Feet to Meg conversion

[gcode]

Older NC machines measure their memory capacity

in feet of tape. Does anyone know how many kilobytes are in a foot of tape.

We have an older machine that does not DNC well.

It gives its "memory left" in feet so we need to know the conversion factor so we can chop up the program into digestible bites. TIA

 

[ 10-09-2002, 09:42 AM: Message edited by: gcode ]

[Keith Graydon]

Well I know this,

One line block of code can be a single command (2 spaces, like M1) or it can have as many spaces as there are columns on the screen, 39? 40 maybe. Each line block is an increment of that tape Length. It is linear rather than volumetric.

 

I know that dont help 'tho

 

We've got some old Monarch VMC's like that

 

KLG

[Roger Martin from CNC Software]

Each punched row (across the tape) takes up 1 byte of memory. If my memory serves there are 10 punches per linear inch of tape. So, 120 bytes of information per foot of tape. One kilobyte is 1024 bytes, so 1024 / 120 = 8.53333... feet of tape.

[jeff]

EWWW tape punches,

too many bad memories!

[P_Scott]

gcode,

 

Is it possible to "drip feed" to that machine? Are there any I/O ports on the control? Data Buffer? I can't imagine a CNC control without some form of connection to receive data. HTH

 

[ 10-11-2002, 08:37 AM: Message edited by: Peter Scott ]

[gcode]

The machine has DNC capabilities, but it is an older machine and I'm told that is is dangerously unreliable. We ended up using the chook "section"

to break the progam up into managable "bytes"

[McRae]

Ever consider a BTR board that will emulate the tape reader. I have had several of these and used them with great success on most of the vintage equipment that was in the old shop. Now all the memory is in the local desktop computer - we used old 486's with a dos based communications package. I am sure that with a proper board, that CIMCO can offer a cost effective solution.

[Roger]

Roger Martin is correct.

1 ft. =120.00146 bytes

If you have The machinist toolbox software, look under conversions.

 

It has all of this.

 

1 character = .96025 bytes

[MetalMarvels]

YIKES!!

 

Punch tape - talk about "hanging chad" issues when your puncher doesn't quite remove the little circles somewhere in the middle of the strip.....................

 

I keep an old tape around to show to a younger guy when he complains about how slow 56K is.

[cadcam]

Gcode on the FTP in Unspeified uploads you will find this file (Tape to Character Conversions.doc)hope this helps.

 

[ 10-12-2002, 11:28 AM: Message edited by: cadcam ]

[SLJ]

56K slow?

Put him on an old carterphone(?) terminal. 10 characters a second. Seems years ago