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Port Settings
should be checked to verify that port settings and communication settings are correct.
* Machines that were manufactured after January 1996 have the following communication settings:
Baud rate: 19200; parity: even; data bits: 8; stop bits: 1
* Machines that were manufactured before January 1996 have the following communication settings:
Baud rate: 9600; parity: none; data bits: 8; stop bits: 1
Cable Testing 1
can be started with unplugging the serial cable from the side of the machine and plugging it
back in before unplugging the serial cable from the back of the computer and plugging it back in. If the
communications are still not working, Cable Testing 2 may help.
Cable Testing 2
involves opening the control box to inspect the cable connection extending from the side of the
box where the external serial cable is plugged into the control board. This cable will be a ribbon cable plugged
into the control board labeled G960, M10, M23 or M24. The connection going into the board can be unplugged
and plugged back in. On many systems, there is an additional small ribbon cable extending from the top control
board to the bottom control board that can also be tested. If the communications are still not working, Computer
Port Testing 1 may help.
Computer Port Testing 1
for a computer with 2 serial ports involves plugging the machine into the other serial
port and changing the port setting in DNC or the machine file output software.
Computer Port Testing 1
for a
system with a serial port mouse involves plugging the mouse into the old port associated with the CNC machine.
Windows should find the mouse automatically. If the machine works and the mouse does not, then the computer
Com Port is probably bad and will need to be repaired by the computer vendor. If the communications are still
not working, Computer Port Testing 2 may help.
Computer Port Testing 2
involves unplugging the serial cable from the side of the machine control box and
plugging the loop-back plug provided in the tool box into the open end of the serial cable. After going to a DOS
prompt, the operator should change directories to the mc directory (cd\mc) and run COMCHK.EXE. This will
test the serial port and the cable. If the communication status is bad, errors will display on the screen. These
errors could point to a faulty cable or a computer serial port. The test can be ended by pressing the ESC key. If
the communication status is good, a continuous line of dots will appear along the bottom of the screen. If this
happens, Machine Port Testing may help.
Machine Port Testing
involves unplugging the serial cable from the computer and plugging the loop-back plug
provided in the tool box into the open end of the serial cable. The collet and cover nut from the spindle should be
removed, and the machine should be turned off and back on. If the machine enters self-test and begins to move,
then the machine communications and serial cable are okay. At this point, the operator can probably assume there
must be a problem with the computer Com Port or associated settings. If this process does not work, then 1 of 3
things have happened:
1. The serial port chip is bad and needs to be replaced.
MultiCam
can be contacted for the chip and installation
instructions.
2. The internal ribbon cable connections have been damaged.
3. There is no self-test file loaded in the controller.
MultiCam
can be contacted for additional Help.
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