Need Help!- XModem Problem with Uploading

[paulpeter]

Hy,

my name is Tim and I'am from Germany. First I apologize for my poor school english. I and my father has a small mold and die shop running in Germany and we own three HAAS machines (one with a Mikron VCE sign).
I really like the HAAS machines because of there stability and the excellent price/performance ratio. So on I like the CNC Zone forum ´, especially the HAAS threads because in Germany there are not so much users that use the opportunities of the internet.
I used the search in the cnczone intensively without an answer for my problem.
Now I have a big problem with our Serial data transmission. Normally we use the "XModem" Protocol for downloading to the machine memory and for DNC mode on the newer HAAS machines (VF2 with 15k spindle without Ethernet and a VF2SS). The results are perfect! We do not have any problems with the highest baud rate (115.200 Baud/s , 8 Databits 1 StopBit, No Parity) and the transmission never collapse.
But with our dnc software I do not found any possibility to use "XMODEM" also for uploading from the machine. The problem seems to be the start sign from the machine and the answer sign (which do not comes I thought) from the software.

So when I have to upload some programms I switch the settings to "XON/XOFF" with the same baudrate 8Databits 1 Stopbit and Even Parity. I need the high baudrate because the programs are very large and the cable length is smaller then 2 Meters.
So yesterday I had the "worst case". I download an earlier uploaded NC Code to the machine and start it. It was hardened steel (1.3343) and after the machine cuts some steps down it rans right across the part with a full width cut of 5mm in Z => a 20mm "Depo" Cutter breaks!! Luckily I stood in front of the machine and could stop it. So the problem was a wrong sign when uploading with "XON XOFF". The NC Code was a 3D surface finishing with many G1 code.
The correct code was:
...
X15.991 Y17.785
X16.107 Y17.794
..
The error code was:
...
X15.991 Y17.785
X1E9 Y17.794
..
The result was that the machine DO NOT move to X16.107, it move to X0.001 => a disaster!

So that this problem NEVER occur anymore I'm searching a solution for uploading with the preferred "XMODEM" protocol. Can anybody tell me if it is possible and if it is what settings? And what software do you use? We use SDNC from Surfware. But I also tried it with Hyperterminal without success.

Thank you very much for your help!!

Best wishes from Germany!

Timm

[gar]

080129-0756 EST USA

paulpeter:

Some quick comments.

When not using XMODEM I suggest that you use 7 data bits (saves you 10% in time vs 8), 1 stop bit, even parity, hardware handshake. Make sure that RS232 FIFO buffers are disabled in the sending computer.

If you have low capacitance cable, 15 pfd per ft, then your 2 meter cable is probably OK at 115.2 kbaud. If 70 pfd per ft, then maybe marginal.

Your error was a loss of a number of characters, quite likely a buffer problem rather than noise. I have a number of customers that do mold work at 115.2 kbaud without XMODEM and no errors.

Later I will try to provide information relative to XMODEM.

.

[gar]

080130-2154 EST USA

paulpeter:

I have just tried using HyperTerminal in Xmodem mode to send to a HAAS VF-0 at 115.2 kbaud and it functions fine thru a three wire connection.

This means pins 4 and 5 at HAAS are jumpered, but this should not be necessary. Pin 2 of HAAS to pin 2 of 9 pin IBM, pin 3 to pin 3, and HAAS pin 7 jumpered to pin 1 and connected to IBM pin 5. Pin 7 is jumpered to pin 8 at IBM, but should not be necessary.

I used 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, and at the PC XON/XOFF was selected, but actually may be ignored. At HAAS you can not simultaneously enable XON/XOFF and XMODEM. So the only choice is XMODEM.

It should be noted that as soon as HAAS is put into DNC by double tapping MDI that HAAS repetitively sends an initiation signal to the PC. This displays on the HyperTerminal screen.

.