[Crayola]

So I am looking for a decent THC for a plasma machine torch.

I see that the MP1000 attempts to interface to virtually everything
on the CNC..

Are their any advantages of the Mp1000 versus the THC-300 when
it comes to maintaining the torch height? Is there some the mp1000
does that results in superior THC versus the THC-300?
There's a big difference in price. 695 vs 375

Mike

[Torchhead]

As designer of both I can address your questions:

The THC300 is an analog version and designed to run as a port 2 add-on to a machine that already has full 3 axis of control and an existing port 1 card for motor drives and home swtiches. The adjustment of the THC300 is done via pots on the front panel and there is no capability of preset voltages (heights) for different materials and tips. You will have to "find" the perfect tip volts as you cut. THC300 units hold about + - 2.5 to 3.0 tip volts window. The good news is that if you cut a lot of the same type of material your adjustment changes will be minimal. I cut miles of steel with a THC300.

In that process I developed a list of improvements

The MP1000 is an integrated 2 port interface box where everything connects via standard DB25 and DB9 connectors. It has a full port 1 buffered and isolated interface that connects to the motor drivers via a small remote breakout. You plug in the AXIS IO cable on the MP1000 and 10 or 15ft away you plug in the AXIS I/O breakout card.

It's THC section is a total redesign and uses dual microprocessors and firmware to measure and display the tip volts. Since we can profile the response in software we can easily tune things like the averaging (determines the response rate of the THC while cutting) and tip volts window. Really good ($$$$ commercial THC's) use +- one volt as a capture standard. That relates to about .020 in actual tip varience. We hold that with the MP1000-THC.

The Table I/O card plugs into the back of the MP1000 and provides inputs for 4 homes and 4 limits as well as a remote Feedhold and E-stop. Option provides 3 power relays (besides the torch relay) for aux equipment.

Besides better response and tighter voltage specs the MP1000-THC allows you to preset the tip volts BEFORE you start cutting via the front panel pushbuttons or from MACH3 directly. You can store common values in a table and just select the "material" and it will load the right tip volts value.

Only the MP1000 has a front panel plug for our rotary handwheel option. The three buttons across the bottom come mapped to MACH3 inputs (Cycle start, Feedhold and Stop) and can be moved over (via one cable plug) to remotely control our ACM-01 AC power Module. So the switches then control the full power to the machine.

We took our experience of using the THC300 AND building tables to try and provide a product that not only improved the plasma cutting process but to make the whole building process easier.

MP1000 series units are also available in a Spindle Speed version and a Basic version as well. BTW "MP" monicier is "Multi Purpose".

Hopes this helps to clearify the differences.

Join our support group in Yahoo (CandCNCSupport) and ask all the questions you want and see how we support our products.

Tom Caudle
CandCNC