Mazak Serial Protocol Configuration

This section describes how to configure the Mazatrol protocol.

The Mazak protocol in DNC-Max V8 supports both Mazatrol and ISO mode transfers.

To transfer both Mazatrol (tape/mini disk) and ISO (puncher) programs on M2/T2 models, two ports must be licensed and installed, since the communication goes through two separate ports. On later models only a single port is needed (DNC-Max auto detects the type of transmission).

The Mazak serial protocol is used in the following port templates:


Mazak Transfer Modes

When the Mazak protocol is used for communication with the CNC, the DNC server functions as a disk drive (tape drive on older models), and the CNC operator must use the CMT I/O option on the control to send and receive programs.

Older Mazak models used a tape drive. In the following sections disk drive/minidisk refers to both tape and disk based solutions.

All Mazak programs are identified by a 4- or 8-digit number that is stored in the program file. This number is used to identify the program on the control. When the operator wants to send or receive a program this number must be specified in the Load CMT->NC or Save NC->CMT menus.

CIMCO DNC-Max supports 3 different Mazatrol transfer modes: Manual, Remote Request and Disk modes. Before you configure any Mazak ports, you should read through this section to determine which of the three transfer modes best suits your needs.

All of the features of Manual mode are also available in Remote Request mode.

param

Manual

When using manual mode, the CNC operator must manually select files to send and/or receive from the Manual tab in DNC DNC-Max Client.

The advantages of using manual mode is, that there is no restrictions on the name and location of the program files.

The disadvantage is, that the operator must have access to the DNC-Max Client to send and/or receive programs.

Using manual mode, it is not necessary for the program number to be part of the file name.

Example: The operator selects the file MOULD.MZK on the manual tab. This file contains the program 1001. The operator must then enter 1001 in the Load CMT->NC menu on the control, before starting the transmission.

When transmitting files from the CNC to the DNC (Save NC->CMT), the program number is extracted by the DNC server, and the filename is generated based on the program number as specified on the Mazatrol Transfer setup sheet. The received program is the saved in $INCOMING using the generated program name. For further information, please refer to [LINK:pcfg_mazak_mazak].

Example: The operator selects the program 1234 in the Save NC->CMT menu, and starts the transmission. The received program is saved in $INCOMING\PRG1234.MZK.

The file selected on the Manual tab in the DNC-Max Client is NOT used when transferring programs from the CNC to the DNC server.

For further information on using the manual tab, please refer to [LINK:dncadmin_manual].

param

Remote request

In remote request mode, the CNC operator requests programs from the DNC server, using a remote request program. The remote request program is a regular Mazatrol program, with a reserved program number (8888 by default). The name of the requested program is specified in the comment field of the remote request program.

Example: If the CNC operator wants to transfer the program 1234 from the DNC server to the CNC, he must call up the special remote request program (8888) on the control, and enter 1234 in the comment field. Using the Save NC->CMT option he then transfers the remote request program to the DNC server. When the DNC server receives a remote request program, it extracts the program name from the comment field, and prepares the requested program for transmission. To transfer the requested program to the control, the operator must then enter the program number 1234 in the Load CMT->NC menu and press Start.

On Mazak M2 models there is no comment field, in this case the program number is specified as the first X coordinate of the request program. For furter information, please refer to [LINK:pcfg_mazak_mazak].

When transmitting files from the CNC to the DNC (Save NC->CMT), the program number is extracted by the DNC server, and a filename is generated based on the program number as specified on the Mazatrol Transfer setup sheet. The received program is the saved in $INCOMING using the generated program name. For further information, please refer to [LINK:pcfg_mazak_mazak].

Example: The operator selects the program 1234 in the Save NC->CMT menu, and starts the transmission. The received program is saved in $INCOMING\PRG1234.MZK.

The file select on the Manual tab in the DNC-Max Client, and the program number specified in the remote request program are NOT used when transferring programs from the CNC to the DNC server.

The advantages of using remote request mode is, that there is no restrictions on the name and location of the program files, and the operator can control all transfers from the CNC.

The disadvantage is, that the operator must edit and transmit the request program before a new transfer from the DNC to the CNC.

param

Disk-Modus

In disk mode DNC-Max behaves exactly like regular Mazak CMT, except that the programs are stored on the server hard drive, and not on a mini disk.

The Contents function in the CMT menus displays a listing of all programs on the current disk. To transfer a program, the operator selects one or more of the listed programs in the Load CMT->NC or Save NC->CMT menus.

DNC-Max maps the contents of a directory on the server to a single CMT disk, i.e. activating the contents function on the control will list all programs in the current disk directory.

Since a single CMT disk holds a maximum of 32 programs, DNC-Max is also limited to 32 files per directory (if more than 32 files exists in the current disk directory, only the first 32 are accessible). To overcome this limitations, it is possible to create multiple disk directories.

T2/M2 models are limited to 16 programs.

The operator can change the current disk directory from the manual tab in the DNC-Max Client, or send a special disk change program (remote disk change request) to the server. The disk change program is a regular Mazatrol program, with a reserved program number (8888 by default). The name of the new disk directory is specified in the comment field of the remote request program.

