[1QWK96GT]

Hello everyone, I am currently working at a machine shop and we have 4 cnc mills three are fadals and one is a HAAS VF-1. I am new to this whole cnc programming thing but I feel I am making good progress. I recently set up my computer to the cnc mills beside the guy that has been programming here for awhile. I can send my programs to all cnc mills except the HAAS VF-1 everytime I try to send it to that one I get code 418 Break and 411 Empty program alarms. I thought maybe a break in the rs232 cable but the guy beside me uses the same cable and can send the program. I have double checked all my settings and they match the machine. I have altered my program a couple times to no avail. Please help I am at a loss.

I have attached a copy on the program I am trying to send.



%
O1( ENDCAP DRILL AND FORM TAP.NCF )
( FORMAT: HAAS [AM] NPMV24.17.3.PST..PST )
( 8/10/11 AT 8:46 AM )
( OUTPUT IN ABSOLUTE MILLIMETERS )
( PARTS PROGRAMMED: 1 )
( FIRST TOOL NOT IN SPINDLE )
N1G17G40G80G90
N1
N2T1M6
( OPERATION 1: HOLES )
( WORKGROUP )
( TOOL 1: .224 DRILL )
N3G54
N4S5713M3
N5G90G0X1.245Y-.87
N7G43Z.1H1M8
N8G83G99X1.245Y-.87Z-1.83R.1Q.224F17.14
N9G80G0Z.1
N10M9
N11G91G28Z0.M19
N12G90M5
N13M1
N2
N14T2M6
N15G17G40G80G90
( OPERATION 2: HOLES )
( WORKGROUP )
( TOOL 2: .375 COUNTERSINK )
N16G54
N17S5713M3
N18G90G0X1.245Y-.87
N19G43Z.1H2M8
N20G85G99X1.245Y-.87Z-.05R.1F17.14
N21G80G0Z.1
N22M9
N23G91G28Z0.M19
N24G90M5
N25M1
N3
N26T3M6
N27G17G40G80G90
( OPERATION 3: HOLES )
( WORKGROUP )
( TOOL 3: .2048 TAP )
N28G54
N29S5713M3
N30G90G0X1.245Y-.87
N31G43Z.1H3M8
N32G84G99X1.245Y-.87Z-.87R.1F342.78
N33G80G0Z.1
N34M9
N35G91G28Z0.M19
N36G28Y0.
N37G90M5
N38T1M6
N39M30
%

[1QWK96GT]

Ohh if it helps here are the meanings to the errors I keep getting.

418 RS-232 BREAK - Break condition while receiving. The sending device set the line to a break condition.
This might also be caused by a simple break in the cable.

411 RS-232 EMPTY PROG - No program number found between % signs in file. Check file for formatting.

I also use XON/XOFF which is set on the haas.

[Haas__man]

Have you ever sent/received programs using this machine before? What I am trying to understand is whether the rs232 has ever worked - or whether something has stopped working recently?
Also - is the cable wired up correctly - you cannot just buy one of these cables off the shelf.
Below is a link to a thread on here with the diagram.

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/haas_m...g_diagram.html

Hope this helps.

[1QWK96GT]

The guy I work with uses the very same cable in the back of his computer with no problems. We don't have a splitter so we share the same cable

[KenFoulks]

Is your coworker using that cable on the Fadals?

[1QWK96GT]

the only difference between his computer and my computer is he has Windows 98 I use xp his i/o card is added on mine is part of the mobo and the program he uses to send is different but the settings are the same

[1QWK96GT]

yeah he uses the same cable on the fadals

[KenFoulks]

It is most likely the cable configuration. You can rule out the pc and software, by hooking his pc up to the Haas. Buy a null modem cable that has the correct wiring as stated previously and you should be up and running.

[1QWK96GT]

My coworker can send the program with the exact same cable. So I ruled out a cable problem or is that wrong? Thanks

[KenFoulks]

Has anyone successfully communicated with the Haas machine with that cable?

[1QWK96GT]

Yea my coworker has sent a program with the same cable to the haas. I got the 418 and 411 errors everytime I send mine I have tried with the % without with the cursor blinking on the top and spaces in the top I am sending the program with a 7, E, 1 with a 4800 baud rate. Xon/Xoff which are his settings and they are the settings on tha machine. I was thinking it was my particular post I was using to generate my g code but now I am using the same post file he is using.

[Haas__man]

Ok - your problem can be one of four things
Your PC hardware
Your PC software/settings
Your rs232 cable
Your Haas machine

We know the Haas is good - because your coworker can communicate with it
We know the cable is good - because your coworker used it too
We know your PC hardware is good - because you can communicate with fadal
So your problem must be either your communication software that does not like communicating with the Haas - or a setting in your communication software that is stopping it from working. Could you try installing different communication software? Could you use the same software as your coworker?

Hope this helps

[1QWK96GT]

I agree with your HAAS_MAN

Since he can communicate to the haas that means the machine is good and using the very same cable so it should be good. The program he uses to send code to the machine is OLD and I cant find it anywhere. So I use a homemade cnc communication software called SComm created by Matt Finely. I found it doing a random search. I also use the communication in my CAM software. I checked the HAAS parameters and it says 7,E,1 4800 and xon/xoff all of which I have selected. The only two things I can think off are my coworkers I/O card is an add-on card like in the pci slot on the back of the computer while I use the factory I/O on the Motherboard and I am not sure if that makes it communicate differently. Also on my SComm software It has a sections labeled MACHINE with options 1,2,3,4, etc. I dont know what I am supposed to use there I just select 1 when I send code to the fadals and it works no problem.