FANUC 18i M-Codes

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Fanuc Motors

In the world of automation, whether we’re talking about factory or shop automation, understanding how to operate and maintain FANUC CNC parts is imperative. Several businesses and companies suffer from dreaded downtime because a team isn’t well-rounded; many team members may know how to manage machine operators, etc., but are unaware of how to operate a CNC themselves. For a manager, knowing and understanding exactly what to look for to avoid an operating issue starts with understanding the basics of CNC machining and programming.

CNCs originally started coming about in the late 1940s, not long after World War II as NCs (Numerical Controls). They were engineered to be a reliable, cost-effective way to manufacture and design an increased amount of parts for the aircraft industry. Based on already-existing modified tools equipped with motors that manipulated the controls, CNCs were quickly and abruptly built up with computers, both digital and analog. As time has gone on, CNCs have continued to evolve as technology evolves.

Early Numerical Controls initially lacked computers. They also lacked calculating ability, which is absolutely unheard of in today’s world. After the 1960s, numerical controls eventually gained calculating and computer functions. Onboard processing became feasible and, as a result, CNC machines came about. Via the initiation of CNCs, a handful of features were then attainable, fortunately, including canned cycles, tool length compensation, sub programming, radial compensation and tool diameter.

Preparatory Codes

NC and CNC G Codes are referred to as preparatory codes. By preparing the machine to perform a specific function like, for example, rapid travel G0 / G00, the preparatory process is important to understand, as all of the stages of production are.

Miscellaneous Codes

NC / CNC M codes are known as miscellaneous codes.  CNC M codes basically perform on and off functions such as:

  • stopping processing of CNC code M0 / M00
  • turning the spindle on M3 / M0 or M3 / M03
  • stopping the spindle M5 / M05
  • turning coolant on M8 / M08

MRO Electric and Supply has new and refurbished FANUC CNC parts available. We also offer repair pricing. For more information, please call 800-691-8511 or email sales@mroelectric.com.

G Code and M Code

The ANSI standard for G code and M code programming is ANSI/EIA 274D-1988. The ISO standard for G code and M code programming is ISO 6983. There is a new and different standard ISO 14649 also known as the STEP-NC standard that addresses NC and CNC programming using the enhanced features of CAD and/or CAM software.

Machine tool builders are not required to adhere to standards and every so often create variations to standard G codes and M codes. Occasionally design different, unique alternatives to orthodox G codes and M codes. Typically, the majority of CNC G codes are considered modal, which means they stay active until they’re changed. Along with understanding CNC codes, feel free to view another one of our articles focused on choosing a CNC to become as well-versed with CNCs as possible.

Auxiliary Function (M Function)

When a numeral is specified following address M, code signal and a strobe signal are sent to the machine. The machine uses these signals to turn on or off its functions. Usually, only one M code can be specified in one block.

In some cases, however, up to three M codes can be specified for some types of machine tools. Which M code corresponds to which machine function is determined by the machine tool builder.

The machine processes all operations specified by M codes except those specified by M98, M99,M198 or called subprogram(Parameter No.6071 to 6079), or called custom macro (Parameter No.6080 to 6089). Refer to the machine tool builder’s instruction manual for details.

The following M codes have special meanings:
  • M02, M03 (End of Program)
    • This indicates the end of the main program Automatic operation is stopped and the CNC unit is reset.
    • This differs with the machine tool builder. After a block specifying the end of the program is executed, control returns to the start of the program. Bit 5 of parameter 3404 (M02) or bit 4 of parameter 3404 (M30) can be used to disable M02, M30 from returning control to the start of the program.
  • M00 (Program Stop)
    • Automatic operation is stopped after a block containing M00 is executed. When the program is stopped, all existing modal information remains unchanged. The automatic operation can be restarted by actuating the cycle operation. This differs with the machine tool builder.
  • M01 (Optional Stop)
    • Similarly to M00, automatic operation is stopped after a block containing M01 is executed. This code is only effective when the Optional Stop switch on the machine operator’s panel has been pressed.
  • M98 (Calling of Sub-Program)
    • This code is used to call a subprogram. The code and strobe signals are not sent.
  • M99 (End of Subprogram)
    • This code indicates the end of a subprogram. M99 execution returns control to the main program. The code and strobe signals are not sent.
  • M198 (Calling a Subprogram)
    • This code is used to call a subprogram of a file in the external input/output function. See the description of the subprogram call function (III–4.7) for details.
Multiple M Commands in a Single Block

