Fanuc 160i-M Series Controller

[kevin08]

I'm having issues communicating through the serial port of this controller.

Background & Setup

Currently using a Moxa 5600 Series Serial Switch (online since 2005) with a couple of dozen various fanuc, okuma, mori, etc. controllers with *no* problems. We introduce the Fanuc 160i-M and now strange problems occur with this controller.

Details

We can send programs from our 160iM through our custom DNC. Unfortunately we can't receive back anything but a couple garbage characters. Controller freezes and requires restart. We've replaced all connectors, used three new CAT6e cables and we have verified the exact same configuration works both with a XP laptop and another older (non-windows) Fanuc controller on a nearby machine. We've used a breakout box on the RS232 to try and find the right wiring combination for the connector - still didn't work. All changing parameters does is seem to cause alarms on both receive and send for protocol errors - nothing we do can make this serial port communicate correctly. (Set for 9600 7 N 2, XON/XOFF, but we've tried literally everything, three times each).

Questions

Does the 160i series have a known problem communicating through it's RS232 serial port? Anyone else running into similar issues with this series Windows based fanuc controllers and serial communications? Any best practices out there I should start troubleshooting with?

[Dan Fritz]

Fanucs generally use ISO code, which is a subset of ASCII Even parity. Your settings for No parity and 7 data bits would be a problem. The correct setting on the DNC side would be 7 data bits, EVEN parity. The stop-bits setting (1 or 2) and the baudrate number must match between the DNC system and the Fanuc parameters, otherwise you might get jibberish.

Also, the 160i has a Windows "Front-end" which is usually modified by the machine tool builder. The menus you see on one machine with a 160i may not be the same on a different machine with a 160i. Be aware that going "behind the Windows front-end" and changing baudrate parameters might not work as you expect. If there are menus in the Front-end to change the baudrate/stop-bits settings, use that instead of changing them directly on the Fanuc side. If you find that there are bugs in the Front-end software, you will have to deal with the machine tool builder, not Fanuc.

There have been no special RS232 problems with 160i controls that I know of.