Best & most economical replacement for AVHC

[DropZoneOffRoad]

After reading through many of the threads on this forum (and digging around the web), we have found (3) possible replacements for our Torchmate Growth Series AVHC (blue screen type) and wanted y'alls expert opinions on what would work best without having to retrofit (accumove 2) and spend thousands. We are just not there yet with the budget (hopefully one day).

We are a small Jeep accessories manufacturing operation--just took over the business in February of this year (and LOVING IT). So, we cut many small parts (anywhere from 4"-12") on various gauges of steel (7g, 10g, 14g, 16g, 18g). ...BUT...everything came to a stop when the AVHC lost power today
.

The first replacement we thought we found was the Kyndillcontrol option that looked exactly like our wedge-style AVHC. Sadly, they are no longer operational so that is not an option (unless the experts here can point me in the right direction for one of these units...??)

So...the three options we could shake down are the following, however, we cannot verify any of them are easily compatible with our system:
1) PlasmadynUSA - The part # is XPTHC-300PT and I can have this by Monday if I order it ASAP. It's $499.99.
2) Kyhope part #XPTHC-Portable300 for $650; It claims to support all cutting machines on the market but no list to verify that 'fact';
3) ROBOT3T on Amazon - part# THC3T-02 for $170 (jackpot!!??) Looks like it will work based on the #of terminals and ports, but again, I can't find any confirmation this will work either.
Can anyone speak to any of these units or any other options that I'm overlooking?

Thank you in advance for all the feedback. Although it sucks that our AVHC died, I'm learning a ridiculous amount about cutting systems and enjoy perusing this forum.
Melanie

[robertspark]

what torch height control does it presently have?

photos of front and rear wiring?

does it just require arcok, thcup and thcdn signals to your controller?

or something else?

[robertspark]

Is this your torch height controller?

https://torchmate.com/uploads/images/te ... 0start.pdf

Looking at the wiring diagram on pdf page 25/58 I think you may need a stand alone THC, however I am not sure if it will work with the rest of the setup as it may be looking for signals from the THC to be able to control things from inside the torchmate system (above my knowledge level, someone else will step in to help who may have done such a change on a torchmate before without needing to replace the whole controller setup)

good luck

[DropZoneOffRoad]

what torch height control does it presently have?
It's Torchmate (manufactured in 2013) (the blue screen type )but I think it was made by FlashCut

photos of front and rear wiring?
attached

does it just require arcok, thcup and thcdn signals to your controller? I'm not sure what signals are what on this--new to us. Not sure (sorry). I have the computer next to me, so I'll check that if you can tell me how.

[DropZoneOffRoad]

Hey Guys:
In the future, I think we are leaning towards the Flashcut CNC retrofit and upgrade to our TM Growth Series 4x4. What are the opinions about this product? Is it the only Windows OS on the market? Is it worth the price tag for the upgrades to the motors, lifters, driver? The whole upgrade is $4650.

[robertspark]

Sorry I could not help you with the THC issue as it looks like it is very integrated into the torchmate system.

Is it the only Windows OS on the market?

No, there are a lot of windows CNC gcode motion interpreters about.

UCCNC (I sound like a sales rep...) its what I use http://www.cncdrive.com/UCCNC.html
Mach3 https://www.machsupport.com/software/mach3/ (still available, no longer developed.... it has its quirks.... I don't recommend it for a new install given its been almost 10 years since it was last developed + there are other cheaper options about.... but new users always seem to gravitate towards it [including me]).
Mach4 https://www.machsupport.com/software/mach4/
MyPlasm CNC https://www.proma-elektronika.com/myplasm-cnc-system/ (one guy uses it on here as far as I am aware).... it looks like a good integrated windows system but I've never used it

+ there are a few others too.... (although I seldom have read much about them)
PlanetCNC https://planet-cnc.com/plasma-cutting/
CSLabs / SimCNC https://en.cs-lab.eu/product/presale-si ... re-cs-lab/


I would suggest you consider LinuxCNC + Plasmac with its Mesa hardware as it is likely to be a much cheaper conversion because of all the components you may need with the windows applications (with the exclusion of MyPlasmCNC which I believe comes with an integrated THC as part of the package).
http://linuxcnc.org/docs/2.8/html/plasm ... guide.html
https://forum.linuxcnc.org/plasmac

If you want a box of bits as a conversion kit then CandCNC will provide you such an arrangement I believe but it runs on LinuxCNC https://www.candcnc.net/

Otherwise you will or may end up requiring:
Software
Motion Controller
Torch Height Controller
Stepper Drives (if what you have is integrated and cannot be reused).
Stepper motors (if what you have cannot be reused)
Ohmic touchoff sensor (cheap solution: https://www.google.com/search?q=kemo+wa ... afe=strict)
Power supplies
a cabinet and wiring it all up (which can be time consuming if the plasma cutter is your money earner).

The negative thing with Mach3 and Mach4 is they are just the cnc software applications and require a motion controller upon which to run and some devices do not have the firmware which is (fully) compatible with plasma or the latest version of Mach4 , where as if you buy a product such as uccnc it will ONLY run on cncDrive's motion controllers (the developer of uccnc) so they offer it as 100% compatible with their devices for mill, router and plasma.

[thermo44]

Hello Robert, I have a question about UCCNC, I'm about to buy the AXBB and will be trying to use the THC3T-02, I;ll try to configure as a stand alone THC, my question is about using sheetcam with UCCNC, the post processor in sheetcam doesn't seem to have an option for UCCNC, only an option for Mach3 with THC and scriber.

SO I'm not sure what to use if my THC is automatic and UCCNC doesn't have a profile in sheetcam. I'm new to this, but I've been building a few DIY CNC's just not a plasma. The plasma that I have is the Everlast 80s, a little cheap, but compatible with the 50:1 voltage divider form my THC.

Would be nice to know what's the way to go installing UCCNC with a plasma profile or postprocessor, thanks in advance for any input you have!

[robertspark]

Hello Robert, I have a question about UCCNC, I'm about to buy the AXBB and will be trying to use the THC3T-02, I;ll try to configure as a stand alone THC, my question is about using sheetcam with UCCNC, the post processor in sheetcam doesn't seem to have an option for UCCNC, only an option for Mach3 with THC and scriber.

SO I'm not sure what to use if my THC is automatic and UCCNC doesn't have a profile in sheetcam. I'm new to this, but I've been building a few DIY CNC's just not a plasma. The plasma that I have is the Everlast 80s, a little cheap, but compatible with the 50:1 voltage divider form my THC.

Would be nice to know what's the way to go installing UCCNC with a plasma profile or postprocessor, thanks in advance for any input you have!

you can just use the mach3 one, you can then add a few mcodes for thc on and Orr and corner lock and unlock.

uccnc is very similar to mach3 gcode wise and as far as plasma is concerned and gcode they are almost the same (no g28.1 and M11 and M10 are the other way around) but as far as sheet am is concerned they are the same as those gcodes won't be used by sheet am unless you add them.

[adbuch]

you can just use the mach3 one, you can then add a few mcodes for thc on and Orr and corner lock and unlock.

uccnc is very similar to mach3 gcode wise and as far as plasma is concerned and gcode they are almost the same (no g28.1 and M11 and M10 are the other way around) but as far as sheet am is concerned they are the same as those gcodes won't be used by sheet am unless you add them.