I am not a CNC operator, so bear with me. We are trying to get away from our old DOS program CNCMAIND. We have a Fadal VMC 4020A machine with a CNC88HS controller. Like other posts I have read, we are lacking memory and have been using our DOS program to "Run from disk". I recently downloaded a trial of EditCNC. I can establish a connection with the machine, but receive multiple error messages on the controller. I have contacted EditCNC and they listed some setting suggestions. We are still receiving the errors. I'm not sure how to configure the DNC controls on the machine. Does any one else use EditCNC with this machine and what settings work for you.

Our Software Settings:
Send Header: 84,65,44,49
BaudRate: 38400
DataBits: 7
StopBits: 1
Parity: Even
FlowControl: Xon/Xoff

Send Settings
Replace: 13
Check for %


Thanks,
Joe

Does your machine accept a baud rate of 38,400? You did say it is older machine. My 94 will take 9,600 max. I also do not use a send header.

Thanks for the reply. Our DOS program has been running at 38,400. I did finally manage to get the file sent to the controller. I'm just not sure how to set the machine to accept the file in DNC. If I ype TA,1 then it appears that all the code is dumped into memory. If I type DNC, it just waits. Do I need to type TA,1 and DNC and if so, any specific order.

After you type dnc and push inter, the machine will wait for you to send the program.It will fill the buffer and wait for you to press start on the machine side. And away you go. Your program should start with a % not a ta,1. If this doesnt work i can look at your code if you want. I dnc all the time i have no memory on my fadal either.

Hope this helps

050627-1543 EST USA

AdvantageDesign:

I assume EditCNC is a windows program. You did not indicate what operating system(s) this runs under, nor does their web site.

In any system that uses a new UART (meaning 16550 or equivalent --- these are not really that new) you should turn off the UART FIFO (internal first in first out buffer within the UART). This may not be a problem with Fadal, but it apparently is with at least some Fanuc machines.

I also have to assume that the PC where EditCNC is located is different from your DOS machine. If so, your RS232 driver may be different, lower voltage and/or current. Except you have now indicated you can load short files. But maybe noise errors occur on longer files. You have not explicity indicated whether the DNC errors occur before the Fadal buffer gets full. Until whatever Fadal's buffer is for DNC, and this gets full there will be no XOFFs sent. In part the question is whether the XON/XOFF function is working correctly with your computer.

If DOS works why change?

What is your cable length, have you tried a lower baud rate, and have you experimentated with simply sending a short file instead of DNC (drip feed) at different baud rates? Doing this multiple times to increase the probability of errors from noise.

Are you getting parity errors or something else? Does Fadal load data into memory and allow you to see the error. Knowing the nature of the error might help isolate the cause.

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