Need PLC Program software or programmer for Mitsubishi M520AM and Model E Control

I have a 1996 Howa VMC running on a Mitsubishi M520AM control. 3 Axis with Jig Changer, ATC, and 16 tool magazine. Lost parameters and User PLC program for the 2 Model E/FCUA single-axis amplifier/controls that run the ATC and the Magazine servos. Dead batteries, and both units are back to defaults.

Main Control and Operation Panel work. I can read the ladder and write to CPU ladder from the operator panel, and I have a paper copy of the main ladder and parameters. I have a working FCUA-CT200 pendant to communicate with the 2 Model E controls, but no way to program a new user ladder and upload it to the Model-E's. Anyone know where to find PLC software for 1996 vintage Mitsubishi CNC controls? I can probably make any kind of interface cable it would take to get from a PC to the control.

Mr.PLC | Allen Bradley, GE, Omron & Mitsubishi PLC discussion boards

There are others similar. Can't hurt to ask.

Thanks for the link - I'll register and reach out.

Machine is a Howa 320H-VCJ. 15k spindle, 3 axis, 16-tool changer, and an A-B jig changer table. The machine is far from being scrap.

Frustrating to have the ability to "sort-of run" and interface with a really well-made, older machine, with a lot of documentation...and to apparently be stuck at being able to write to PLC on the ATC and Mag.

CK

Mitsubishi PLCs and standalone axis controllers of that era used MELSEC software to program them. Have you gotten a copy of that? You can Google the full FCUA controller number and in most cases you can find manuals for them. You can also often find the programming manual. Mitsubishi has lots of that on their website for downloading, just takes some searching for the right page.

If you get in a real bind, I have a copy somewhere of MELSEC that may be applicable to your controller. Would take some digging around to find though.

Vancbiker - Thanks for the info. I missed your response, and have been chasing down a number of rabbit holes to try to get this figured out. I found an old copy of Melsec PLC Software that I could run in VDOS. Kind of a PITA. I have since managed to get GX Developer v8.91W running, and am hoping that will connect to the older FCUA_MP10 PLC. Messing with making connection cables at the moment.

There was a wiring diagram for a FCUA-R022 cable in the Model E documents. An attempt to use that diagram hasn't allowed GX Developer to connect to the PLC. I just found a wiring diagram at MEAU for the FCUA-R020 cable, which is apparently specifically for connecting the FCUA drives to a PC running Mitsu PLC software. Have some more connectors on order from DigiKey, and hoping I can figure out how to read and write to the PLC on the FCUA control/drive. If I can get past that, I'll try to reverse engineer ladder programs for the ATC and Magazine. Fingers crossed...

Anybody familiar with Meldas controls know what Mitsubishi PLC model should be selected when connecting to 1) an M500 control and 2)the single-axis Model E (FCUA-MP10 series) control via RS-232?

You'd think it'd equate to one of Mitsubishi's stand-alone PLC offerings. Can't find anything in factory docs or on MEAU website to clue me in.

RS-232 cable wiring help

Here is the wiring diagram for the R020 cable from Mitsubishi that 'should' let you read and write from a FCUA-MP10 single axis drive/control to a PC running GX Developer:




My thinking was to wire a connection cable from the drive SIO port to the Tripp Lite Keyspan RS-232 adapter set up for Hardware control like this:



The control has it's rotary switch set to position 4 (for connection to PC running Mitsu PLC software (GX Developer V8). I'm connected to COM4 at 9600 baud. I've tried every combination of data bits, parity, stop bit, and even handshaking mode I can set for the COM port in Device Manager and the PLC software set-up parmaters and can't read from the PLC. Any suggestions?