FANUC - Ethernet Connections

[CNCAppsJames]

Networking machines can be a challenge. There are straight forward, easy, and cost effective solutions for connecting your Ethernet equipped FANUC controlled machine.

*LEGAL... I'm not responsible for what you do to your machine. That's on you. THis is for imformational purposes. If you have questions your first line of questioning shoudl go to your machine tool dealer/builder. In the event they are incompetent, as your questions here and we'll try to help. Or skip the incompetence all together and ask your questions her.  

You do not have to string network cable all through your shop to accomplish networking your FANUC controlled CNC Machines.
You only need a few items;

• TP-Link TL-WA801N WiFi Access Point - Cost as low as $18.99 ( https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-TL-WA801N-Supports-Multi-SSID-Extender/dp/B09JZPXSBJ/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2TMGX2E3BRRC8&keywords=TP-Link%2BTL-WA801N%2BWiFi%2BAccess%2BPoint&qid=1707953015&sprefix=tp-link%2Btl-wa801n%2Bwifi%2Baccess%2Bpoint%2B%2Caps%2C228&sr=8-4&th=1 )
• Necessary length Ethernet cable
• FANUC Program Transfer Tool software - Cost about $25 - ( https://www.fanucamerica.com/products/cnc/cnc-software/programming-simulation-software/program-transfer-tool )

Setup and configuration on WAP and machine

• Setup and configure the Wireless access point near the machine you wish to connect.
• Run your ethernet cable from the WAP to your "Embedded" Ethernet port on your CNC. If you see more than 1 Ethernet port, pick the one that isn't on a card. Typically this is in the electrical cabinet, though not always. It could be behind your control interface also.
• Get a static IP address from your IT dept... or figure one out if you're in a small shop.
• Go to the CNC and get into the parameters screen.
• Right Arrow Softkey to ETHERNET
• Select COMMON soft-key
• Set the IP Address
• Set the Subnet Mask
• Set the Router IP Address
• Page Down (most likely)
• Set DNS IP Addresses
• You may see a "RESTART" soft-key. If you see one, press it. This will cycle the adapter in the CNC.

FANUC Program Transfer Tool

• Install Software
• Launch Program Transfer Tool Settings App
• Go to Serial No tab
• Input Software License Key (24 digit code - 6 groups of 4 alpha-numeric characters)
• Follow the prompts
• In Program Transfer Tool Settings app, there are 4 tabs; Machine Info, Program Memory, Data Server, and Display. Select Machine Info.
• In the Machine Name Field, give your machine a UNIQUE name, on the CNC Type Pull Down select the control type (the list in my version 19.0.0 has 0i-B/C, 0i-D, 0i-F, 16i, 18i, 20i, 21i, 30i, 31i, 32i, 35i, Power Mate i-D, Power Mate i-H, Power Motion i, and Other). If you are unsure, go to the next step.
• Program Memory Tab, check Communicate with Program Memory. Eternet Type is Embedded Embedded by default. Leave this. Input the IP Address, leave the TCP Port and timeout settings default. Select the O number digits setting (usually 4). If you were unsure of your CNC Type, Click the Set Machine Info by Communication button.
• Display Tab, if you desire a specific PC folder to display when you open up Program Transfer Tool you can set it here. Otherwise it will default to C:\
• Click Save. That completes this section.

FANUC Program Transfer Tool

• Launch FANUC Program Transfer Tool
• On the left there are two panes; PC FOlder Tree and Machine List
• Select the machie you wish to see the program contents of
• You can now drag and drop programs between your workstation and your CNCs)

This is the basics. Program Transfer Tool has other options (set up default editor, listing options, etc...).

If your machien has a Data Server, you can connect to both the CNC_MEM and DATA_SV by selection in the configuration). For detailed DATA_SV connection information/instructions go here; https://youtu.be/UDMWHAVIU6M?si=iS4kZb9x0bEKNKqz 

If nothing else, hopefully this sparks some "can we" discussions in your organization.

If you have any questions, please feel free to post here.

HTH

[MIL-TFP-41]

I recently did this at our shop. I did find that it did matter which wireless bridge played well with our Ubiquiti unifi AP's. The single channel (2.4Ghz) models kept on losing their signal. I then went to a dual channel model (5Ghz & 2.4Ghz) and the connectivity issues went away. Note that I did not try the model you have linked.

[CNCAppsJames]

Good to know... which model did you pick?

[MIL-TFP-41]

Good to know... which model did you pick?

This is the one that worked for us:
https://www.netgear.com/home/wifi/range-extenders/ex6120/

I was able to pick up a couple "used, like new" on Amazon for cheap. Ideally I was looking for a true WiFi to ethernet bridge, not a WiFi extender. The price of a bridge only made me look elsewhere. Tho with this model I was able to turn off the SSID broadcast to keep people from asking for the password to connect to the thing. 

Also worth noting that the single channel model I tried was a cheap Bostrend brand.

