolts.txt file in the main MACH3 folder. It willlook like this:
It will hold up to 200 name-value pairs. Each name and value is delimitedby a carriage return for example the 16Ga Steel is the name, and 134 isthe tip volt value associated with it. The file has to be named TorchVoltsand be a standard text (.txt) file.
When the operator clicks on the Table Val button the material listing willbe displayed and when a material is selected the value is moved into theTable Value (Bottom) DRO. That does not move it to the MP1000. Youmust move the table value into the Tip Volt DRO (top) using the Xferbutton
then load the value to the MP1000-THC using the “Send to MP1000” Button.Only the value that is in the top DRO gets transferred to the MP1000-THC
ADDENDUM SECTION
Setting The Step and Direction Pulse RatioFront Panel Function ChartInternal Cable Routing DiagramUsing Output Relay (Option)Auxilary Connector PinoutsPINOUTS Port1 & 2 DB25 (rear)Using the MP1000 RUN and STOP front panel buttons for
Power Controller controlJumper Setting Addendum for new “C Series” MP1000-THC’s
U5
2=1/1000
J5
1
J6
BR1
SW1
SPINDLE
21=1/500
THC 4=1/4000
TIPVADJ
TP1
4
1
20
X Select
1
1
J4
J2
J1
J7
1 2
3=1/2000
3 4Y Select1 2 3 4
Z Select
10
9
2
1
1 3
CandCNC
MP1000-FP
REV 1
9
10 J9 2
11 J8
J10
Step & Dir Monitor Divide Ratio
Front Switch Interface jack
Dual SpindleExpansion Plug
Mother Board Connection PlugCalibration
(Factory Set)
Danger! Possible High Voltage Section
FRONT PANEL BACK (top of PCB)
To set the divide ratio for each axis there are Jumper Blocks for each monitoredaxis. The actual ratio is a function of personal preference but normally a number of about 10:1for the given frequency works well. Here is an example:
n the software your step pulse rate (steps per unit) is set to 8000. If you divide 8000by 1000 (second option jumper position) you will see 8 pulses per second. Setting the optionjumper to the third position you will see 4 pulses per second. The numbers don't have to beeven and the output is just for visual confirmation of the step pulses.
If your pulse rate is higher or lower than 8000 then you may want to set the divide ratiodifferently. The options are designed to provide a good visual indication of step pulses from aslow as 500 up to 45000.
Units are shipped with all of the jumpers installed on the /500 (divide by 500) position.
Select the jumper then powerthe computer up and the . Jog your machine at full speed and note the Step flash rate.If it is too fast (on most of the time) or too slow (off most of the time, then select another divide
option.
(J1,J2 & J4)
Assume i
,
ratio
Do not change the jumpers with the powered up.MP1000MP1000
SETTING THE STEP AND DIRECTION MONITOR PULSE RATIO
ACM Cable Plug
FIGURE 7
X Y Z
UP
DWN
DWN
UP
ARC
FAULT
TORCH ON
STEP
DIR
RUN
RUN
FHold STOP
STOP CP
FRONT PANEL FUNCTION CHART
FIGURE 8
WITH ACM-100 orSPSC Power Controller
WITHOUT ACM-100 orSPSC Power Controller
RUN LED
RUN SWITCH
AUX SWITCH
STOP LED
STOP SWITCH
Power ON to Motors
Power OFF to Motors
Activate Power to Motors
Deactivate Power to Motors
Program Feedhold
Charge Pump Actie
Same as RUN Button in MACH3
Table 1
Program Feedhold
EPO / EStop Active
E-Stop (Software)
ACM Cable inACM-A
ACM Cable inACM-B
Default setup from factory
THC Section
C&CNCMP1000-MB
REV 12
Gnd
9
2
1J3
2
9
5
U4
20 2
19
D6
1
J4
25
13
14
J7
ACM-BACM-A
10
C12
J1025
SKT
10
9
2
1 J1
1
J5
10
9
REG2
POWER
PORT1
PORT2
AXIS-IO
MPG FRONT PANEL
MPG/Switch inputs
MPG/Switch inputs
FRONT PANEL
REAR PANEL
Front Panel Interface
Front Panel Interface
Table I/O Card
TABLE I/OAXIS I/O
AXIS I/O
THC / Analog I/OCARD
See instr
uctions for
corr
ect plu
g
See next page
Panels shown out of case for clearity
FIGURE 9
1 5
6 9
DB9 P (Male Pins)
+5V
+5V
MPG2(A)/SW1MPG1(B)
MPG2(B)/SW2MPG1(A)
MPGSWITCH
Gnd SW3
HANDWHEEL DB9 PINOUT
NOTE: Some functions appear onmore than one connector.
