Need Help!- Pull files over network to Fanuc 16L

[pedgette]

Hello everyone,
I was recently asked to help a local metal shop with their CNC laser table. It is running a Fanuc 16L controller. The problem they are having is that they transfer programs from their design computer to a 3.5" floppy drive, then to the machine. They asked me to see if I can find a solution to hook the machine to their network so they can pull programs directly from the computer to the machine.

The only output other than the 3.5" floppy is a 25 pin connector on the side. They have an ethernet jack ran to the machine but there is currently no way to plug it in.

For some background; I used to work at a machine shop 4 years ago and have forgot a lot of the stuff that I learned from my time there. I was asked to help because I'm the local computer geek and network cable and anything associated with computer type problems are foreign to most at this metal shop.

[underthetire]

Ethernet was a very expensive option on a 16, usually found with data server. We use a wireless or wired(depends on where the machine is) network to rs 232 adapter. Refresh your memory, spectrum cnc, among others sell them.

[fordav11]

Or just use the 25 pin serial connector, some (free) transfer software and a serial cable. Cheap and cheerful.

We have a system set up at my work using only rs232 where we create a small 1-line program in MDI on the machine and punch it out. That tells the software monitoring the multi-port switch to get that program from the server. Then we press read on the machine and the NC program comes down. It's slicker than 2 large-breasted nymphs wrestling in a grease pit.
The software we use is PC-DNC Plus
RYM - PC-DNC plus - CNC Communication System
http://www.sub-soft.com/