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Best way to load programs into older Haas?

kunfuzed

By kunfuzed,
in Industrial Forum

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kunfuzed Rookie

kunfuzed

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So i've got a 2001 VF-0 with a floppy drive, and RS232 of course.  I think Ethernet was an option back then, since there's a labeled knock out for it.

 

Anyways, getting tired of dealing with the Floppy, and I know there's some floppy emulators out there, but you're still limited to 1.44mb.

 

In a perfect world, I'd like to be able to post to some sort of network drive, and then just be able to load at the controller without doing a send/recieve, but I think you need Ethernet to do that? Or I would be happy with an emulator that allows full functionality of a USB stick's capacity.

 

So questions... Do you know if an older machine can be reasonably upgraded to Ethernet, and would it do what I want it to?  And then what would you do in this situation to make loading programs as easy as possible, within financial reason.  This would probably be worth dropping a G-spot on to me... maybe. lol.

 

Thanks!

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mkd Newbie

mkd

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Having a similar era Haas, I researched it. The net cards they first made were no bueno. And they have no upgrade, so haas has moved on.

Only option is a total rewire to a new computer hardware or the forklift option.

Sending over 232 and DNCing works great and is only a minor inconvenience

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Colin Gilchrist Proficient

Colin Gilchrist

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Why not just run a DNC Cable from your computer to the Haas? It only takes a length of Ethernet cable, a DB9 and a DB25 connector, and some solder. I've made a DNC Cable for less than $5 dollars when I had a spare length of cable that I could appropriate.

 

Mastercam itself comes with Communications software that handles the DNC duties.

 

Those Calmotion boxes are nice, but are also kind of expensive, considering that it just acts as a link between the USB drive, and the RS-232 port. The exception being, when you have to run a long length of cable, which causes you to slow down your baud rate.

 

A simple DNC connection only requires hooking up 3 wires total. Some connection protocols with better capability still only require hooking up 5 wires.

 

Here is a great link from CIMCO, which I highly recommend for DNC Communications and shop floor management:

 

http://www.cimco.com/docs/cimco_dnc-max/v7/en/#RS232SC

 

That will show you how to configure a basic serial cable.

 

If you don't want to run a long cable (maybe your computer is really far away), then just buy the cheapest computer you can find. Even a computer from the same vintage as your Haas (2001) could handle DNC communications. Then just place the computer on a small table or desk next to the machine, run a short serial cable from the COM Port on the computer (DB9) to the DB25 on the Haas Control.

 

I believe that knowing how to setup a DNC link between a machine and a computer is a fundamental part of being a programmer in this day and age. I'm sure there are those that would disagree, but I was able to figure this out while taking manual machining courses in college, when the instructor asked me to help him figure it out. That was about 1996-1997. RS-232 has been around for a loooooong time. (70's or 80's).

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Colin Gilchrist Proficient

Colin Gilchrist

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You could go on Craigslist, and find a free, or very cheap computer for these duties. I bet you could get a computer for $25 or less that would be more than capable as a DNC server. You don't have to hook it up to the Internet. All it will do is send data to the Haas, then pause and wait for the handshake signal to tell it to send more data.

 

The one thing that is becoming hard to find these days is a computer with an actual COM port, which is why I recommend looking for and older computer.

 

If you are going to try and use you main programming computer, then there are a couple options. You can get a PCI card to add to your computer that has a COM port, or there are "COM" adapters available that plug into your computer with a USB connection, that give you one or two COM ports.

 

In general, if you are setting up DNC, make sure to go to the COM Port settings, and disable the FI/FO buffers.

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kunfuzed Rookie

kunfuzed

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We actually just installed one of these on a 2001 VF5 at my "day job", lol. So far so good, just like a new haas with the USB option, except it doesn't let you load more than 1.44mb.

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kunfuzed Rookie

kunfuzed

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Hey thanks for the input Colin! You are always a wealth of knowledge. RS232 will definitely get the job done, but I was just looking to see if there was a holly grail of post, and then walk over to the machine and load, with out going back and forth for send/receive. Much appreciated input though!

 

I most likely will be going with one of those USB upgrades one of these days.

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Colin Gilchrist Proficient

Colin Gilchrist

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I'm always happy to help. I've gotten so much benefit from my participation on this forum over the years, that it always makes me feel good to give back however I can. It is certainly nice to be able to post to a USB, then just walk over to the machine and have everything needed on that little stick.

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kunfuzed Rookie

kunfuzed

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I'm always happy to help. I've gotten so much benefit from my participation on this forum over the years, that it always makes me feel good to give back however I can. It is certainly nice to be able to post to a USB, then just walk over to the machine and have everything needed on that little stick.

In my case, it's probably the easiest. One machine, one programmer, one operator, one computer... lol

 

There is a 2005 VF3SS that I'm trying to decide if I should she'll out the change for, which already haas the ethernet option. Is my understanding correct that with ether net you can post directly to the haas's hard drive, or just be able to browse your network for the program from the machine without having to "send" from the computer? To me that seems like the ultimate setup.

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Colin Gilchrist Proficient

Colin Gilchrist

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Yes, that's the gist of it. You'll need to setup things like the IP address, which port to use, and things like network security if you use it, but all that will be explained in the Haas manual. It's about as foolproof as you can get for the actual transfer of the programs. It will also depend on how much internal memory comes on the machine. You'll still be limited at some level by the Haas Control storing programs in what is essentially "RAM" memory. I don't believe the Haas has an actual Hard Disk (although I'm not sure on the "new" machines). So if your programs are too big to fit entirely in the control memory, then you'll be forced to run DNC. (Which, in itself, isn't necessarily a bad thing.)

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