CAMback......what does it do?

[ynneb]

I am going to expose my ignorance here but what does Camback do?
I have read the explanations but dont understand what it all means.
I just downloaded the 20 meg trial file and wouldnt have a clue how to use it.
Is it even worth me learning all about it?
Is this software for CNC home users?

Could someone please explain in very simple terms what this software can do for me? Sorry to be so dumb.

I feel a bit silliy applying to win some software that I dont know if I will ever need. Maybe I do need it but just dont know.

[DAB_Design]

From the little info they have on their website, the 'easy' version is a DNC program. Which sends programs directly to the machine. For the home user, I don't see much use for this, since most probably don't have an actual connection between their programming pc and their machine pc. But I'm sure some can find it usefull.

But it also seems to include an "organization" feature, which can centrally store and keep track of your programs. And also tool offset tables, if I read it correctly. Also an editor. Most NC specific editors have special functions that allow you to do certains things. They may include renumbering an entire program, search to 'next tool'/'previous tool', go to lowest/highest axis position, etc.

I haven't downloaded the trial yet, but plan to do so later this afternoon.

[ynneb]

When you say

I don't see much use for this, since most probably don't have an actual connection between their programming PC and their machine PC

does this mean that some machines have a dedicated computer that drives the CNC machine and this program will allow a user to send a cutting file from another computer to the dedicated computer? If so, I would imagine that most users here would have the same computer that stores the cutting code as runs the CNC machine. Possibly I am not understanding what you are saying. If I am, then why cant users who have two computers just use an network connection to open the cutting file.

Lets say that the majority on this site use Mach 2. Don't they just browse to the place where the cutting file is and open it up, even if they have to browse to another computer?

To all those who know what this is all about I hope my ignorance is amusing you. I am trying hard to understand all this.

If My understanding is right then I suspect that this program wont be used very much by the home users on this site.

Surely there is more to this program than just been a cutting file organizer?

[DAB_Design]

then why cant users who have two computers just use an network connection to open the cutting file.

Exactly! That's why I said that I don't think the DNC part of the program would be used much by users here.

I don't have all the answers, but I'm trying damn it!

DNC is mainly designed for machines that have a dedicated control (NOT a pc). Where you can send an NC file (lets say from the programming department) to a machine control on the shop floor.

And actually, I could definately use some organization around here! lol I have several different versions of programs where I was trying something, but didn't want to overwrite the original file. I need to go through them. Wanna help?

[Al_The_Man]

One of the features of this kind of software is that a companies CNC machines are put on a DNC network and some (I believe this one does) is to allow the operator to downwload a particular file from a server, Cadem s/w does this by storing a small file on the CNC machine which has the number of the file requested in it and when it is sent by the operator & recieved by the server program, the file is then transmitted to the machine. The operator first sends the request file out of the serial port and immediatly has to put his machine into the recieve mode and wait for the server to send it.
Cadem also has a free single user DNC program on their site.
Al

[ynneb]

I am very amused.

To think about all those hopefuls who want to win those 10 free software programs. There will be one in that crowd who would use the program and I bet he is the one who doesn't win it.

It makes me think of the times I threw something in the air at the beach, and saw a bunch of seagulls fighting to get it, only to realize that the thing I threw up was just a shell.

[CAMback]

To reduce confusion, here's some technical info on what CAMback easy and other products of the CAMback product line do. I hope it doesn't sound too much like advertising, I tried to stick to the plain facts:

"CAMback easy" is intended for transfering NC files on a serial line between a PC and a CNC machine control (DNC). The files are not simply stored somewhere or all over on the computer's hard disk, but organized according to the machine they are intended for and according to the type of file they are (user-definable categories). The software introduces a certain structure, that ensures that all the people involved in programming and production use a standardized organization structure for NC data, store the data all in one place and easily keep track of versions and purposes of different files.

"CAMback standard" is similar to "easy", but while "easy" is intended for rather small businesses or service personel, where data is stored on, say a portable laptop computer, that one hooks up to only a few machines, "standard" supports companies with existing serial cabling running from PCs to CNC machines. It's sort of like the "serial infrastructure" version of "CAMback easy".

