Has anyone ever backed up their parameters with Tera Term

[Bill Gillen]

Hi all,

My Denford CNC lathe with OT-B controls has been doing well, with the exception of only having the factory default 10M memory. I am going to upgrade the memory to 120M, but do not know how to offload the parameters to my computer so that I do not lose them. I use Tera Term to download programs into the OT-B controller via an RS-232 port, and think I can use Tera Term to back up the parameters as well, but do not know how yet.

Has anyone ever backed up their parameters with this combination before? If so, may I ask for directions?

Thank you,
Bill Gillen

[underthetire]

Pretty much any program you use to send and receive programs will work for parameters. Get your computer ready to receive a program, go to the machine, hit the system softkey, right arrow under the screen, punch. Just like sending a program but your in the system page. I may have forgotton a couple things on it, since I have no 0 controls left here, but that should get you close enough to get them out. Machine side parameters should be written down by hand if that machine has them.

[Bill Gillen]

Hi underthetire

First, thank you very much. As you stated, downloading parameter was simple, but I have been very hesitant to try for fear of messing things up.

Anyway, we downloaded the parameters, including the 900 series, successfully using the EOB.

I do have a question on downloading diagnostics. Everything worked as you said for diagnostics, but it is only downloading the range from N10300 to N10499, and is apparently ignoring from 0-299, and 500 through 800.

My guess is I am missing something, but just not sure what, in the download instructions.

Have you experienced this problem before?

Thanks,
Bill Gillen

[cnc2149]

The Diagnostics page includes a combination of registers. The ranges that are retention type are sent out to the serial port. Those that represent X, Y, G, F are not output. Your output file appears to be normal.

[underthetire]

I don't know off hand, but those are probably the MTB's parameters, either way, make sure you wright them down. Some older controls can not out put MTB parameters very easy.

[Bill Gillen]

Hi again,

Thank you for all the input, the transplant seemed to go OK. To our surprise, we did not have to load the parameters back in, but that may have something to do with the previous 10M memory. We compared the parameters anyway to the photos we took, and they are the same, except of course for the memory line. It now shows 49920 free instead of 4096 free.

However, when I press the Input button to load a program, the "LSK" does not flash, and it is not accepting our program download.

We used to use the following procedure to load programs:

Press EDIT button
Press PROGRAM button
Press INPUT button (this is where the "LSK" would flash)
Go to the computer (Tera Term) and click Send File.

However, now the "LSK" does not flash after the INPUT button is pressed (we still see S OT on the bottom right of the screen).

What would be causing the "LSK" to not flash like it used to?

Thanks,
Bill Gillen

[cnc2149]

Three reasons that prevent the LSK from flashing when commading INPUT:

1. No option for Reader / Puncher interface. Check your 900 series parameters.

2. Any alarm message being displayed.

3. ESTOP - make sure the machine is not in an Estop condition. You can load CNC parameters in Estop but not part programs.

[tc429]

check the settings page too...I dont think the Zero has a channel select, but it has the eia/iso/tape volume/label skip, others that dont copy with a download...

[Bill Gillen]

Hi all,

Thank you to everyone for all of your help. Everything is good, and it has a 120M memory now. The LSK thing was caused by the change I made to the memory parameter. I put it back the way it was before, plus one digit change, and everything works great and has plenty of room for programs. I hope to help someone else someday the way you have helped me.

Bill Gillen