Example: The operator wishes to access all programs related to the part VALVE. All the programs related to this part are store on the server, in the disk directory $DATA\VALVE. He must then call up the special disk change program (8888), and enter VALVE in the comment field. After transferring the disk change program to the DNC server, he can list all programs related to this part using the Contents function in the Load CMT->NC menu.

When transferring programs from the CNC (Save NC->CMT), the received program is stored in the current disk directory, possibly overwriting an existing program with the same program number (it is possible to create a backup of the previous version, see [LINK:pcfg_mazak_backup] for further information).

The advantages of using disk mode is, that the operator can control all transfers from the CNC, and no special remote request program has to be transferred before receiving each program. In addition, the disk directory mechanism, enables a logical grouping of programs on the server.

The disadvantage is, that filenames are restricted to 4 or 8 digits (with a possible fixed prefix, suffix and extension), and a single directory cannot contain more than 32 programs.

Disk mode is not available if Save transmissions with multiple programs in a single file is selected (see next section).

The DIR or content function is only available on newer Mazak models.

Multi program transfer

Using the CMT I/O menus it is possible to transfer a maximum of 32 programs in a single operation, by specifying multiple program numbers in either the Load CMT->NC or Save NC->CMT menu.

M2/T2 models are limited to 16 programs.

There are two ways to handle multi program transfers in DNC-Max:

param

Save transmissions with multiple programs in a single file

If you transfer multiple programs from the CNC in a single operation, it is possible to save all the received programs in a single file, allowing you to store all (maximum 32) programs for a specific job/part in one file.

All the programs stored in the same file are available when you select/request the file. This reduces the number of times you have to select a file from the manual tab, or edit the remote request program when you wish to transfer multiple programs to the control.

Example: The operator wishes to access all programs related to the part MOULD. All the programs related to this part are store on the in the file MOULD.MZK on the server. He must then call up the special remote request program (8888), and enter MOULD in the comment field, or select the file MOULD.MZK from the manual tab in the DNC-Max Client. Activating the contents function on the control will display all the programs found in MOULD.MZK. He can then choose to transfer one or more programs to the control.

When the server receives a transmission containing multiple programs from the CNC, the filename is based on the program number of the first program received.

You cannot use Disk Mode when this option is selected.

param

Save transmissions with multiple programs in multiple files

In this mode, DNC-Max will save each file received in separate files. Files a named after the program number.

Example: On the machine the operator select to transfer the programs 101, 102 and 103 to the server. When received byt he server they will be saved as: $INCOMING\101.MZK, $INCOMING\102.MZK and $INCOMING\103.MZK.

The advantage of this mode is, that once the programs have been transferred from the machine they can be moved or copied to other directories individually.

The disadvantage is that each file must be selected/requested individually before they can be transferred to the CNC.

The multi program transfer mode is selected on the General Options tab. For further information, please refer to [LINK:pcfg_mazak_mazak].

T2 models transfers 2 files for each program, the additional data is stored with a B append to the filename. E.x. When transferring program 1234 from the CNC to the DNC server, two files are created: $INCOMING\PRG1234.MZK and $INCOMING\PRG1234B.MZK.

ISO Transfer Modes

When ISO transfer is enabled (see [LINK:pcfg_mazak_port]), DNC-Max can transfer regular ISO NC programs.

DNC-Max auto detects the type of data transferred, so no special operations by the CNC operator are required to transfer ISO files.

CIMCO DNC-Max supports two different ISO transfer modes: Manual and Remote Request.

All of the features of Manual mode is also available in Remote Request mode.

param

Manual

When using manual mode, the CNC operator must manually select files to send and/or receive from the Manual tab in DNC DNC-Max Client.

Using manual mode, it is not necessary for the program name to be part of the file name.

The advantages of using manual mode is, that there is no restrictions on the name and location of the program files.

The disadvantage is, that the operator must have access to the DNC-Max Client to send and/or receive programs.

For further information about how to use the manual tab, please refer to [LINK:dncadmin_manual].

param

Remote request/Auto receive

In remote request mode, the CNC operator requests programs from the DNC server, using a remote request program. The remote request program is a regular ISO program, with a reserved program number (8889 by default). The name of the requested program is specified in the comment field of the remote request program.

Example: If the reserved number is 8889, and the server receives the following ISO program:

It will then extract the program name, in this case 1234, and format the filename to something like: $DATA\PRG1234.NC, and sends that program back to the CNC.

Example: If the CNC operator wants to transfer the program 1234 from the server to the CNC, he must call up the special remote request program (8889) on the control, and enter 1234 in the comment field. Using the ISO transfer option (puncher) he then transfers the remote request program to the DNC server.

The advantages of using remote request mode is, that there is no restrictions on the name and location of the program files, and the operator can control all transfers from the CNC.

On Mazak T32 and newer models it is possible to transfer Mazak programs as regular ISO programs. This allows the operator to use a regular Mazak program as remote request program, as long as it is send using the ISO transfer option.

Multi program transfer is also supported with ISO transfers. I.e. it is possible to save multiple ISO programs in the same file.