[jeepmaster]

I'm in the process of building, well changing some things on my CNC plasma table. Right now I have huge interest in moving my machines into a production environment, as well as an investor wanting to start production for sale of these toys I've been playing with. I have built many plasma systems, but they have all been Mach 3 based controls. I want to get my hands on a very configurable 3 axis control, with a very professional, and user friendly User/operator Graphic Interface. Mach 3 is an awesome control for the hobbyist as I was when this started, but it just doesn't have the glimmer, or security that a machine in a production environment needs. Again, I'm not knocking Mach, I love the stuff, i just need another alternative to fit these standards.

1. Have some control over variables that need to be P/W protected. (motor speeds, tuning, ect.)

2. Have 3 axis support.

3. be able to recogonize at least 6 different tools. (scribe, oxy, plasma, pipe cutter, drill, tap.)

3. Be very user friendly, and not so generally "clunky" as Mach.

4. hopefully have a customizable user interface, so i can pick what i want the users to see, but have an obtainable admin right for the person in charge can change settings, not just the guy sitting around that doesn't know what g-code is.

Mind you this is all for servo, my machines are too big, and high quality for steppers. Basically i'm looking for a 3rd party Mach like control, with a high quality professional style interface. Maybe i'm just chasing ghost, but if not any help from you guys is greatly appreciated. -Jeepmaster

[Al_The_Man]

A couple of options come to mind.
One is Camsoft, this is a true closed loop controller that uses a Galil Motion card and customizable HMI that can do all the functions that most higher end commercial systems are capable of.
There are outboard DSP controllers such as Dynomotion, this is a customizable system that with the add on of Kanalog will run analogue servo drives.
The PC front end or HMI can be Mach or has its own customizable HMI.
Both the above have good support.
Al.

[jeepmaster]

Thanks for the ideas AL. I have looked at both of the products you stated. I would love to have a set up similar to how the guys at Dynatorch CNC have. Their software is awesome, and super user friendly. Is there anything other than those guys with a PC based control out there you know of?

Dynatorch Software
this is kinda what the look im going for, supply the users with a nice stand alone PC with a giant screen on a console. As well as provide the CAD/CAM software i've been using for years (we-cim) all on the pc. the control being an external box. making any sense? thanks again.

[Al_The_Man]

Although it was not absolutely clear, it seems that the drives are fed from serial ports, so it was difficult to tell where the PID loop is closed in their system, in the PC or the respective drives?
My preference for a controller is one where the PID loop is closed with a central Dsp, such as a Galil motion card in the PC or an external Dsp such as Dynomotion, there are many advantages to this such as functions where one or more axis is geared off of a master, as well a case where the axis is physically moved off of a limit etc when in E-stop, the machine can be taken out of E-stop with no loss of position, there are other advantages also.
I had used Acroloop in the past, such as used by MG systems, they had a nice interface and motion card, unfortunately it seemed to go south after they were bought out by Parker.
I usually build with a separate electrics enclosure and the Operator panel that includes a panel-PC where all the PC is behind the display in the operator console, such as in point of sale touch screen terminals etc.
There are very few All-encompassing PC based closed loop systems that include a decent HMI.
Also a Lathe front end has always seemed to be much more rarer and developers seem to shy away from it for some reason?
One other open architechture system to look at is EMC/Linux.
Al.

[mcphill]

Take a look at Flashcut.

[WSS]

Thanks for the ideas AL. I have looked at both of the products you stated. I would love to have a set up similar to how the guys at Dynatorch CNC have. Their software is awesome, and super user friendly. Is there anything other than those guys with a PC based control out there you know of?

Dynatorch Software
this is kinda what the look im going for, supply the users with a nice stand alone PC with a giant screen on a console. As well as provide the CAD/CAM software i've been using for years (we-cim) all on the pc. the control being an external box. making any sense? thanks again.

Check with other users who have used both or check with other manufacturers who have utilized the DT controls and software.

I recently retro-fitted a DynaTorch machine over to a PlazPak servo system using Mach3. The DynaTorch is fancy but it is still a toy and not suited to real work day in and day out when compared to mach3. I see your point in having something updated and current to offer but I would research further.

I also use we-cim to nest up and post to mach, works better for me on mach than it did on the DynaTorch.

WSS

[jimcolt]

Hypertherm has industrial CNC controls, drives, height controls. These are high end controls that are PC based, industrial hardened....they are the industries easiest to use and most reliable cnc controls...designed specifically for plasma, laser, water jet and oxyfuel cutting of metals. You can find them at Choose your region and language | Hypertherm


Jim

I'm in the process of building, well changing some things on my CNC plasma table. Right now I have huge interest in moving my machines into a production environment, as well as an investor wanting to start production for sale of these toys I've been playing with. I have built many plasma systems, but they have all been Mach 3 based controls. I want to get my hands on a very configurable 3 axis control, with a very professional, and user friendly User/operator Graphic Interface. Mach 3 is an awesome control for the hobbyist as I was when this started, but it just doesn't have the glimmer, or security that a machine in a production environment needs. Again, I'm not knocking Mach, I love the stuff, i just need another alternative to fit these standards.

1. Have some control over variables that need to be P/W protected. (motor speeds, tuning, ect.)

2. Have 3 axis support.

3. be able to recogonize at least 6 different tools. (scribe, oxy, plasma, pipe cutter, drill, tap.)

3. Be very user friendly, and not so generally "clunky" as Mach.

4. hopefully have a customizable user interface, so i can pick what i want the users to see, but have an obtainable admin right for the person in charge can change settings, not just the guy sitting around that doesn't know what g-code is.

Mind you this is all for servo, my machines are too big, and high quality for steppers. Basically i'm looking for a 3rd party Mach like control, with a high quality professional style interface. Maybe i'm just chasing ghost, but if not any help from you guys is greatly appreciated. -Jeepmaster

[Beefy]

I also use we-cim to nest up and post to mach, works better for me on mach than it did on the DynaTorch.

WSS

How do you compare we-cim to Sheetcam, what do you get for the extra dollars.

[WSS]

How do you compare we-cim to Sheetcam, what do you get for the extra dollars.

I really can't compare as I have not used sheetcam. We-cim is used a little different than sheetcam as far as nesting goes I think. My favorite feature of we-cim is the support. They are always available to help solve or add features that I need. When I first started using We-cim, I did a two hour online training with Gary and that put me light years ahead of were I was with it. We do of the same parts fairly often and that part is easy, the software will create a rem for you or if you get a drop from a different table, you can still use the mm2 file which has all the offsets and leads attached to it. It can do very unique auto leads to for intricate parts, but for the parts we do over and over, I wil usually put in a manual lead and save it. You only have to do it once (or twice if it needs a tweak) and just choose how many you want and a rotation to starting point. It will also do "part in part" nesting. It can see a drop and will put a part that will fit in the drop if you allow (check box) it.

I could go on for hours, but to be honest, I probably use 10% of what it is capable of. Just about everytime I talk to Jeremy or Gary, I have an "ah ha" moment and wonder why I have not been using that feature.

WSS

[Beefy]

Thanks for that. I've heard some good reports about it but I've never been able to get any user guide or other instructional materials about it. I contacted the company and asked if there was a manual so I could learn about it but was told nothing is available like that.

I don't understand this way of thinking. I would have thought giving a potential customer free access to literature on what the software can do would be a good starting point for a future sale. I don't think this will stop me buying the software, based on input from users like yourself, but like I say it seems a strange way to do business.