Proma THC Help

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kennye
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Proma THC Help

Post by kennye »

My old promo finally went on the blink and I had to get another .My problem I have 1 of the cheap Chinese boards
That's not showing the pin numbers so that I can rewire it .Is their any other way that I can figure where my 10 -11 -12
pins are located ? .Thanks in advance.
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acourtjester
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Proma THC Help

Post by acourtjester »

you should be able to look at the wires from the Proma and see where they attach to the chinese board.
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Proma THC Help

Post by kennye »

Normally I would have but the wires all had been taken off by an employ that thought he was trying to help.
And he did help giving me a headache .
kennye
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Proma THC Help

Post by kennye »

Ita showing the voltage going up and down but its not controlling the z axis any way
robertspark
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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by robertspark »

a photograph of your board would help, I've lent my crystal ball to the local clairvoyant society.

give us a clue maybe we can help locate the info on your Chinese board
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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by kennye »

I appreciate the help I have everything working in test mode but when it cuts the z axis seems to be working but sometimes it seems it should be going down when it goes up .Anyone else had this problem . am I missing a setting somewhere Thanks in advance
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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by acourtjester »

The are 3 signals that come from the Proma, up, down and Arc Ok. When you run the test function on the Proma the Z should move up and down as indicated on the Proma. But you also need to have the signals going to the Z axis correct. One thing you can check is using the keyboard page up and down keys does the Z move in the direction from each key. Another thing is does the Z home up when given the command with a positive value (G1 Z1.5 F20). It seems that all signal need to be insync for the table to move correctly.
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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by kennye »

Yes the z moves with the test mode corresponding. The page up and down corresponds with the proper keys.
How ever you lost me on the last 1 dont really understand it.lol
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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by acourtjester »

Ok here I am using Mach 3 as a reference for what I am talking about, which may mean it does not apply to your setup. When setting up a table there are a few places to select the direction of the axis movement, if these selections were not in sync some of the operations of the axis may not be correct. An example is in the homing section you can have home up or down and reverse as selections. In the motor output you can select the motor movement direction. See attached images what show what I am saying, these need to be in sync so the axis will move as expected using the different ways to move it (G-code, keyboard keys, or input from the Proma). That being said you may not have these selection with your software/controller, I would think the Chinese just copied and modified Mach to look as their own. This is just a possible answer to your problem or not.
direction 2.JPG
direction 1.JPG

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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by kennye »

Thank you I do have that selection. Ill work on that.My question would be on my diagnostic page my torch on stays lit and the up and down is in sync with the promo shouldn't the torch on be in sync with the z down when it flashes or maybe not.thanks in advance
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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by acourtjester »

You should see the 3 indicators lighting, Arc Ok is on and the other 2 (up and down )go on then off time as the Proma cycles. I think you can increase the time on for the indicators by increasing the HYS value (not completely sure). Now Z should move up or down with the indicator, this is why you need to have the up/down on for a little longer time to see the movement.
this talks about setting the Proma up.
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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by kennye »

Thanks for the video I set mine up like he said .I put lines down just to check it and the promo works like it should but when I try to cut a piece the z up goes crazy and goes up until it doesn't cut. Any suggestions ?
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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by acourtjester »

Look at the Proma to see if the down light is lit when it goes up you may have the wires swapped. Also look at what the voltage is reading to see if it is moving in one direction a lot again that may be the wires are wrong. It should just move around a small amount and the up/down should only follow that.
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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by kennye »

All the lights match when it goes up and down . The Z maybe moves 4 to 5 inches when it moves but the lights match up.Im having a heck of a time figuring this out Ive also read where a lot of people are having the same problem
working in test mode but not in working mode . THANKS in advance
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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by acourtjester »

I don't follow this statement ( The Z maybe moves 4 to 5 inches when it moves but the lights match up ) Are you saying the Z moves that much when it tries to cut. Are you using the raw or voltage divider to read your plasma arc voltage by the Proma. One other thing is the power input negative is not the same as the Comm, see attached. Now are you sure you are using s Proma 150 not the SD?
Proma.JPG

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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by kennye »

the z will move up around 4 to 5 inches and down the same. Sorry about the confusion thats only in test mode and it is the 150. Ill try to switch wires and see thanks
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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by kennye »

Im still working on it needed to take a couple of days off and get my head together.It doesn't make any sense sometimes it seems to be working and then the z will go crazy and start rising up for no reason. I've checked all my connections and they are intact like they should b .
it has me confused. I dont understand what HYS is used for and how it should be set thats the only thing I haven't tried. Thanks in advance
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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by robertspark »

HYS is the hysteresis (dead band) where the thc does not move the torch up or down.

so it is the setpoint + and - the 1/2 hysteresis....
so a hysteresis of 2 is + and - 1volt about the setpoint. the default for the proma 150 is 8

https://www.proma-elektronika.com/downl ... 150_en.pdf

I am sorry but despite owning a proma 150 thc, I could not get it to work well or consistently, and when it came to thin material and fast cutting speeds it could not keep up in my opinion.

....I passed it on the the next unfortunate sole ......

which was the same way I came by it with someone who had given up and gone with a CandCNC package instead.

I am sure that there are loads of great working setups out there using the proma thcs ..... I just couldn't get it to do what I wanted or expected.... maybe I was too exacting.
Last edited by robertspark on Sat May 01, 2021 9:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
kennye
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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by kennye »

Im starting to feel like you on this one Im about to cut my losses and move on .I have a new machine coming anyway that is suppose to have it installed
and they are saying that im am going to need a machine torch when I have a handheld .I guess thats going to be another project trying to get it to work .lol thanks for all the help
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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by acourtjester »

If possible I would run new wires from the Proma to the Plasma unit. You could have a intermittent break in the arc voltage signal this could be why it works then not. I had my Proma located right on the Plasma unit for shorter wiring.
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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by robertspark »

I used my proma 150 with a hypertherm powermax350 and therefore used the raw voltage input and mounted it in a small box on the side of the pmx350, and then fed 24v to it and the up, DN and ArcOk signals back to a smooth stepper via a 24v breakout board.

what machine is it?

I just unplug the hand torch and plug my machine torch in (hypertherm 45 non xp). for a long time I used a hand torch but wanted a more compact z axis and to use standard (duramax) consumables, hence my change but I still use the hand torch to brackets off etc
kennye
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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by kennye »

2 good possible problems I do have a pretty long reach to promo from torch and I dont know how many volts the wall hugger Im using
is .I have noticed the arc light gets kinda dim tho at times another problem is you cant find wall huggers every where . thanks Ill check it out right now .Thanks yall.
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Re: Proma THC Help

Post by kennye »

Thanks friends I moved the promo closer to the torch and it made a 100% difference with it.
I still have problems like it gets confused and goes up when it should be going down mainly on the cut out when its about finished cutting but so far its made my life a whole lot easier.Thanks again
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