Meldas M64s Setup for Ethernet

I have a 2005 generic Taiwan-made VMC with a Mitsubishi Meldas 64s control. I've gotten a lot of help from this community while setting this machine up, and I have a further question about setting up a connection to a computer with ethernet.

The prior owners of this machine used it while connected via ethernet to a desktop PC set up next to it, however it sat for years unused and I was hired at this company after the machine was setup here but never operated. Since we got it back up I have been dripfeeding via serial cable with HSMEdit (aka CIMCO), and I'd like to try connecting via ethernet. However, instructions for such a thing are just immune to Google searches.

I found the parameters for the connection, but literally nothing on what to do inside Windows to grant access to the hard drive, or what to do within the control to access the programs on the computer. I think it's just assumed I should already know this stuff, but I don't!

My objective is to run programs stored on the hard drive by calling them up from the control, and for the connection to be faster than serial so the machine doesn't studder. Is this unrealistic?

If comprehensive instructions have already been published, would you kindly reply with a link?

Veteran Bicycle said:

I have a 2005 generic Taiwan-made VMC with a Mitsubishi Meldas 64s control. I've gotten a lot of help from this community while setting this machine up, and I have a further question about setting up a connection to a computer with ethernet.

The prior owners of this machine used it while connected via ethernet to a desktop PC set up next to it, however it sat for years unused and I was hired at this company after the machine was setup here but never operated. Since we got it back up I have been dripfeeding via serial cable with HSMEdit (aka CIMCO), and I'd like to try connecting via ethernet. However, instructions for such a thing are just immune to Google searches.

I found the parameters for the connection, but literally nothing on what to do inside Windows to grant access to the hard drive, or what to do within the control to access the programs on the computer. I think it's just assumed I should already know this stuff, but I don't!

My objective is to run programs stored on the hard drive by calling them up from the control, and for the connection to be faster than serial so the machine doesn't studder. Is this unrealistic?

If comprehensive instructions have already been published, would you kindly reply with a link?

Click to expand...

I'd like to follow up that I have found the instructions from the mill's perspective, however I have no clue how to set up the Windows side. I'm looking for help setting up Windows to enable what I described above.

I'd like to know if this is possible at all without a router, since I'll be keeping the computer near the mill and I'd prefer to just connect directly. Can this machine connect directly to a computer with just an ethernet cable?

I'm pretty sure that user NAST555 has his M64 connected by ethernet to a PC. You might send him a PM for details.

Vancbiker said:

I'm pretty sure that user NAST555 has his M64 connected by ethernet to a PC. You might send him a PM for details.

Click to expand...

I read the exchange between you guys, and I was under the impression that he gave up on the idea and started using RS232 instead.

Ethernet to machines is indeed nice. I run about 100' of cat5 from my desktop (CAD-CAM) to my machines. Two hops: the switch near the desktop and a small switch in the shop.
For a direct connection you may need a rollover cable.
Enjoy!

Veteran Bicycle said:

I read the exchange between you guys, and I was under the impression that he gave up on the idea and started using RS232 instead.

Click to expand...

It's possible. Other than getting his machine going again, I don't recall the final status.

ss_user said:

Ethernet to machines is indeed nice. I run about 100' of cat5 from my desktop (CAD-CAM) to my machines. Two hops: the switch near the desktop and a small switch in the shop.
For a direct connection you may need a rollover cable.
Enjoy!

Click to expand...

Awesome! The Mitsubishi Meldas 64s control definitely has ethernet built in, and the prior owners definitely used it this way; I simply have no clue how to set this up.

Don't get me wrong, I found the relevant directions in the Mitsubishi manual; it's the Windows 10 side that I am lost in.

The machine just needs the username, password, folder location & IP address, and nothing else. I need to figure out how to provide that information to the mill. Maybe you can help me?

