Mazak Matrix DPRNT problem/ 887 alarm

[marcwdci]

We recently installed our product on a Mazak with a recent-vintage Matrix control and needed to use DPRNT and a macro to command our device. First problem we ran into was a lack of any RS232 port native to control, Resolution was to install a USB/serial adapter to the CPU and install a Windows driver. After much mucking about, we learned from a well-informed Mazak guy that contrary to the documentation, COM3 and COM4 were not usable in this configuration. So we "uninstalled" the driver currently married to COM2 and attaced the USB driver (Keyspan) to COM2.
After all this, we were able to talk to our device via DPRNT, setup macros, and everything worked ok.

Problem started a few days later- machine would randomly stop with an "887 TAPE I/O ERROR" alarm, which could be resolved by hitting reset.
We have spent a lot of time trying to solve this one; our device is "write only" with handshaking taken care of by the connector (DB9) or turned off completely at the control.
Pertinent parameters in the Mazak:
DPR1 (baud) 5 (9600)
DPR8 (insert cr) 0
DPR9 (handshaking) tried 0 (no handshaking) tried 2 (RTS/CTS)
DPR12 (waiting time) was 5, now 10
DPR14 (com port) 1 (COM2)
DPR16 (DPRNT port selection) 1 (COM2)

This problem appears to occur at random, with no correlation to other events.

Any ideas??

[guypb]

Hey Marc, hope you are well and business is good.

I have tried exactly what you are trying. I was given documentation by Mazak to turn a USB-Serial device into a COM port that the NC side of the control recognises. This consisted of setting DPR16 to 1, and then registering the COM port in device manager to COM3 or COM4 and setting DPR14 to 2 or 3 accordingly.

I tried this on 2 machines with a Keyspan USA19HS adaptor.

I couldn't get it to work. I set DPR16=1 & DPR14=2 (COM3)

Mazak then provided me with a list of "tried and tested" adaptors. The Keyspan WAS NOT on that list - so I assumed the problem was the USB adaptor, not the Mazak procedure.

What you are saying goes against that in that you got a Keyspan to work (intermittently) but didn't use COM3 or COM4.

Anyway - this doesn't diagnose your problem specifically - and I will be surprised if you get much luck outside of Mazak but I am happy to exchange notes. The problem you have sounds very much like a handshaking or driver issue, though I wouldn't put it past being a flaky protocol. I don't suffer issues on Matrix controls but some Fusions need a longer wait time (DPR12), and 1 Fusion I have worked on ALWAYS produces an 887 eventually.

There is a new (cost) option from Mazak called "DPRNT Plus" (developed here in Europe) that uses virtual COM ports and bypasses the dreaded 887 alarm. I have done some tests at Mazak with "DPRNT Plus" and it is far more stable.

Let me know if you want to swap notes..

[aravind]

Hi,
I am trying enable USB to serial to a MAZAK Matrix nexus ,installation of the driver to Windows on the machine is successfull and appears in device manager.But I/O settings and any parameters related to TAP and DPR(COM) is not visible and I can not use the PORT,please tell me is there any parameter I need to change on the NC side ?
Thanks in Advance.
Aravind

[marcwdci]

Aravind, all--

Just got back from resolving (I hope) that long running issue with the Matrix USB serial DPRNT issue, and here is my suggestion- don't use a USB serial adapter!
We finally got the real-deal serial adapter cable from Mazak (PN D65USA00280) and installed it and removed the USB adapter and driver. The Mazak cable accesses a REAL pc com port and so far, works well and no issues. (We need at least a week of no alarms to be satisfied)

Aravind, I don't really trust the USB adapter configuration, at least in our application, but if you need or want to make it work here are some tips:

First, you need to establish the USB adapter as COM2- it doesn't work as COM3 or COM4. To do this, you have to un-install the native COM2 driver. Menu chain control panel >system >hardware >device manager >ports(com lpt) >communications port (com2) >driver >uninstall.

Then back up and follow >ports (com lpt) >Keyspan USB (what we used) >port settings >advanced >select COM2

You may also have to go into the USB adapter's supplied software "tool kit" (Keyspan Serial Assistant in our case) and manage BAUD and other settings from there. This may be redundant to the control panel menu chain, I am a little vague on the details, since my latest work on it was to rip it all out and go with the Mazak cable.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck with it, and if you see occasional 887 alarms, I recommend ditching the USB adapter and going the other way. We tried changing various parameters and got no where for a long time.

Marc

[aravind]

Marc,
Thanks for the reply'
eventually I may have to go for it(serial adapter cable from Mazak)
but my current problem is, I am not able to see COM Or COM related parameters at all on the control ;(
I?O settings doesnot exist.

[marcwdci]

Aravind-

To your specific question, I know what you mean now, and I can't exactly remember how I got around that issue. I think when you are in the user parameter display there is a soft-key selection for "display map" or something like that- enter that and you get a category display where you can highlight "DNC/other under communications/I/O. I am sorry I can't remember exactly where it is- it always takes me a minute to find it,(don't see that many new Mazaks) but it's in there.

Marc

[aravind]

Hi Marc,
Thanks for the reply.
I will try to find in user parameters area.
-Aravind