In general, only one M code can be specified in a block. However, up to three M codes can be specified at once in a block by setting bit 7 (M3B) of parameter No. 3404 to 1. Up to three M codes specified in a block are simultaneously output to the machine. This means that compared with the conventional method of a single M command in a single block, a shorter cycle time can be realized in machining.

CNC allows up to three M codes to be specified in one block. However, some M codes cannot be specified at the same time due to mechanical operation restrictions. For detailed information about the mechanical operation restrictions on simultaneous specification of multiple M codes in one block, refer to the manual of each machine tool builder. M00, M01, M02, M30, M98, M99, or M198 must not be specified together with another M code. Some M codes other than M00, M01, M02, M30, M98, M99, and M198 cannot be specified together with other M codes; each of those M codes must be specified in a single block.

Such M codes include these which direct the CNC to perform internal operations in addition to sending the M codes themselves to the machine. To be specified, such M codes are M codes for calling program numbers 9001 to 9009 and M codes for disabling advance reading (buffering) of subsequent blocks. Meanwhile, multiple of M codes that direct the CNC only to send the M codes themselves (without performing internal operations ) can be specified in a single block.

M Code Group Check Function

The M code group check function checks if a combination of multiple M codes (up to three M codes) contained in a block is correct.

This function has two purposes. One is to detect if any of the multiple M codes specified in a block include an M code that must be specified alone. The other purpose is to detect if any of the multiple M codes specified in a block include M codes that belong to the same group. In either of these cases, P/S alarm No. 5016 is issued. For details on group data setting, refer to the manual available from the machine tool builder.

  • M Code Setting
    • Up to 500 M codes can be specified. In general, M0 to M99 are always specified. M codes from M100 and up are optional.
  • Group Numbers
    • Group numbers can be set from 0 to 127. Note, however, that 0 and 1 have special meanings. Group number 0 represents M codes that need not be checked. Group number 1 represents M codes that must be specified alone.

Choosing a FANUC CNC

Joe Kaminski 1 Comment

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Choosing a CNC

Buying and building a new CNC (view FANUC CNC parts) can be challenging and often nerve-racking. Regardless of which space you’re in, downtime needs to be avoided as much as humanly (or robotically) possible.  Check out our points to avoid common CNC issues.

One of the most common reasons for CNC downtime would be low build quality. Balls screws,  linear guides, and linear boxes need to be built with high quality to avoid downtime. Often, unfortunately, CNC machines are built using several high-quality parts, and a handful of cheaper, lower-quality parts. Although a machine may consist of mainly high-quality, top-of-the-line parts, issues are still likely to occur due to the low-quality parts. A CNC machine, like most pieces of machinery, is ‘only as strong as its weakest link’.

By taking a look at the tool changer’s location, you can usually determine if its location will be an issue or not. Faulty tool changer designs are common in the CNC world. If it’s hard to get to the tool changer to, for example, change and replace the cam followers, then another design alternative may be best. Don’t be afraid to research other up-to-par designs and designs that have worked well for others in the past.

Avoid poor-quality spindles at all costs, as they’re everywhere and often result in issues. Take a good look at the spindles’ bearings. If they’re plentiful and look larger-than-average, you’re good to go. If they’re lacking in size, research instances where spindles’ bushings have been an issue to create your standard. Along with that, take a look at the horsepower of them; if their horsepower is below average, avoid at all costs. