PCMDIS/NC Expereinces?

Hi all,

Have been given the task of getting PCDMIS NC going on one of our machining centres for an demonstration here in Australia.

Would love to hear from anyone with prior experience using this software, and more importantly the NC server application.

Have been trying in vain to set up comms between the PC and M/C, followed the instructions and succesfully verified comms using HyperTerminal, but upon opening NC Server and defining a machine and specifying the serial type interface, I get the error message "Cannot Open Serial Port".

As far as I can tell, I have followed instructions to the letter, but to no avail.

Would appreciate anyones comments on the possible solution to this problem.

Cheers, and have a lovely weekend.

Danny

[pcdmisNC]

Danny, I sent you a document describing the last conenction to a Mazak Fusion machine. I hope it helps.

Regards

Jon Kimber

Hi Jon,

Just got your email. Much appreciated and has given me some good insite.

Maybe I have a handshake problem, will check the windows com port settings.

Cheers,

Danny

[pcdmisNC]

I got an email from Danny...

Thanks for the prompt reply. It seems the problem I was having was that when I opened NC Server, it was opening PCDMIS in the background in ONLINE mode. After renaming the interface.dll file to interfac1.dll I now have successful comms between the M/C and NC Server.

All is well, case closed!

Jon Kimber

[kiddo]

Hello guys..

Sorry for asking..but what is the application for PC-DMIS NC any body knows or anybody use it... if so for what??

[Jan d.]

I am using it.

If your problem is part set-up (refine work offsets or rotary table angles), there are many more solution other than PC-DMIS. If your issue is buying hardware directly off of the machine tool, PC-DMIS is a very good tool for you.

But before you get started, you have to know how accurate your machine tool really is. If you do not regularly calibrate, forget to use your machine tool and stay with your CMM.

If you know what your machine can do and you find parts that require complicated prcessing, NC can help you a lot.


Jan.

[kiddo]

Sorry for asking jan, but what do you use it for ls it to indicate or find the setpoint or is it similar to the probe that Mazak machine's have?

Thanks

[Jan d.]

What I found was that Inspection+ (or similar applications; I am not familiar with MAZAK but I know Mitsui has them) is quite adequate for part setup. PC-DMIS NC can do the same but the problem is that I want my program to automatically update my specific work offsets (no chances for operator typos etc). If you run PC-DMIS NC over RS232, you will have to do this manually. And that introduces many other challenges if you do that in production (a solution is to run the communication over Ethernet with the FANUC FOCAS option; I will upgrade all my machines later this year to this).

If a customer is ONLY interested in setup routines, PC-DMIS NC (where it stands today) seems like a huge gun to hit a small target.

What I use it for - and found there to be few real competitors - is to measure a completed part (or finished setup) and then generate a true measuring report that can be submitted for quality review. In our processes (we're in aerospace), this eliminates very costly quality steps.


Jan.

[kiddo]

thanks for the reply jan:

by saying that u mean that u inspect the part on the machine once it is done cutting and is that result good enough for quality purpose I mean by doing that do you eliminate the first piece inspection done by quality... or else is that result good enough to provide to the customer ... just asking....

thanks

[Jan d.]

Yes, our ultimate goal is to eliminate inspection steps on all many of our parts, including first piece. We currently do CMM inspection on all parts right now. Based on the tolerances on the print, we intend to select a random number of parts that will be fully inspected on the CMM. That number will be based on the uncertainty, accuracy etc that we find the machines to provide us.

In our environment, we are finding that the machines make some very amazing measuring devices. Our biggest issue is spindle shrink (cooling of the spindle as the machine cools down).

The key is that you characterize your machine uncertainty. Run lasers, repeat tests and even gauge blocks in different orientations. When know what your machine can do, you will be able to find parts you can use as candidates for elimination of first inpsection steps.


Jan.