[champshire]

We have several machines in the shop that would benefit from this, so we bought the transfer tool and Netgear bridge. I was able to setup one of our newer Doosan mills successfully. I then moved over to one of our older Mori mills (MSG-501 which I think is a 18i) that has a dedicated computer hooked up to it via ethernet. That is where the trouble began.

This mill has no embedded ethernet port that I can find. What we do have is a high speed data server installed that has an adapter and ethernet runs to the host pc. The host pc is on it's last legs. It's still running Windows XP and doesn't always want to restart after a power outage. On the host PC we dump our files into a directory C:\CNC. We also run a program that is called WFTPD. As far as I can tell, and I'm way short of an expert, all it does is assigns an IP address, and starts listening on port 21.

To move programs into and out of the machine, we go to the controller and use the DS-Dir page. We do a GET or PUT and the files move accordingly.

I cannot get the same results with the network bridge. I can see the machine's IP, and I can ping it. When using the Fanuc software, it pings, but will not connect to it.

I downloaded a FTP software to try and connect like the host computer does. I get an error message back that says "The remote host actively refused the attempt to connect to it."

I don't care if I use the FTP software, or the Fanuc software, I just want to be able to lose the computer on the shop floor and dump the files from my desk. Has anyone successfully done this before? We have a couple other machines that have a similar setup that I would like to update as well. I do not know what to do next, especially when I don't have a any of the pages in the Fanuc book, since we don't have an Embedded Ethernet port.

[CNCAppsJames]

Does yiur Dataserver have an AAUI to Ethernet adapter or AAUI to BNC?

[champshire]

https://www.amazon.com/Allied-Telesyn-Twisted-Centrecom-Transceiver/dp/B0000512VC

this is what is plugged into the dataserver.

[champshire]

here is a picture



https://imgur.com/a/WE5IL8J

[CNCAppsJames]

Ok, that's an AAUI to Ethernet 10 Base T connection. 

The "FANUC Software"....are you referring to Program transfer Tool? 

I'll look at my 18-MB parameter manual tomorrow. You should be able to connect to it from any connected device on the network not just from the CNC to the client.

[champshire]

Correct, I am referring to the Fanuc Transfer program. It will ping and get a response, but when you try and connect it fails.

I would also be ok with using a FTP software if needed. I really don't care as long as I can simplify things on the shop floor.

Lastly, I should probably clarify that on the host computer on the shop floor, all we do is dump the files into File Explorer, C:\CNC We then Get and Put at the control only.

I am really interested in this project. It's been a good challenge for me and I am learning a lot. When I get this to work on this HMC I will apply it to it's twin in the shop and do that one as well.

Thank you for taking the time with this. I have searched the manuals and instructions and have come up with no smoking gun yet.

[CNCAppsJames]

In the FANUC Program Transfer Tool you have to set the CNC type. Now... your machine I believe is an 18-MB or 18-MC, not 18i... this could be the problem. You may need to try some of the others or "Other";

You cannot view this attachment.

[CNCAppsJames]

I'd assume #900.0=1 (DSV)?

if you connect the Dataserver Ethernet cable to your company network, open Windows Explorer on a PC on the network, type in;
ftp://(machine's IP Address)
You shoudl then get prompted for a username and password. Password is case sensitive. It shoudl then display the contents of the Dataserver on the PC.

[champshire]

I'd assume #900.0=1 (DSV)?

if you connect the Dataserver Ethernet cable to your company network, open Windows Explorer on a PC on the network, type in;
ftp://(machine's IP Address)
You shoudl then get prompted for a username and password. Password is case sensitive. It shoudl then display the contents of the Dataserver on the PC.

#900.0=0 on my machine. The book says setting it to 1 would disable it?

I tried the FTP with Windows explorer, and I get a "Windows cannot access this folder. Make sure you typed the file name correctly and that you have permission to access the folder. Details: A connection with the server could not be established."

[CNCAppsJames]

#900.0=0 on my machine. The book says setting it to 1 would disable it?

I tried the FTP with Windows explorer, and I get a "Windows cannot access this folder. Make sure you typed the file name correctly and that you have permission to access the folder. Details: A connection with the server could not be established."

You are correct... too many parameter windows open.


You can ping the CNC and you still get that message?

[MIL-TFP-41]

We have several machines in the shop that would benefit from this, so we bought the transfer tool and Netgear bridge. I was able to setup one of our newer Doosan mills successfully. I then moved over to one of our older Mori mills (MSG-501 which I think is a 18i) that has a dedicated computer hooked up to it via ethernet. That is where the trouble began.

Mori with their MAPPS interface pretty much forces you to use Mori's "Mori-Server" software.

https://www.dmgmori.co.jp/en/products/machine/id=1618

I fought with getting the Fanuc Transfer Tool to work, and at some point I was able to see some programs that resided in the machine on the PC, but I was never able to access the full directory structure. The Mori-Server application works well though. I would check that out. It does come standard with every machine you buy.