DNC with Fanuc OM-C

[midnightrambler]

I am new to this... so please bear with me.

A brief history of my problem. I have a Billco CNC1000 glass cutting table using a Fanuc OM-C controller. The table was sold with optimization software for the glass cutting. This program generates the G-Code for the table. It is old and we are attempting to replace the software from DOS based to windows. Old program handled the DNC portion as well as optimization. On the PC, a PCIDIO8 card was installed to handle the communication to the controller, as opposed to RS-232. We have generated a partial driver for the new software to deal with cutting table - our G-code looks good - but are stuck on how to transmit the code to the controller so that it is stored in memory for later execution.

I have a similar cutting table but it was retrofitted with FAGOR 8025 controller and used an RS-232 serial cable for connection. In this case there was free software to handle the DNC portion making our task easier.

1) Is there free or near free software to handle DNC for the fanuc controller?
2) Does anyone know anything about the PCIDIO8 card?
3) if need be, can change to RS-232. How would I go about programming the DNC myself? Any manuals for this?

I have read thru several months worth of postings regarding Fanuc OM controllers and have not found anything relevant, though mention was made of software vs hardware handshaking. Can someone please explain this to me?

Any help would be greatly appreciated and I will attempt to digest it all as best as I can (I am an application programmer, not a CNC person lol)

[WGoyer]

All FS OMC's that I know of have RS-232. Could your DOS based card have been using RS-232? I can't think of what else it would have used.

Anyway, if that is the case, there are several inexpensive or free programs (Including rude and crude Hyperterminal) that will pass data.

Actual DNC on any Fanuc 0 in an option that requires the so called "Tape" mode. I assume yours has it since you have been drip feeding already.

There are some good articles on the gefanuc website on RS-232 connections and cables.

[midnightrambler]

It is my beleif that it is a specialized communication card, probably a serial port. I have encountered the PCIDIO8 card in another cutting table - but at the time (couple of years ago) thought it was a motion control card. As an application programmer, I have only ever been interested in building an interface to these machines, and not their mechanical workings. Through evolution I find myself looking at these things today lol.

I will confirm the cabling, but from what I have read though many postings, I will not be surprised to find out that it is an RS232 cable. This actual cutting table is not at my location so will have one of my counterparts do my legwork for me.

In the meantime, could you please recommend a title or two of software that I might be able to work with regarding the DNC communication. Preferrably something that would allow query/directories, send, and delete functionality. I will read up somemore at the Fanuc website, though I am pretty sure I have seen the appropriate documents in many other posts regarding the basics and cabling diagrams.

Thanks again.

[Dan Fritz]

The only way I know of to get G-code data into a Fanuc 0M-C is through either an RS232 port or an RS422 port (if you have the Remote Buffer option). The PCIDIO8 card is an I/O card with digital inputs and outputs for the machine interface, but it's not a communications card.

My guess is that your old DOS system used an RS232 port and cable for communications. The PCIDIO8 card may have been used for other switches, relays, etc.

In any case, if your G-code data is on a Windows PC, and you want to download it to the Fanuc's memory, an RS232 connection is the easiest way to go. Any DNC software will do.

Are you certain this is a Fanuc 0M-C controller? If, for instance, this is a Fanuc controller with a parallel tape reader port (like a 6M, 11M, or even an older model), the I/O card may have been used as a BTR connection. We do BTR connections all the time using a PCs parallel port. That's an 8-bit digital interface, which would make sense. The 0M-C does not have a parallel tape reader input port though.

[FastBusa]

I just went through something like this with 5 old Tape Laythes we have,After tons of research I decided to go with Behind The Tape Reader
(BTR) Boards. Now I do not know if you need one or just a good DNC program but a CO. called Shop Floor Automations (877)-611-5825 ask for Guy Barrow
Tell him your story and he will guide you the right way. I also talked to John at RYM (408)-224-9167 to just verify what I was being told by Guy becouse of course they want you to buy from them.

JIM

[WGoyer]

Here is a freebee that has been around awhile:

http://cadem.com/dnc/freednc.htm

Hyperterminal will work, if set up properly. Be sure and check the ASCII properties checkbox that forces Linefeed (LF) characters at each end of line.

Warren

www.uptimecorp.com

[midnightrambler]

Thanks to you all... you have all saved me a ton of time.

I am looking at the cadem DNC program and will be testing it out sometime this week. However, can it be called from within another program thru some kind of command mode? I can work with it as a third party program, but it would be cleaner for my operators if the program which generated the Gcode could also send it directly to the cutting table. Otherwise it will be generated by optimization software and Code placed in repository for DNC program to pick up and transfer.

Thanks again