I'm using Windows 10 Home on a Dell Inspiron 13-5368, connecting through an Amazon Basics USB3.0 to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter, which is a rebranded ASIX AX88179. The .NC folders live in subfolders within C:/Users/CNC/Google Drive/Posts

I would like to connect directly to the machine, avoiding a router.

Mitsubishi forwarded me this manual, and the section for setting up the PC is dated to Windows NT, but at least it's a start. I did not have this manual before.

Check it out: M60 ETHERNET.pdf - Google Drive

I'll update this when I've got it working, but I'd appreciate any insight along the way.

I stumped the first two application engineers at MEAU, mostly becuase I think they lack experience in this particular question. I'm waiting for a call from a senior engineer.

The machine tool builder's brief manual (screenshot below) mentions "Computer Link", and describes it as a faster DNC, but all of Mitsubishi's old documentation talks about it like an FTP server. The engineer mentioned that advanced functions like this would only be available in the 600-series control, however obviously some function other than DNC through RS232 is available based on the machine tool builder's guide.

I should reiterate that the previous owner used the ethernet cable for communication, and not the serial cable.

Wow, no takers. Okay.

yeah, sorry, I wish I could help. My Meldas M50 does not have ethernet ability so no experience. The shop I retired from had lots of machines on ethernet, but one of the IT folks always dealt with the network end. I only worked with them at the CNC end to change settings to what they wanted.

Every thing I see in that manual is consistent with the computer needing to run an FTP server. I suspect that using Home edition of Windows will be a problem. The NT4 and 2000 versions of Windows referenced both fully supported network operations. In later versions of Windows, when Microsoft added Home editions, they typically worked to neuter the ability of the Home version to run server software (like an FTP server). Having said that, I have no experience with Windows 10 home edition, and it may be less neutered than Windows 7 home. Windows 10 Pro can run servers.

If you want to do a direct connection, on the PC side, you will need to configure a static ip address. I don't have a Windows 10 pc in front of me right now, but you're looking for something like:
Start Menu -> Control Panel -> Network and Sharing Center -> Change adapter settings

Right click the network adapter, select properties. Click Internet Protocol Verion 4, and then select properties. Click the button for "Use the following IP address", and assign the IP address as 192.168.1.1, the subnet mask as 255.255.255.0. Default gateway can be blank, DNS settings don't matter. On the machine, set the machine's own IP address to 192.168.1.2, subnet mask 255.255.255.0

I don't see a place in the manual to set the VMC machine's own IP address. If it can't do that, you will then need a DHCP server set-up to give the VMC an address. Hopefully there is a place to set a static IP.

You will need to find FTP server software, and configure it to serve on your machine. I don't have experience with FTP servers on Windows. I use Filezilla as an FTP client on Windows, and see they have a server also available. That is what I would try first Download FileZilla Server for Windows. The documentation mentions various network features that are typically eliminated on the Home edition of Windows, so I don't know if it will work for you. You may have to upgrade to Windows Pro.

For the cable, many modern network cards will auto detect the cabling, and can use either a straight ethernet cable, or a cross-over ethernet cable. The Meldas control is less likely to be able to auto detect, so I would buy a cross-over cable to ensure that isn't a problem.

Van is correct, I first had mine setup with ethernet when I first got it.

It was an extra that I had installed with the card reader. If you don't come right send me a PM and I will ask my agent to send the documentation over.

In all honesty I trashed it long before I lost parameters, and just used the card but if you really want it then I can try to help out. I still have the ethernet cable hanging off the back of the machine.

And as a side note I used to dump programs on the "network" but it was more of a pain than just removing the card and outputting it back in and running it from there.

Also, as far as I know you cannot drip feed off the network, but I stand to be corrected.

I do not have any experience with M64 controls and Ethernet connection, but I know for FANUC i-series I had to download a program called TYPSoft FTP Server, make a username/password, create a new folder on the main C: drive, then call it from the machine.

Before doing that, I had to enable the program thru firewall, and change Inbound/Outbound rules on the advanced settings.

Maybe setting up ethernet on M64 is of similar concept?