PlasmaPost

Attention! Plasmicon software products work in fully functional mode for 15 days after installation. A license is required after that.

• Forget torch dives at corners, at the beginning and end of cuts, and incomplete cuts on thick steel.
• Hole cutting quality is significantly improved.
• The system helps reduce consumable wear by optimizing the cutting process.
• The postprocessor can be supplied with a utility for previewing CNC programs, DXF files, trajectory files, and a trajectory generator.

Main features of the PlasmaPost software package

PlasmaNest manual PlasmaPost manual PlasmaPost installer

The main problem with postprocessors that prepare CNC programs for thermal cutting machines is that they do not account for the physics of the process. Most rely on rules. Rules for plasma cutting systems mostly need to disable height control on trajectory sections where the torch moves slower than required, in order to prevent torch dives caused by increased arc voltage. Such rules are typically set for corners, circles, and the start and end of the trajectory. Existing CNC program preparation systems handle this task poorly — they fail on trajectory sections where the cutting curve bends smoothly with small radii, and they work poorly or not at all in areas where rules overlap. And none of them account for process physics.

The key feature of this solution is that it works based on physics. Height control is disabled based on the actual speed the torch will have at a given point on the trajectory. If the speed is insufficient for height control — it is disabled; if sufficient — it remains enabled. This rule is universal and performs equally well in all situations.

Moreover, this postprocessor is supplied as a comprehensive solution with many additional features, with no equivalent on the market.

Additional features:

1. Preview of CNC programs (TAP), vectors (DXF), trajectories (STC) and cutting files (CPG);
2. Dynamic CNC program generation on demand — open a part vector file (DXF) directly for cutting without additional processing;
3. Lead-in and lead-out correction, contour exclusion, direction selection and clean-side setup;
4. UCCNC and Mach3 plugins can be embedded in CNC programs, allowing cutting to resume from any trajectory point by simply moving the torch to the desired location;
5. Burn-out mode — torch slowdown at the end of cuts. Used when cutting thick steel to prevent the arc from falling into the previously made cut;
6. FineHole mode — slowdown when cutting holes. Helps reduce hole taper;
7. Hole taper compensation — compensates for hole taper without the need to modify source part vectors;
8. Hole center marking mode — marking hole centers instead of fully cutting holes;
9. Edge-start cutting mode — cutting from the sheet edge for especially thick steel, when through-piercing is not possible;
10. Center lead-in for holes — ability to pierce from the center for holes;
11. Corner slowdown with optional loops — significantly improves sharp-corner cutting quality;

This postprocessor can be supplied together with a trajectory preparation program. Using it allows you to abandon third-party products such as SheetCam, Pronest and others. Nevertheless, the package includes postprocessors for SheetCam, ArtCam, Vectric and ProNest, which can be used to prepare intermediate trajectory files for this postprocessor. However, it is far more convenient to use the included program, as it enables on-the-fly postprocessing directly from source vectors.

DXF files opened directly from CNC software

The video shows the postprocessor working with *.dxf files. Files of this type are opened directly from the CNC operator environment. The CNC program is generated on the fly using the selected settings. The postprocessor can work with UCCNC and Mach3/Mach4.

Dynamic hole-center marking

The video shows the postprocessor in action. Codes for hole center marking are dynamically generated instead of cutting them, and cutting trajectory settings are changed on the fly when dynamically opening vector files (*.dxf).

Working with the trajectory generation program

The video demonstrates trajectory preparation for gas-plasma CNC machines: start-point setup, rotation, mirroring, skipping paths and lead-in point selection.

Preview utility

The video shows the operation of the utility for previewing part vectors, CNC programs and trajectory files. The utility is only supplied with the PlasmaPost postprocessor.

Plasma cutting system quality

The video shows the quality of the plasma cutting system. There are no torch dives at corners and in difficult areas. Stable cutting quality on both straight and curved sections. The piercing process runs in the gentlest mode for plasma torch consumables. Values are set for arc transfer height, pierce height and working cut height.

Postprocessor operation features

The video shows the postprocessor features — height control disabling on holes, center lead-in, taper compensation, burn-out at the end of cuts for thick steel.