Best way for data transfer?

[pontiacg5]

I currently transfer programs to and from my machines using a netbook and Mazak data transfer version A.3. I would like to network all of my machines together to a local server so there would be no need for the netbook anymore.

Is there a logical way to do this? I know that one of our machines has a hardwired cable added to the parallel port that was most likely used for data transfer, so I think it is possible.

Can anyone point me in a good direction for getting them all hooked together? I've looked a little on the internet but there is not much info on the subject around.

[Al_The_Man]

Cadem.com specialize in this.
Al.

[dcoupar]

Most modern CNC machines don't have a parallel port. They are usually equipped with an RS-232 serial port for communications. I'd look at www.predator-software.com. They build complete systems for networking all of your CNC's.

[pontiacg5]

No, most of these machines go all the way back to T-32 and T Plus, there are a few Fusions though, but I am pretty sure most of them have parallel ports.

I think Cadem's system is set up more towards drip feeding G-code to old tape drive machines, right? I don't think any of our machines have a tape drive and most of our programming is done in mazatrol. Can you drip feed mazatrol programs?

Thanks for the tips, any help is greatly appreciated!

[psychomill]

On the older controls, you might be confusing ports to be a 'parallel' port (are you looking in the electrical cabinet on a drive?). Depending on the model of the machine, look on the side or front of the control for an access panel. Should see a serial RS-232 port which is for the communications.

Let's make sure your terminology is "right" about the program types. You can drip feed G-code programs (EIA if you have the option) but you can't drip feed Mazatrol conversational programs (not that you really should need to in most cases). What format are your programs?

Next, you can network all of these using what you have. You can load the software onto a desktop PC for a server (or into a server) and use a serial channel box to control which machine is sending/receiving data. This works fine if you only have a handful of machines to deal with. There are even serial boxes with a USB port to link to PC. Beyond that, DNC software like CADem or Predator or Cimco etc, etc would be ideal for a number of reasons.

[pontiacg5]

I know these are not serial ports, they are parallel ports. A serial port has 9 pins, a parallel port has 25 pins. These machines have 2 parallel ports, each behind a panel by the monitor. They are marked COM, ROBOT, TAPE etc..
Most of these machines are 2000 and older, if that helps.

Most of our machines are 2 axis lathes, so Mazatrol usually works just fine for programming on those so most of the programs that I need to transfer to those machines will be Mazatrol programs.
There are a few 2.5 axis lathes though, and sometimes we do use g-code programs if there is going to be a lot of live tooling work on certain programs, but a lot of the time the live tooling is not used and Mazatrol programming works just fine.
Then there are the mills, and while most of our programming for those machines is done in Mazatrol, we are starting to use G-code more often. G-code takes up a lot more space so transferring programs gets to be an issue.

I would like to be able to have a server set up with all of our programs saved on it that is linked to all of the machines. Preferably, you would be able to load programs from the machine without having to leave it. However it seems most systems designed that way only work with drip feeding g-code programs which would mean only 1/2 of our programs would be easily accessible. (I know the machines have EIA as an option, one of the machinists was telling me about drip feeding g-code through a tape drive as well)

The setup we are using now (Mazak data transfer) only lets you load or receive one program at a time. So if it was necessary to move more than one program you would be walking back and forth from the machine to the computer a whole bunch.

Anyway, my question is; Will DNC software like CADem let me transfer Mazatrol programs? If not is there another system that can transfer Mazatrol programs and g-code programs as well?

[dcoupar]

PC serial ports used to be 25 pin until DB9 became the standard. Most CNC controls (that aren't PC based, i.e. Fadal, etc) have 25 pin serial ports.

Very few CNC machines have parallel ports. Please don't plug a parallel device into your control. The fact that the port is labeled "COM" is a pretty good indication that's a serial port. The "TAPE" port may be parallel as some of the old tape punches had parallel interfaces.

Predator DNC will transfer both G-code and Mazatrol programs. I've installed several systems on Mazaks... haven't seen a parallel port yet.