MachPro Plasma Operating Manual

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Introduction

Overview

This manual gives an overview for the basic operation of the MachPro Plasma control. The screens are shown below, followed by a brief summary of the features of each screen. The numbers shown in the screenshot refers to a brief description below the image. 

Control Startup

To open the control software, double-click on the profile icon on the desktop.

Languages

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Control Screens Overview

G-code Tab

1. Toolpath
   • Regen Toolpath: refresh the displayed toolpath
   • View Top: top view of the part
   • View ISO: side view of the part

   • The controls to manipulate the toolpath screen are as follows:

     • • Zoom – Right click with the mouse and move mouse up/down or using the scroll wheel on the mouse
       • Rotate – Left click with the mouse and rotate the part by moving the mouse
       • Pan – Press and hold [Ctrl] on the keyboard and left click with the mouse, then pan by moving the mouse (one-hand control option is to use left and right mouse click and move the mouse. No [Ctrl] press needed)
2. File
   • Recent: load a recently loaded G-code program
   • Load: load a G-code program from the computer
   • Edit: edit the G-code program currently loaded into the control
   • Close: close the G-code program that is currently loaded into the control
3. Advanced
   • Single Block: when active, the control will go line by line through the G-code program when the operator presses [Cycle Start]
   • Block Delete: when active, the control will skip the lines in the G-code program indicated by their block level
   • Part Counter: displays the number of parts that the machine has produced
   • M1 OPT Stop: when active, the control will stop at any M1 command in the G-code program and wait for the operator to press [Cycle Start]
   • Dry Run: when active, the control will ignore all mist or flood commands
   • M-S-T Lock: when active, the control will ignore all M-codes, jet commands, and tool commands
   • File Resume: allows the operator to select a line of G-code to start the program from and makes the control ready to run from that location
   • Collapse: minimizes the advanced section to only show M1 OPT Stop and File Resume
4. Status
   • Status: displays the most recent message
   • State: displays the current control state
   • Cycle Time: displays how long the G-code program has been running
   • Date: displays the current date and time of the control
5. Axis Digital Readouts
   • For each axis on the control, there is the following:
     • A DRO displaying the current position
     • A DRO displaying the distance left to travel
     • A gauge displaying the current load on the axis
     • Indication that the axis has not been homed if the axis letter is flashing red and yellow
   • MDI:  opens or closes a window for G-code commands
   • Viewing Part: toggles the axis position DROs between machine coordinates and the current fixture coordinates
   • The buttons across the bottom of the DRO section can be customized by right-clicking on them. See Dashboard configuration and configuring GoTo positions for detailed options. The transform functions can be particularly useful on shape cutting systems.
6. Feedrate Display
   • F: displays the current commanded feedrate
   • Feed OV: displays the current feedrate override percentage (0-300%)
   • Rapid OV: displays the current rapid override percentage (0-100%)
7. Tool Display
   • T: displays the current selected tool number
   • Next Tool: displays the next tool to be used by the G-code program
     
8. Torch Height Control
   • Live Voltage: Can be scaled according to the divider specification of the power unit
   • Target Voltage: adjustable with - and + buttons, normally set using the Tech Tables
   • Cut Height: adjustable with - and + buttons, normally set using the Tech Tables
   • Pierce Height: adjustable with - and + buttons, normally set using the Tech Tables
   • Pierce Delay: adjustable with - and + buttons, normally set using the Tech Tables
9. Job Status
   • THC State
   • Material: selected with the Tech Tables button
   • Counters: can be reset with the Reset Counters button
10. Control Buttons
    • Move to Path, Move to Start, Cut Recovery (See the Cut Recovery documentation)
    • Tech Tables: The tables for the materials and appropriate plasma settings for each material
    • Auto Voltage Control: Maintains a set voltage
    • Smart Target Voltage: Maintains a voltage determined during the first portion of the cut
    • Initial Height Sensing (IHS): Detects the Z height of the part
    • Reset Counters

In plasma cutting, arc voltage is used as a proxy for torch height. Generally, a higher arc voltage means the torch is farther from the plate, and a lower voltage means the torch is closer.

A typical sequence is:

1. 1. IHS touches/probes/senses the plate to find the correct Z reference.
   2. The machine moves to pierce height and fires the torch.
   3. After the arc stabilizes, torch height control begins.
   4. The system then uses either:
      • AVC, using a predefined voltage target, or
      • Smart Target Voltage, using a voltage learned from the early part of the cut.

