[mdfmkl]

HAAS VF-2 DNC PROBLEM

I’ve been trying to send/receive information to and from my haas vf-2 using windows xp via RS232. The software I’m using is just the trial version of connectcnc with the following settings…

Haas vf-2 parameters

Parameter

Value

11
9600
12
Even
13
1
14
Xon/Xoffd>
37
7
24
None
25
CR,LF
41
On
50
Xon/Xoff>
54
9600
69
Off
70
On

Set ConnectCNC as follows:

Common Settings

Name
Haas
Baudrate
9600
Data bits
7
Stop bits
1
Parity
Even
Flow control
Xon/Xoff
Xon Char.
17
Xoff char.
19
Port
as available

setting 55 is turned on
Parameter 57 is at 1 (for enable dnc)

When I send the file, (txt or nc), it sends it from the computer but the haas doesn’t receive, it just still says “waiting” on the screen. When I try and receive a file from the haas, it says it sends it okay, but I’m always awaiting the file to be received on the computer end.

I just bought a brand new serial port cable from radio shack that is 9pins on one end and 25 pins on the other. I’ve double checked that all the parameters and settings are correct.

Any ideas on what the problem could be?
Does the haas vf-2 read .txt & .dnc files?
Could it be the software?

[gar]

070723-2027 EST USA

mdfmkl:

In my dictionary and HAAS's the acronym DNC stands for Direct Numerial Control. I simply refer to what you currently want to do as "communication" or "serial communication" or 'sending" and "receiving" files (programs). There are others that use DNC to mean Distributed Numerical Control and in their language that includes sending and receiving.

To make things simple at the HAAS end just go to the SETTINGS page. Now page down about 4 pages to get to the RS232 settings.

Here use the cursor keys to change any of the values required. After picking the value for a selection use the WRITE key to save the selection. Then go to the next one that needs to be changed. You are only interested in port 1 for program communication.

For now use 9600 baud, 1 stop bit, even parity, XON/XOFF, 7 data bits.

Use pin numbers 2, 3, and 7 on the HAAS RS232 port 1 connector. Usually the top one. Pin 2 is TxD the data output pin. Get a DC voltmeter with a 10 V or slightly higher range. A 50 V range will work. Measure the voltage from pin 2 to one of the 4-40 studs, which are at essentially the same voltage as pin 7, common. This should be about -10 V. Now send a program from HAAS the voltage will drop to around +/-1 V while data is being sent.

If your cable has a shield it should connect to HAAS pin 1.

The wiring from the 25 pin to the 9 pin should be pin 2 to pin 2, 3 to 3, 7 on the 25 pin to 5 on the 9 pin connector, and HAAS pin 1 to the shield. You should be able to ignore all other pins.

If the above test shows that you can send data then connect your cable from HAAS to the PC. Hopefully you have a real RS232 port on the computer and not a USB to RS232 adapter.

I know nothing about your RS232 receive program, but it needs to be set to the same values for RS232 as the HAAS machine. 9600, 7 data, 1 stop, even parity, and XON/XOFF.

Doing this see if you can receive anything at the computer. Put the computer program in receive before you send from the HAAS.

Visit my web site sometime www.beta-a2.com . The E232 photos page might be of some help, but the cable shown is not the cable wiring you want. It is correct for you at the HAAS end, but not the other end. Also it is shown for hardware handshake. HAAS never cares about 6, 8, and 20 because they internally connect these together. In software handshake mode HAAS ignores pins 4 and 5.

Report back.

.

[jhenjimi]

In the past I've always made up my own cable for RS-232 transfer.
the following is a link to cable wire diagram.
You need what is called a twisted pair....2 goes to 3, 3 goes to 2.
Data out to data in.

http://www.pocketdnc.co.uk/Support/S...S232_Cable.pdf

If anything this should put you on the right track. If you need more info let me know...this was just a quick search on my part. I haven't made a cable in a few years.

[gar]

070724-0708 EST USA

jhenjimi:

You are providing misleading information for connection of a HAAS to a standard IBM PC serial 9 pin port.

The IBM 9 pin is a male connector on the PC, and obviously that means female on the cable. Your reference is to a cable with a 9 pin male on the cable.

The pin connections I gave in my previous post are the correct connections. That is 2 to 2, 3 to 3, and HAAS 20 to IBM 5. HAAS requires no other wires for software connection, but you may want a shield to pin 1.

With software handshake, appropriate software, and Windows XP the only required pins at the computer are 2, 3, and 5. Shield is not connected here. This can be debated, but it is easier to not connect the shield at the computer. If it is connected it would go to pin 5, or you have to pull the shield out and connect it to the chassis. This is basically no different than pin 5.

Note: at the HAAS all used pins except pin 1 have a series 100 ohm resistor followed by a transient limiter to common.

Your comment on "data out" to "data in" is correct.

.

[gar]

070724-0726 EST USA

mdfmkl:

To answer more of your questions.

If your file sizes are less than the available memory in the HAAS, then you do not want to use the HAAS DNC mode. The common name for this is "drip feed". Any time your program is smaller than the available HAAS memory you simply want to load the program into HAAS program memory.

The format of the program that you send to HAAS for either loading memory or drip feeding must be of the form:

%
Oxxx
program stuff
%

You can have about any junk you want before the first %. But it may be necessary to have a CR LF preceed %. In the past a % anywhere in a line was recognized as a start or end delimiter. Whether HAAS uses LF or CR as a line delimiter (block, record) I do not know. It is probably LF (line feed).

The xxx is a program number. On older machines this could not exceed 4 digits, newer machines it is 5. Even if you send HAAS a number O5 it will be recognized as O0005 or O00005 when loaded. When you save a file from HAAS to your computer the leading zeros are included. Thus, a save to file from a 5 digit CNC will not load into a 4 digit CNC, and you have to edit the program before sending to a 4 digit machine. Thus, you could never transfer a program directly from one HAAS to another if the sender was a 5 digit machine and the receiver was a 4 digit. Note: to go from one HAAS to another you would connect 2 to 3, 3 to 2, and 7 to 7 for software handshake.

When HAAS sits with the message WAITING it means the first % has not been found. So you never sent either a leading or trailing % or there is a problem in the communication channel.

At your computer the extension on the filename is of no importance relative to HAAS. Whether the extension is .QSC, .NC,. CNC, .XYZ, .txt does not matter at all so long as your communication program will properly send the file.

Your problem can be the communication program, hardware from the internal computer bus to RS232, the RS232 cable, the RS232 stuff at HAAS, or HAAS internal software, and settings at both ends. This is why you do the test I suggested of measuring the voltage at the HAAS connector under reset and sending conditions.

.