We are searching for a solution to allow our vintage Fanuc 3M-A equipped milling machine to run more complex programs. From the factory the Fanuc 3 does not allow drip feeding or direct execution from the tape reader. To make things worse, the control only has 16 KB of internal memory (6 KB of which are eaten up by parameters), making this machine EXTREMELY limited.

We have talked to the people at Memex and Nexas up in Canada several times asking about their ROM upgrade and for a machine this old in a struggling machine shop, $1250 is a big deal. Last I called it sounded like they don't even carry the chips anymore, or maybe they are sitting in a box somewhere in the warehouse collecting dust unbeknownst to the receptionist?

If anyone has a clue where we can get our hands on these ROMs, new or used, you'd be a hero in our book. Maybe someone has recently decommissioned a Fanuc 3 equipped with the upgrade and is willing to read the ROMS for us or sell us the chips? We'd be happy to fairly compensate you.

If all else fails I had this idea to use a micro-controller and a modified version of DNC software to "simulate" the drip feed function that comes with the upgraded ROMs. This solution would be less elegant but simpler in design since it would interface with the control by directly controlling the panel via relays. I explain the details of this concept in the short video below.

LINK:

Has anyone heard of something like this? I am certain it will work if I can make all the I/O connections and get the Arduino to send text via serial.

Thanks!
Justin

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