Transferring files from computer to Fanuc 20-F

Hey all
We have an older Victor mill with Fanuc 20F control.
I am trying to transfer .nc files from a new HP laptop computer to the control.
We are using a USB->RS232 cable for this. Unfortunately having no luck.
If there is a solid step by step guide as to what programs to use, how to transfer etc.. would be much appreciated

Thanks!

I am trying to do the same exact thing here, same controller and it's a Victor as well. So far from the manual I scrolled through there are a couple parameters you have to change if you want to load stuff into the controllers memory or if you're trying to drip feed. Drip feed will require handshaking. I'm pretty sure the 20f is based on the 0m controller, it's just configured more for manual style machining but should be capable of everything else. The only DNC software I have experience with is DNC4u, worked great on other setups I've ran. Here's a good link: Machinery RS232 communications settings for CNC controls including fanuc and mitsubishi

Once the controller parameters are setup right a couple more options will pop up in the menus to allow sending programs to memory or emulating tape (drip) feed. It is not as straightforward as you would thing.

jaykohens said:

Hey all
We have an older Victor mill with Fanuc 20F control.
I am trying to transfer .nc files from a new HP laptop computer to the control.
We are using a USB->RS232 cable for this. Unfortunately having no luck.
If there is a solid step by step guide as to what programs to use, how to transfer etc.. would be much appreciated

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Hello jaykohens,
Your first problem will probably be the USB to Serial converter; many of them don't work with a 64 bit Operating System. So that you're dealing with one problem at a time, I'd suggest using a PC with a physical Serial Port, or have a Serial Card fitted your laptop.

The cable pin-out for Software Handshaking (Xon Xoff) is as follows:

Machine Side ------------------------ PC Side
DB25 Male Connector --------------- DB9 Female Connector
1 ---- Shield Trace ------------------------------ Not Connected
2 ---------------------------------------------------------- 2
3 ---------------------------------------------------------- 3
4
| Bridged
5

6
|
8 All Bridged
|
20

7 ---------------------------------------------------------- 5

Machine Control Parameter Settings
Parameter
0020 = 0

0100
Bit 1 = 0
Bit 2 = 1
Bit 3 = 0
Bit 5 = 1

0101
Bit 0 = 1
Bit 3 = 0
Bit 7 = 1

0102 = 0

0103 = 11 (9600 Baud rate)

External Device Software Settings
Handshake Method = Xon Xoff (Software Handshaking)
Data Bit = 7
Stop Bits = 2
Parity Bit = Even
Baud Rate = 9600 (or whatever the control is set to)

4x4_e30 said:

Drip feed will require handshaking.

Click to expand...

Its not only when Drip Feeding (DNC) that Handshaking is required. Simply Uploading or Download, to and from the control requires Handshaking. The only time this would not be the case, is if the Baud Rate was so slow that there was no chance of the Receive Buffer becoming full.

Regards,

Bill

I'm glad someone chimed in that actually knows what they're doing. I just try to pretend. Thanks for the insight.

One problem I've been having is the only time I can set my xyz origin is on the very first page after startup, and the x y and z buttons are on the Victor side of things, holding for 3 seconds will zero the axis but once I start working I can't figure out how to zero them again, if I go to the position page and hold the button again nothing happens.

I've been able to successfully send programs from my computer to machine memory since my last post. Now I have a program that won't fit into memory, so I had to DRIP FEED from my laptop. It did not work initially, but since I got it all figured out now I thought I'd share what was learned.

The numbers posted by angelw didn't make very much sense to me since bit numbers are counted right to left starting at zero, it just seemed off. Also, I'm super paranoid about the parameter write enable thing and messing with stuff so I figured I'd research a little more.

Machinery RS232 communications settings for CNC controls including fanuc and mitsubishi

Fanuc 16/18/21(M,T,I series)

0000 00000010
0020 0
0100 0
0101 10000001
0102 0
0103 10
(Baud rates 5=150 6=300 7=600 8=1200 9=2400 10=4800 11=9600)
TV CHECK 0 0: Off; 1: On
Punch code 0 0:ISO; 1:EIA
Input device 0 RS232

I'm using DNC4U and a Tripp Lite Keyspan USA-19HS. Had to turn the baud rate down to 4800 because at 9600 no matter what setting was changed I would get a buffer overflow. Now everything is working perfectly.

4x4_e30 said:

......I'm using DNC4U and a Tripp Lite Keyspan USA-19HS. Had to turn the baud rate down to 4800 because at 9600 no matter what setting was changed I would get a buffer overflow. Now everything is working perfectly.

Click to expand...

Having to run at 4800 baud means you do not have everything set up perfectly. Buffer overflow at 9600 baud means that your handshaking is not working properly or responding quickly enough.

Use a cable configured for hardware handshaking.

Your Tripp-Lite adapter is different than the Tripp -Lite model I tried that did not work well. It was fine for transferring programs in and out of memory, but would lose data or create an overflow alarm at the CNC. Supposedly since Trip_Lite merged with Keyspan they got better, but I don't have personal experience with that. Moxa was the only USB to RS232 converter that I found to run perfectly. It died after several years use. Then I switched to a PCI Express to RS232 converter (don't remember the brand). It has worked perfectly for about a year now.

When testing drip feed hardware and software, I use a 4meg test program that makes thousands of 3 axis incremental moves. It starts at machine zero and if everything works perfectly, ends at machine zero. This makes it easy to see if data gets dropped.

I'm using DNC4U on a Mitsubishi control and drip feed at 9600 (max for the control).

Hello 4x4_e30,
To add to Kevin's advice, Software Handshaking (Xon Xoff) is primarily handled by the UART, not by the the Comms Software. Accordingly, Buffer Overflow errors are nearly always Serial Port, or Serial Port converter related. Sometimes you can work around this by playing around with the FIFO settings, but, in my opinion, this is at best a fudge for inadequate hardware.

Hardware Handshaking is always more reliable than Software Handshaking, as its a voltage change on the Control Lines that controls the data flow, not DC1/DC3 characters being sent like any other on the Transmit Line.

When testing the reliability of your Drip Feed setup, in addition to Kevin's suggestion with regards a sample program, also include some long moves followed by many small moves in the program. While the machine is occupied processing the current Long move and Look Ahead Blocks, the External Device will continue to transmit data to the control until a Handshake signal to stop sending is received. This will ensure that Buffer of the Control well and truly reaches the Buffer Full threshold.

Regards,

Bill

Thanks for all the suggestions. By perfect I meant I was able to run a lengthy program and the parts turned out fine. If this was my own machine I would be more apt to fixing it up right. I'm just using the machine for personal projects. The owner doesn't know how to program, and just uses it as a mill with a DRO, haha. If it was my choice I'd have a dedicated desktop with a built in serial port, but I have to work with what I have.