DNC software

[Jeremy Herron@DBS Solutions™]

The boss has finally decided he wants to purchase a DNC system with some kind of version control for the shop. I was just wondering what you guys were using and pros and cons of the different systems out there.

 

thanks in advance.

[htm01]

DNC SOFTWARE was just covered

[jeff]

What do you mean by "version control"?

A lot of people in this forum swear by Cimco DNC-MAX.

I've used it in the past and it's pretty damn good.

[Jimmy Wakeford from Barefoot CNC]

There's alot of good dnc software out there. I'd say the top 3 are cimco,extreme dnc and predator. Just make dure whatever you go with meets your specific requirements.

 

The bigger issue to decide is what hardware to use.

Straight rs232 from pc with multi-serial io board

Network multi-serial io and rs232

Single port serial to ether at each machine

Or wireless

 

I think currently the most reliable is single port to ether adapters at each machine, but wireles has come a long way and is a close second (of course its a little more pricey.)

[Chris Rizzo]

Single port serial to ether at each machine

 

So a single serial out of the dnc pc, into a ether cable, then back to a serial adapter at each machine?

 

What about ether to serial servers?

[MIL-TFP-41]

another worthy program worth mentioning is Multi-DNC. It has some features dealing with version control that might be right up your alley.

[Todd Tracey from Fastech]

I used and I know several companies using Multi-DNC. It worked great for me feeding 16 machines using a Rocket Port board. It also can work with the Ethernet to RS-232 equipment in todays market

[chris m]

We have [32] machines right now on a 25,000 sq ft manufacturing floor on wireless DNC with one access point that is wired into our shop-floor network hub, running DNCMax 6, and the system is just bulletproof. Programs on the server are backed up when a program is sent back from the machine, we use remote request from the machine on about [10] different controls with no problem; the system is just beautiful. Once you go this route you will wonder why you ever did it any other way.

 

C

[Tony35]

i was just going to start a thread on this since we are looking to upgrade here too.

right now we use predator but im looking at the DNC max

i would like to use the ethernet connections on the machines that support it.

drip feed the older machines/all machines if needed, call in length offsets from the presetter.

does anybody use NC base for file tracking/version control etc?

[Mick]

We have 26 CNC machines. They are all served by Cimco DNC Max. The operators request programmes via a bar code, and it works flawlessly. The machines are connected back to the DNC server, via a Moxa Nport Server (serial to ethernet switch).

 

Stephen Biehl from S4A did our setup. He, and S4A, come highly recommended from me!

[Jayson Kramer]

i was just going to start a thread on this since we are looking to upgrade here too.

right now we use predator but im looking at the DNC max

i would like to use the ethernet connections on the machines that support it.

drip feed the older machines/all machines if needed, call in length offsets from the presetter.

does anybody use NC base for file tracking/version control etc?

Tony have you talked with Predator to see if they have all the options you want so it is a just an upgrade?

[jimp]

I used and I know several companies using Multi-DNC. It worked great for me feeding 16 machines using a Rocket Port board. It also can work with the Ethernet to RS-232 equipment in todays market

 

Using Multi-DNC works well we are feeding 8 machines.