"CAMback pro / enterprise" is a totally different approach which includes a database-driven client-server architecture.
CAMback Clients and CNC machines are connected to CAMback Servers via Ethernet (no more serial lines).
Users can load files onto their CNC directly by requesting them from a server via their CNC control.
CAMback Clients are used for organizing NC programs, other NC data and all sorts of documents and files (CAD drawings, images, instructions, ...) in a hierarchy of product, routing, operation and each file can be associated with machines and have certain access rights for users and user groups.
All the data relevant for production is mantained in one enterprise-wide system: a Production Data Managament (PDM) system.
Again, this PDM system integrates with common Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and Production Planning Systems (PPS), so information is shared between enterprise-wide systems, to provide people in construction, programming and production with the latest programs, documents and information.

The reason why this mixture of DNC and PDM is called CAM(back) is because all of this is manufacturing aided by computer systems = Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) in the general sense of the word!

Ynneb, thanks for asking all these questions. Please post any upcoming questions in this support forum or let the folks at http://www.evo-solutions.com know, when information is incomplete or too confusing to understand!

CAMback

[DR-Motion]

"I am very amused.

To think about all those hopefuls who want to win those 10 free software programs. There will be one in that crowd who would use the program and I bet he is the one who doesn't win it.

It makes me think of the times I threw something in the air at the beach, and saw a bunch of seagulls fighting to get it, only to realize that the thing I threw up was just a shell."

Benny,

Now I feel as stupid as a seagull.

To appease my greedy karma, I will donate my license (if I win) to whomever can convince me that they need this application.

good luck to all, Gary

[metlmunchr]

Ynneb, DNC programs have been around for quite a while in the manufacturing environment. You see, the place where hard drives are sold is a verrrry secret place, and although companies like Fanuc and Okuma and others that make controls that cost as much as a small house keep diligently looking, they don't seem to be able to discover this secret place. They've only fairly recently discovered floppy drives, but it seems they acquire them by buying a complete PC and taking the floppy out and then discarding the rest of the computer. At least, the amount they charge for the optional floppy drive would make this seem to be the case These controls don't have lots of memory as compared to PC's either, so it has always been necessary to have some means of swapping programs in and out of any specific machine. Lots of machines are still in operation which have tape readers. Some of these have to use a card called a BTR or behind the tape reader card. This enables the machine to think its still reading data from a punched tape, when its actually reading from the memory installed on the BTR. Programs can be called from the server and downloaded into the BTR memory, and most have provisions where, if the program has to be modified at the machine to get satisfactory parts, this modified program can be uploaded back to the server. A program like camback helps facilitate all this switching and swapping, and allows access to some central storage location where all programs used in the plant are stored. One might wonder why a company would go thru all this instead of just doing a PC based retrofit and having an 80 gig hard drive at every machine. Reliability is probably one of the biggest reasons. For example, I've got a couple Okuma turning centers in my shop which are 22 years old, and the control has never been touched on either machine for any repair of any kind during that time. A person wouldn't expect reliability even approaching this level from a PC. So, you spend 1500 bucks per machine and add a BTR. Now you can plug in a laptop and load a program into the BTR memory. Or, since a laptop that's considered obsolete for most uses will still work fine for transferring files, you can put a $50 yard sale special laptop at each machine and leave it there. This approach works fine for the small shop, but you can easily see in a big plant you'd have some guy running around all day long delivering and picking up floppies and trying to remember which machine they came from or which one they go to. Not a pretty sight. So they use a DNC network and a program like camback or a similar one to replace the floppy jockey. Your guess that this type setup would be of little use to the home machinist is correct. But, to a manufacturer with tens or even hundreds of CNC machines, it's an invaluable tool for inventorying, distributing, and controlling access to hundreds of different programs.

[CAMback]

metlmunchr, thanks for this detailed explanation of what DNC is all about!
You have really pointed out the difficulties of integrating good old CNC machines and even newer models into current PC/network environments!