8020-MS PC Communication

[taspence]

My dad bought a CNC with a Fagor 8020-MS controller. We've been trying to setup communication between a PC and the controller for quite a while now (over 4 years, just playing with it on and off) now, we're getting down to business and aren't going to stop until this thing works. Not totally understanding how it communicates, we bought the RS-232 kit from the RS-232 CNC website with the DNC program, setup instructions etc. We still cannot get any communication between the two. I'm not totally positive what the baud settings should be along with the other settings. I've tried a Windows 98 laptop, and a Windows XP tower. The cable we have is a 9 pin to 25 pin. Not sure of the wire configuration as it was bought from what seemed to be a reputable person.

Here's what I am asking though - Is there something we are doing wrong on the controller end? We go into the input/output menu, choose 2, receive from general device, type in the program number we are trying to receive, hit ENTER and go to the PC, hit transmit and...nothing. PC says the file is sent, CNC sits there, waiting for the program. Is there something else we have to enable on the controller?

It just seems weird that with the BobCad, PrecisionDNC, etc that we've tried, nothing works.

Tomorrow I am going to read any replies, and possibly try the WinDNC direct from Fagor. Any thoughts there?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!

[kcho]

You have to use WINDNC. When you see the screen in the manul mode, Can you see the DNC letters?

Carlos

[Al_The_Man]

Do you have the correct Fagor cable? If it is the same as the 8025, it is not standard RS232 pin out.
I found WinDNC to be very user unfriendly software!
Al.

[taspence]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies.

Carlos - This gets me thinking. You're asking when I go into option 2, receive from a general device, is there DNC letters on the screen? If so, No, there is not. Yesterday I did learn this though- before going into option 2, option 6, DNC has to be turned off otherwise I cannot use option 2. Is this not correct?

Al - I'm guessing we have the right cable. We bought it from cncrs232cable.net, a website that appears to know the correct wiring setup.

Thanks again,
Tom

[angelw]

Originally Posted by taspence Hi guys, thanks for the replies. Carlos - This gets me thinking. You're asking when I go into option 2, receive from a general device, is there DNC letters on the screen? If so, No, there is not. Yesterday I did learn this though- before going into option 2, option 6, DNC has to be turned off otherwise I cannot use option 2. Is this not correct? Al - I'm guessing we have the right cable. We bought it from cncrs232cable.net, a website that appears to know the correct wiring setup. Thanks again, Tom

As Al suggested, the cable pin out may wrong, particularly if the connector at the machine side is DB9. If its a DB25, then the pin out will be standard RS232, but not so with DB9. Following are the Fagor Comms settings if communicating with a conventional Editor/Comms package. The Fagor DNC function has to be turned Off if using such a package. This is accessible through the Fagor Op Mode Menu

Xon Xoff Handshaking
Baud Rate = 4800 (starting point)
Data Bits = 7
Stop Bits = 2
Parity Bit = Even

If you use WinDNC set the parameters as follows:
Baud Rate = 4800 (starting point)
Data Bits = 8
Stop Bits = 1
Parity Bit = None

The DNC function is turned On in this case.

In both of the above cases, the settings of the PC software have to match that of the Fagor control.

One pin out that works if your control has a DB9 connector is as follows:

Machine Side-------------------------PC Side
DB9 Male-----------------------------DB9 Female
1--Cable Shield---------------------Not Connected
2---------------------------------------2
3---------------------------------------3

5
|
6 All bridged
|
9

7---------------------------------------5

I agree that the cable you have is probably correct, but its always worth checking every point when messing with Machine/PC comms.

If you can remove the back shells from the cable you have, you can make a comparison. Alternatively, use a Multi Meter to check the cable.

Regards,

Bill

[kcho]

Originally Posted by taspence Hi guys, thanks for the replies. Carlos - This gets me thinking. You're asking when I go into option 2, receive from a general device, is there DNC letters on the screen? If so, No, there is not. Yesterday I did learn this though- before going into option 2, option 6, DNC has to be turned off otherwise I cannot use option 2. Is this not correct? Al - I'm guessing we have the right cable. We bought it from cncrs232cable.net, a website that appears to know the correct wiring setup. Thanks again, Tom

In fagor is more easier. Dwith dnc protocol you only have to activate dnc mode plug the cable and when you open the Windnc soft automatically you can see the cnc directory and the pc directory. You don't have to use the Periphericals screen. If you enter in operation mode 5, in manual mode, Can you see the DNC letters next to the "MANUAL" text?

Carlos

[John Bennett]

Cadem CNC programming, CADCAM, Education, Training, Cycle time reduction, Conversational CAD/CAM, MES, OEE, Lean, TPM, DNC, Free DNC Pick control info from list. This will give you the cable pinout that you can check to your cable and also the settings. You can use Cadem Lite for free, but you can also use your other terminal programs. I would suggest that you set the COM1 port with windows by Control Panel-System-Device manager- Ports- Com1 - and adjust settings. If you are looking at the cable, for most RS232 machines only three wire are critical TX,RX and signal Ground (not to be confused with system(chassis) ground.

[angelw]

Originally Posted by taspence The cable we have is a 9 pin to 25 pin. Not sure of the wire configuration as it was bought from what seemed to be a reputable person. Thanks!

Sorry, I didn't notice your reference to the 9 to 25 pin plugs when I first read`your OP and submitted post #5.

The CAMDEM reference shows bridging of pins at the PC end; this is a typical Null Modem configuration, but is not required for communicating with the Fagor control when using Xon Xoff handshaking. The cable configuration below will work fine. The TXD, RXD and Signal Ground lines are important, but the connection will not work without the bridging at the machine side, particularly the DSR pin 6. Pin 6 and 8 are powered off of 20. Pins 4,5 and 6,8 and 20 at the machine side are hardware handshake lines and are bridged to keep the machine's Uart happy when using software (Xon Xoff) handshaking.

You will need to have Ascii character 27 (ESC) at the end of your files.

Regards,

Bill

Machine Side-----------------------PC Side
DB25 Male Connector---------------DB9 Female
1----Cable Shield-----------------Not Connected
2-TXD-------------------------------------2 RXD
3-RXD-------------------------------------3 TXD

4 RTS
| Bridged
5 CTS

6 DSR
|
8 DCD All bridged
|
20 DTR

7-Signal Ground---------------------------5 Signal Ground