Operational instructions Sheetcam and Mach 3

[jeepsr4ever]

First of all welcome to the wonderfull world of CNC plasma cutting. This is a great tool for making any shape 2 dimensional out of steel in seconds. This is a crash course which will help you go from 0 to 100 and get you cutting right away.


First we are going to assume you have made a drawing and your going to save this drawing as a .DXF file like the one in this pic.

*A good tip is to start a new folder for .dxf files. Some will do this for each thickness of material*




Next we want to open Sheetcam. We are going to assume here that you have the right post processor for your machine in the setup wizard (2x2 and 3x2 use MP1000 and all others use MP3000). Open your drawing by using the "import new drawing" button under the "file" tab at the top of them menu. Make sure to switch your file type from .SVG to .DXF in the bottom of the pop up window so you can find your .DXF file.









Located and open your .DXF file and run through the quick menu. It will ask you if you want inch or metric or where you want the .dxf to be used and if you want point for drilling. Points for drilling will command the plasma cutter to pierce only wherever you have a point in your .dxf drawing. This is VERY helpfull when you need an accurate hole that needs to be drilled or punched. It will in essence give you a pilot hole.



Now we select the little black and blue tool looking icon in the tools area in the middle left hand portion of the screen. This will setup your tool for Z axis movements. For this we are going to rename the tool "1/4" thick material". Note the changes in feed, pause, pierce delay..ect. These will and can be found in your plasma owners guide as well as multiple sources online. You will find a slight varation for each thickness of material and each amperage but the mfg suggested speeds and feeds will get you close.



Next go to operations and click "Create a new Jet cutting operation". This will give you various options such as lead in and lead out..ect. For this example we will set it up with a arc lead in and out with a .110 radius. Lead ins and outs will greatly increase the quality of your finished part by minimizing gouging. We will also reverse direction which will get us moving counter clockwise which will give us the best quality cut. (most plasma cutters have a direction flow of air) You can change you cut path, optimise it manually and also put notes in. Now hit "ok" and the cut path will show up. Next we hit "P" or in the file menu we click the "run post processor". This will save as a .tap file which will be read in Mach 3.






Open Mach 3 using the Mach 3 loader menu and select the correct load (2x2 and 2x3 use 540B and 4x4 4x8 and 5x10 use MP-1000). Open the G code using "Load G code button" or inthe file menu. Find your .tap file and click enter and it will come up on the screen. From here you find the edge of your material or wherever you set your X0 Y0 and click start. There now you have made your first part! You will get faster at this and after just a couple times of running this you will be able to take a .dxf file and get it to running in under a minute. Good luck, have fun and stay safe!


_________________
I know AMC engines from oil pan to air cleaner. Performance and reliability are built every workday in our shop. We dont mess around with other makes, AMC only! If you have a question and cannot get through on our phone lines please PM me or email me personally at Jeepsr4ever@yahoo.com -Thanks

Nice hot one this year!

[jeepsr4ever]

Here is a good example of what can and will happen if your not carefull. This shows the arc start and stop on the inside of the part. This will scrap the part and you will have to start over. The reason we posted this is to show you watch out where the starts and stops are so you dont scrap any parts.




To change this in Sheetcam under "Create new jet cutting process" switch the tab "Contour Method" from "inside offset" to "outside offset" and then you will start on the outside of the part. Look at the directional arrows after you make a switch like this to make sure you are still travelling counterclockwise. If not just click the "reverse direction" tab in the "Create new jet cutting process menu"



_________________
I know AMC engines from oil pan to air cleaner. Performance and reliability are built every workday in our shop. We dont mess around with other makes, AMC only! If you have a question and cannot get through on our phone lines please PM me or email me personally at Jeepsr4ever@yahoo.com -Thanks

Nice hot one this year!

[sadisticiron]

ok i have a question that took us a few hours to figure out.... . we realized we didnt have the post processor set right, but heres the kicker. we only for the postprocessor for the 1000dthc and not the 3000dthc. are we looking in the right spot

[jeepsr4ever]

Look on your support disk there should be the file in there.
_________________
I know AMC engines from oil pan to air cleaner. Performance and reliability are built every workday in our shop. We dont mess around with other makes, AMC only! If you have a question and cannot get through on our phone lines please PM me or email me personally at Jeepsr4ever@yahoo.com -Thanks

Nice hot one this year!

[sadisticiron]

ok found it, it worked ok but...when cutting holes with the 3000thc it cuts them as U's but in sheetcam simulator its cutting as a hole. also after a cut, z-axis pauses for 5 seconds even though "pause at end" is set to zero. but when ran in 1000thc post everything works fine....

[Creepy]

I had to get a modified 3000 post from the sheetcam guy because the holes didn't work.

I've got a post on it, but i forget what forum, i'll go look.

edit: can't find it, must have been emails with les newell.

but anyway, I think I have the info at home. Had to delete a few lines of code from the post.

[sadisticiron]

let me know if u find it. i had to keep running the 1000 and edit the code to get it to work

[jeepsr4ever]

When it pauses whats the P code number? Is it P5000.?
_________________
I know AMC engines from oil pan to air cleaner. Performance and reliability are built every workday in our shop. We dont mess around with other makes, AMC only! If you have a question and cannot get through on our phone lines please PM me or email me personally at Jeepsr4ever@yahoo.com -Thanks

Nice hot one this year!

[sadisticiron]

not sure i have changed over to the 1000. i just ran it in simulation in sheetcam and the pause isnt there anymore under the 3000. but when i cut it still simulates a hole but cuts a "U".

also does anyone have the same problem when the torch leaves one cut to go to another the torch drags on the sheet instead picking it up a .5" and restarting. ive edited the g-code to stop that but when u have 50 peirce points thats a pain in the ass

[sadisticiron]

3000 thc still doing the samething i tried reloading it and nothing. just for clairification the only post thats for plasma is the 3000thc-high ref correct.

[sadisticiron]

heres the new mp3000 dthc post. the guys at candcnc helped me out with this one.

http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/4DPcS8X1KcrxIH_PA5O6C_EEk94DXYC-IM5D8iMD8W_PerM-vkCaGND05LoOYf7wDXK2Q2pSdJBIEqNeS_RT2Ym1L-W-bIpKV-sl/SheetCAM%20POSTS/MP3000-DTHC-SmlArcFix.post