So the key difference is:

IHS finds the starting physical height. AVC holds a manually/table-defined voltage. Smart Target Voltage automatically determines the voltage target from the actual cut and then maintains it.

11. Plasma Status Indicators: these turn green when they are active

• • IHS
  • Torch
  • Arc OK
  • THC
  • UP
  • DN
  • FR Lock
  • VT Lock

12. Side Dashboard

• • Jogging 

13. Function buttons

• • • Torch On
    • Scribe Tool
    • Laser Pointer
  • There is an extensive collection of widgets that can be used on the dashboards in MachPro. This doc: MachPro Widgets, Dashboard, Commands, and Function Buttons provides the details for selecting, configuring and using the available widgets. 

14. Control

• Control
  • Cycle Start - Starts the gcode from from the beginning of the part
  • Feed Hold - Pauses the gcode program and keeps the spindle running
  • Cycle Stop - Stops the gcode program from running
  • Reset - Resets the alarm and also enables the machine
  • Disable - Disables the control for software configuration changes

Tools Tab

1. Edit
   • Edit Offsets - No offset changes can be made unless this value is yellow. It also displays or hides the part zero buttons just left of the DROs. 

     

2. Tools
   • Tool Table - View and edit tool table. 
3. Pockets
   • Register Tools - Register and save tools 
4. Setters
   • Tool Setters - Select this to add or remove a tool setter. See MachPro Tool Setters and Offsets
5. Park Tool - Park the currently loaded tool and leave the spindle empty
6. Jump to Tool Number
   • 1,2,3,4 etc. -  Tool number (Tool change). Just press the button and the tool will change. 

Fixtures Tab

1. Edit
   • Edit Offsets: edit the active fixture offsets
2. Fixtures
   • Fixture Table: view and edit the fixture table for all fixtures 

     

3. Plate Alignment
4. X/Y Edge Finder Offsets

   • Jog the X axis until the probe touches the edge of the part. Click the X+ button in the X/Y Edge Finder Offsets. Click Yes to modify X fixture offset

5. Fixture Offset will display the current G____ offset, and the value of that offset. Here the G54 X offset is being changed from 3.2300 to 3.231. This value is in machine coordinates.

   • Double click on the value you want to modify
     Type in the new value and press Enter on the keyboard

6. Axis offsets for the rotary axes
7. Work and Head Shift Offsets. Details on work and head offsets

Service Tab

Maintenance Tab

1. Limits
   • Soft Limits: toggles software limits on or off
   • Limit Override: toggles to allow for the machine to move off a limit switch
2. PLC
   • Reset Pocket: only used for tool changers
   • PLC Sequence
3. Commands (CMDS)
   • This is a tool to run special commands. Contact support for assistance. 

     

4. Settings
   • Interface Config: opens the MachPro operator panels configuration window
   • Motion Controller: opens the configuration for the active motion controller
   • Screen Config: opens the configuration to change the colors and password protect aspects of the screen
   • Industrial Theme: applies standard colors to screen objects
   • Menu Config: opens settings for top menu bar
   • Compile Scripts: refreshes programming scripts
5. Support
   • Remote Support: starts a TeamViewer session
   • Online Support: opens the online support page
   • Online Manuals: opens the MachGroup bookstack site
   • History: view the operator message history
6. User
   • Logout: logs out of the Windows session
   • Power: turns off the computer
7. Homing
   • Home X: sends X axis to do its homing routine
   • Home Y: sends Y axis to do its homing routine
   • Home Z: sends Z axis to do its homing routine
   • Home All: all axes do their homing routine in their configured order

Dashboard Tab

The dashboard is used add information and control widgets. Dashboard configuration

Machine I/O Tab

This tab is used for diagnostics and shows all enabled machine signals.

Homing

To home the machine, or set the machine zero for this session, begin by pressing the [Reset] button. Then navigate to the [Service/Maintenance] tab and press [Home All]. There is an optional parameter to prompt the user to home the machine on startup.

Programmed Movement

MDI

To command a movement using the MDI feature, press the [MDI] button.

Enter the desired G-code command into the field and press [Cycle Start] to execute the command(s). The up/down arrow buttons will scroll through the history of cycled commands. Click the [X] or the [MDI] button to close the MDI window.

G-code

The primary method of commanding motion is using G-code files. G-code files can be hand written, generated by a wizard, or generated from CAD files using a CAM program. MachPro G-Code and M-Code Reference

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