[rolinjunk]

Fadal is ok to dnc. Most any comm. program with flow control will work. You must set baud rate.
There is a hard parameter spelled out some where in the book. You can set it on the fly with the command CD,9 .....
......I think this will set it to 4800 or 9600. e,8,1 and a standard serial cable or null. I am going back in memory
5 years so it would be good to look this up in the book.

I use a program call dnc-1000. Made by Olmsead Engineering in the late 80's. It is
written in assembler and is very fast. It will allow mid starts and will set up modals
and allow multiple max N block skip. It runs in DOS or WIN cmd shell.

A shareware called ncc2.exe can also be used but it is hard to make it mid start.

There are others like Preditor but that will cost.

Another awkard option is to break your programs up in the post to only output so many characters.
I have done this when mid start dnc software was not available. Then you have multiple
programs that have a special move in the post to send the Z home and wait to delete program and reload memory with
next sequence. The smart cam people may be able to make a post that will do this for you.

If you are using large programs all the time you want dnc software that allows mid starts. If a tool breaks you can go
back to a specific tool and line number or x y value. This is a common problem of machines from a while back and can be fixed with dnc.

Olmstead may still sell this software and can be reached at 231-946-3174. It would
be reasonable and work well with a simple computer 486-33 and up. Have a nic card
and some hard drive space. This software is key locked protected. Even though win95
is dated and isn't used I was able to get it to DNC with this software to 2 machines
in 2 cmd shells realiably at the same time. Do not run screen saver or other apps. while attempting this.
Win98 or NT will not do this but will run 1 machine. Comm ports
must be specified in windows and dos. ex: com1=9600,e,8,1.

These are cave man methods used still by people with many controllers lacking mem,
harddrives, network interface or flash readers. I think machines are still sold this way
but who knows why???

If any one knows of another lowbudget or free mid-start DNC program I hope they sound off.

You may also have to use the G-code fadal has for high speed data execution if your
code is many short moves. This will alow there older controllers to read 1000 blocks
per second. wowie zowie.

This posting is by no means anything more than a guide where help may be, and all
of this should be verified with Z above the steel. Once you have test cut and verified
your post with hopefully all of the possible G-codes and subroutines and M-codes your
software can muster you should be safe. This is why it is good to have support from
all your software and machine tool providers atleast untill each work station is up
and ticking. These support guys can help with any of this. There may also be a local
network company familar with these or similar methods.

It is not black science only gray.

Good luck with this Fadal it is a good machine that cuts great.

________________

later

ROLIN