MP1000 Connector Pinouts (DB9’s)
15
Female Connector(numbering opposite Male)
Flo
ating
TH
C G
nd
Z H
om
e (
Port
2 -
Pin
13)
Arc
OK
Arc
OK
LE
D
NC
6 9
+12V
Torc
hT
rigger
Sw
itch R
ela
y
Torc
hT
ip V
olts
Torc
hT
ip V
olts
All Connectors viewed from the front
THC SENSOR CARD Connector (Rear)
PINOUTSC SeriesTABLE 2
Port Pin NAME Prev Func REV C Func Iso FOR
1 1 IO-1 DB9 FP IO-1 Y K5
1 2 Xstep AxisIO-2 AxisIO-2 N to MTA100
1 3 Xdir AxisIO-3 AxisIO-3 N to MTA100
1 4 Ystep AxisIO-4 AxisIO-4 N to MTA100
1 5 Ydir AxisIO-5 AxisIO-5 N to MTA100
1 6 Zstep AxisIO-6 AxisIO-6 N to MTA100
1 7 Zdir AxisIO-7 AxisIO-7 N to MTA100
1 8 Astep AxisIO-8 AxisIO-8 N to MTA100
1 9 Adir AxisIO-9 AxisIO-9 N to MTA100
1 10 E-Stop IN HCL310-20 Y EPO
1 11 Xhome TableIO-14 HCL301-14 Y Input
1 12 Yhome TableIO-15 HCL301-15 Y Input
1 13 Zhome TableIO-16 HCL301-16 Y Input
1 14 IO-2 TableIO-12 HCL301-12 Y K2 (1A)
1 15 Ahome TableIO-17 HCL301-17 Y Input
1 16 IO-3 TableIO-11 HCL301-11 Y K3 (15A) A
1 17 IO-4 TableIO-10 HCL301-10 Y K4 (10A) B
1 18 Gnd PCGND PCGND
1 19 Gnd PCGND PCGND
2 1 T-Relay THCSensor- THCSensor- TorchRelay
2 2 Limits TableIO-1 HCL301-1 Y input
2 3 Feedhold TableIO-2 HCL301-2 Y input
2 4 FP-SW-RUN FP/MACH HCL301-22 Y ACM-A/B
2 5 FP-SW-STOP FP/MACH HCL301-23 Y ACM-A/B
2 6 UP IN/THCPlug HCL301-21 Y Dual use
2 7 DOWN IN/THCPlug HCL310-24 Y
2 8 ARC Good IN/THCPlug THCSensor- Y THC Sensor
2 9 FP-DB9-7 MPGsw MPGsw N MPG IN
2 10 FP-DB9-5 MPGsw2 MPGsw2 N MPG IN
2 11 FP-DB9-6 MPGa MPGa N MPG IN
2 12 FP-DB9-2 MPGb MPGb N MPG IN
2 13 FP-DB9-4 MPG2A MPG2A N MPG IN
2 14 Aux\out TableIO-9 Bstep/Axis-18 N
2 15 FP-DB9-9 MPG2B MPG2B N MPG IN
2 16 SpinDir/BDIR N/A SpS Dir/B Dir 5th Axis Dir
2 17 Cpump Out Out N Watchdog
MP1000C PinOuts
Notes: Pins in Yellow are new with MP1000C AND HCL301 Combo. Relays
now moved to Quad Relay Card (Green). FP-Run & FP- Stop inputs can be
used as AUX inputs if MP1000C is used with any PSC or SPSC products.
Jumpers shown in their default settings for operation withCandCNC Power Control Units
JUMPER DETAILS FOR MP1000 “C SERIES” cards
Move
AC
M c
able
fro
mA
CM
-Ato
AC
M-B
for
NO
N-C
andC
NC
Pow
er
Contr
olle
rs
For NON CandCNC powerControl Units jumper J14
to pins 1-2
All other jumpers stay in default condition
NOTE Your C Series MP1000 will be jumpered to work with the configuration you order. If youorder a Package Deal with a Power Controller (Plazpak series) then the jumpers will
be set for use with that product.
ISO21
ISO
21
10
J14
EA
CM
-B
1
10
C&
CN
C
MP
1000C
-MB
RE
V 1
4
1
Q9
16
13
TA
BLE
IO
C
9
SIP
10-2
.7K
POWER
R10
J1
2
1
R4
U23
E
2
1
C1
FR
ON
TP
AN
EL
1
9
2
1
1A
CM
-A
R
J3
26
D8
R6
R2
R9
2
Q4
R11
2.7
K X
10
16
4.7
K
POWER
C8
SIP
5
SIP
6
MP
G
E
15
C5
C10
P1
SK
TS
KT
1KC21
Q6
J22
SK
T
SERIAL
SK
T
U4
15
C7
SIP
1
2
D7
R3
2
E
1
J3
12
1
POWER IN
Q1
J2
13
1
EPO Jumper
12
1
CP
Jum
per
U24
9
J4
J4
SK
TS
KT
GND
R23
R24
AX
IS-I
O
U21J7
R22
J5
PORT1
AC
M-B
C
1
AC
M-A
U20
Q7
C
J1
10 10
PORT2
SIP
2R7
R5
SIP
3S
IP3
MP
G
R1
J5
C9
1
SPSC
10KU6
101
U25
U25
100
1
J8
10
J10
10
D5
C6
R8
+12 FLT
U22
U22
Q2
D6
C11
+5 PC
R13 1K
1
COMMON POL
R16
R14
NSPSC
CP
NCP
+5
SIP
64.7
X 5
(6)
Charge PumpDisable
Jumper to NCP end
See instructionsCommon Pol should
stay on +5 unless you arerunning ALL drivesat common ground.
Recommended