New products - April 2002
Speedy comms for CNC
machines
In recognition
of the contemporary importance of Ethernet, GE Fanuc has included
an Ethernet port on the main board of its new i
Series Model B CNC. As well as the Ethernet connection, GE Fanuc
offers numerous communications options for the remote operation
and supervision of manufacturing cells and inter-device communications,
such as Profibus and DeviceNet.
Wherever in
the world the machines are to be run, the appropriate field network
can be utilised. These include such networks as Profibus-DP (European),
DeviceNet (USA) and OPCN-2 (Japan) as well as the I/O Link-II that
implements I/O transfer conforming to OPCN-1, the standard established
by JEMA.
Library updates
for the Focas*/Ethernet enhancements announced recently include
significant new elements. An Ethernet interface is standard, and
there is a choice of an embedded or PCMCIA Ethernet function (optional
on 21i). By connecting the FAPT LADDER-III development tool program
with an Ethernet or RS232C communication port, Ladder programs can
be monitored and edited through online remote operations. Running
on a Windows PC, the screen also allows efficient development of
Ladder programs. PMC program development tasks ranging from program
creation to debugging can be performed in an integrated environment.
FROM system files and FROM user files can now be backed-up and restored
separately. SRAM data can be backed-up collectively and the restoration
of SRAM data executed using the memory card during the NC boot time.
Focas1/Ethernet
functions can also be run on the new fast Ethernet board to serve
various data to many PCs simultaneously at higher speeds. It is
suitable for building a system where many machine tools and factory-based
computers need to exchange data.
Another benefit
of the Ethernet link is that a data server can be tapped where appropriate.
Typically, in the case of a very large program for mould die machining,
where the tool is moved through vast numbers of very small increments,
data can be stored on a built-in ATA flash card.
Network capabilities
for the GE Fanuc 16i/18i/21i Model B series include the 10BASE-T/100Base-TX
Ethernet interface as standard (optional on Series 21i). The integrated
supervising software package "Fanuc i Cell" can easily manage many
machine tools with a PC.
GE Fanuc
g150@industrialnetworking.co.uk
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