Communications

[machtek]

Outgrown our current multibox rs232 communications that use win95. Thinking about Cimco DND MAX 5 with a workstation on each controller (26 machines O-M's and O-t's) or serial to ethernet converters on each machine. Our IT dept has a custom 2000pro version.

Any Input either way??

 

Thanks All

[Watcher]

Serial to ethernet converters. It´s the less expensive option IMO. In order to avoid spend a good money with cables and its disadvantages (cable passing, visual pollution, broken segments due to the circulation on the shop floor, etc), i would reccomend a wireless solution. In the most of times the money spent with the wires and its implementation are greater than a wireless solution.

 

Just my 2 cents

[machtek]

Not really looking for the cheapest way, we have an electrician in house for the running of the wires. I thought opening mail capability might be handy in the workstation method.

[Watcher]

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Thinking about Cimco DND MAX 5 with a workstation on each controller

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I don´t know if I misunderstood, but do you intend to put one Workstation PC to communicate with each machine or a workstation to manage the communications with all of them? (the usual way)

 

Just wondering, why do you want mail capability on each workstation?

[Guest]

quote:

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Thinking about Cimco DND MAX 5 with a workstation on each controller

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We upgraded from Cimco DNCMax V4 to V5, I love this package, the system rawks

 

I do not what you are thinking about in this method. Cimco has the ability to have the programs called in directly from the machine control. 1 computer can host the server and the files and the machine can call the file straight from the control.

 

I would sugesst contacting your local Cimco resller for a discussion about your needs.

[machtek]

Watcher, Yes a workstation on each cnc machine. I think this will open a more solid line of com. for job costing standards as well as causing the machinist to edit the header of the program per our ISO standards.

John, I have discused each method with my reseller. I hoped to get input on how this is being done in other shops.

 

Thanks

[Watcher]

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I would sugesst contacting your local Cimco resller for a discussion about your needs.

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+1 John!

[Watcher]

quote:

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as well as causing the machinist to edit the header of the program per our ISO standards.

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I guess that buy workstations for these purposes is too much. You could purchase some cheap standard machines (XP SP2/ 128Mb Ram - BRAND name PC) and run on them copies of Cimco Edit through floating licenses. Barely the operators will use all the copies at the same time, so, I think that 10 or less floating copies of Cimco Edit with NCBase Client would be enough. Through NCBase client (NCBase has an interface within Cimco Edit, so is possible to work with Cimco Edit and NCBase on the same environment), the users can make the changes on the programs and update them on the database. In the next time, DNC Max will bring the latest version to control.

You can run DNC Max Server on a dedicated workstation if you want, using the way stated by Jonh, above. This is an interesting manner, IMHO.

[Guest]

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You can run DNC Max Server on a dedicated workstation if you want,

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We do it to maintain documentation and revision control. I cannot have out of date programs that might be sitting in directories. I maintain all of the files and documentation.

[machtek]

I had hoped to get an e-mail from each operator upon completion of the job with a brief summary of what might have gone wrong or improvements.

[Roger Peterson]

modern machine shop article

 

Here's a pretty good article on wirefree dnc from the last MMS issue.

[machtek]

Thanks Roger, I read that article and decided the wireless system was cool but didn't see where it would benifit my app. I will probably think different if we ever get a strike so specific but I think the chances are extremely remote at best. What do you use for com?

[P_Scott]

machtek,

 

You can't go wrong with Cimco Integration products. They are second to none in the DNC world and are competitively priced. You get unbelievable software value for the price. Wireless is the BOMB. Even if you don't think your plant will ever get struck by lightning, there are so many other advantages to getting the wireless DNC system. There is a shop right behind us that uses a Cimco DNC Max wireless system. They just recently purchased another VMC and had it up and running within minutes after the machine tool company installed the machine. All it required for the wireless DNC was the installation of a new receiver and programming the software with the new wireless address of the machine. It would've taken much longer had DNC wires needed to be strung and connected. Not to mention that the machines can be moved anywhere on the shop floor without the concern of re-connecting cables or not having enough length on a cable to move the machine where you want to. It simply is the best. We've installed wireless DNC now for many of our clients. Some large (60 machines), some small (4-5 machines). The end result is always the same. It just works better than anything and always beyond expectations. HTH