Bridgeport VMC Communications

[Mr. P]

I am hoping someone can help me out with the key strokes needed to start file transfers (up and down) from the PC to a Bridgeport VMC 22/16 w/ FANUC 21 control. I am mostly interested in the sequence of keystrokes at the control. I am using the CIMCO editor in Mastercam. This is a new machine we recently purchased at our school over the summer and unfortunatly for us Bridgeport technical support services are no longer available.

Any help for this stressed teacher would be greatly apreciated.

My school email is [email protected]

 

Thanks in advance....

 

Bob [email protected]

[TimHollis]

Good Day, Mr P.

 

Go to the bottom of my The Grap-vine post, Its on page 2 right now, Click on the link to EMI web site, these are the people who will help you. When you get there I'm sure you will want to save them in your favorites. I can not say enough good things about how helpfull they were for me.

 

 

The Ex-pat

[heeler]

Mr. P did you find out? If not email me and I'll go out to our machines and get the exact process.

 

[email protected]

[chris m]

The operators manual for the Fanuc control should have the info you are looking for

 

I don't know if this is the same but on the Fanuc 18 you press the EDIT hardkey, then the OPRT softkey, then extend to get the READ softkey, then the EXEC softkey.

 

If the sequence is correct you should get a flashing "LSK" in the bottom right corner of the screen

[rmavts]

Thanks all for the quick replies. Couple more questions. Do you type in the filename you are sending/receiving? If so where? Can you read the directory on the PC like you are able to read from the card? Still stumped! Well the kidddies are throwing things, I will check about in a little while.

[McRae]

File name is not manditory if it exists as the first line of the program.

 

If not use the following

Read

 

O1000 (Oh , one, zero, zero, zero) as a default program number then

 

Exec

 

This should work.

 

Check the manual for a best description. Comm Parameters must match also and there could be some rewind stop codes and program end characters that you may need. Again, the manual is precident.

 

[ 11-07-2002, 02:47 PM: Message edited by: Andrew McRae ]

[Mr. P]

Thanks again for all the help. Got the LSK flashing on the corner of the screen, but acording to FANUC manual, INPUT should be there after selecting file-send in Mastercam. Not here..Oh well must be cable problem. Back to the drawing board..

[Shop Floor Automations-Predator SW]

Mr. P-

 

The cable is basic on this control:

 

For a DB25 pin on the PC to Fanuc:

1-----Earth Ground on PC connector

2-----3

3-----2

4 - 5 jumped together on CNC

6-8-20 jumped together on CNC

7-----7 signal ground

 

If your cable is good, you will normally get the LSK flashing if your jumpers are ok. If 4-5 / 6-8-20 are not right you will get an alarm when you attempt to read.

 

Visit your local Radio Shack for part #276-1401 and get an RS232 tester for $15.00. Your best investment. Put this inline and it will tell you if you are getting signal.

 

We have complete documentation on this tester as well as troubling steps on CNC communications.If you don't want to bother with the making of the RS232 cable, and want to eliminate soldiering and crimping, visit our website for a Predator Grizzly Cable. Simply plug and communicate! Support for baud rates up to 38.4+ and up to 300 feet from the PC.

[chris m]

I believe that the "LSK" will change to "INPUT" on the screen when the CNC starts receiving data.

 

Make sure that your baud rate and parity are set correctly so that the communication software and the CNC match.

 

You may want to download the Cimco Edit demo [good for 30 days] and try the settings for "Generic ISO" or "Generic Fanuc" or whatever they call it.

 

C

[McRae]

The Baud, PArity, etc - can be found in the machine parameters. Refer to the manual and look up these values. Go to the machine and find these paramaters and then write them into the manual and then Initial and date your entry.

 

If you are anything like me, you will be looking for this information a thousand times or more.

 

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS - Back up the machine parameters... Burn them to a CDROM - and keep it with you essential Financial information - locked away in a fire proof safe - offsite! You may need them one day when the PNC unit takes a power serge and a new board comes in from Japan.

 

Even more important now that the machine manufacturer is out of business. (unless G&L buy up the remains and catalogue all the old crap - Like they did with Warner and Swazy, K&T, etc...)

 

[ 11-08-2002, 08:29 AM: Message edited by: Andrew McRae ]