Can this be done?

[mowens]

OK, here it is. We have a division in another state. We are about to be overloaded and want to send some work down there. Management wants to be able to post to more than one machine at a time, rather than each division posting it's own programs. They're worried about configuration control, so they want it set up so that if a change needs to be made it will automatically update each divisions programs with one posting. Is this possible? Would you do it with one giant post or could you write a little script to send it to different posts?

Thanks for any help.

BTW, each division is running mastercam, but they're still running 8 and 9 and we're on X. Supposedly they are upgrading.

[mayday]

Good effin luck

tell ya what, send the work to me and I'll turn it around in no time. Done deal

[KLR]

It is possible, but you need mega mega mucho ITT talent or else it would not be possible, the routing of such a system would be intense nd integration would be a nightmare. I suggest you consult with a group of savvy computer geeks. At one of the shops I worked for they went completely wireless and the parent company is in Michigan and believe me it was crazy for a while! We would download to the machines and the signals would get crossed, etc.

 

Good Luck,

KLR

[Chris Rizzo]

M2c,

 

sounds like a true management scheme. Something that looks great on paper and would "theoretically" increase efficency xx%, but those of us in the trenches we know that theory and shop reality can be a far stretch sometimes.

 

sorry I don't have anything other than scarcam to add.

 

edit:

 

quote:

---

but they're still running 8 and 9 and we're on X.

---

there's a good reason NOT TO right there. Many more posting related features in X that certainly arn't supported in 8 or even 9.

[mowens]

I've been looking through some old threads and I've found some talking about multipost vbs scripts. This sounds like what I'm looking for. I just have to figure out how to use it; I don't know anything about VBS. Also, these were for 8 and 9 I think. Is anyone doing this on X?

 

Thanks

[jterry QTE Manufacturing]

This can be done with a post.exe file set up to

post multiple machines at one time. You will need

to find someone to write this executable for you.

If they are good at code they can even use some logic to ask some questions as to what machines the code must post for. This way it only post what is needed and takes up less space on your network.

 

Good Luck

[resjun]

I know one guy that can do all that work for you.

but Unfortunately he got nailed to the cross. you need a miracle worker

[mowens]

Actually, I think I have the multipost visual basic script off the ftp site modified to do essentially what I want, seems to work in X; maybe not exactly but I think it's on the right track. I think the machines are enough alike we can use the same machine and control defs. Looks like it so far, anyway.

[Roger Peterson]

mowens, do plenty of testing using the vbs script. From the quick testing I did several months ago this vbs script did work. However, it works just as it did in 9, it only changes the .pst file. It did not use the different settings in the control def for that post. Like you said, if the machines are similar enough it will work and you can always override a lot of these settings in the post using the pprep$ postblock.

 

 

HTH

[mowens]

Our control def is pretty generic, but I've just been testing with a dummy post. I don't have the one for the other machines yet. I'm still trying to get some of the script to work. I modified the assemble paths section for our use, but I can only use one variable. For some reason, it doesn't seem to work with two. Maybe I've done something wrong.

 

'assemble paths

strCNC_1 = "Y:CNC Programs1000-1099" & subfolder & "" & postnumber1

strCNC_2 = "Y:CNC Programs1000-1099" & subfolder & "" & postnumber2

[DC Gorn]

Seems like a nightmare. Do all machines have that same X,Y & Z travel, Horse Power, rigidity? Do you make all programs to wimpest machine? does not sound like a money maker to me.

[mowens]

Those are issues that we have pointed out to management; they pretty much just say make it work. One issue is feedrate. We run anywhere from 150 to 500 ipm. They have the same machine, albeit an older version, and they run 30 to 50 ipm. I don't see how that's going to work without a separate program. Rigidity and horsepower won't really be an issue because of the material we cut. I think it's going to end up where we have this shiny new process that gives the hire ups warm fuzzies, but actually do it the sensible way.

[jeff]

Have you tried contacting CNC Software?

Just a thought.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

V8 is no bueno on the VB Scripts. JIC you were wondering.

 

Yeah it's a daunting task. To make it successful will require ONE facility to manage and implement it. You'll need to get your IT geek involved. No way around that one.

 

Posting to a Shared Network Directory is no biggie. Posting to multiple machines will take a bit of legwork. You'll need to find some specifics about their machines to make it work.

 

You've got mail.

[Jimmy Wakeford from Barefoot CNC]

I have wrote several posts that post to multiple controls since v6. Has cool and neat as it sounds in theory it is better to have one post per machine.

 

If you are set on the idea of posting once I would suggest posting code to one machine and having a :change app convert to the other.

 

Another cool option is to just save the nci and upon calling to machine the dnc sys opens the nci and posts on the fly. (way custom)

 

The problem with posting multiples is usually the tool numbers. this can be overcome by creating text tool libraries for each machine and parsing strings for tool for toolnumber.

 

I guess my point is that the rabbit hole on this goes very very deep.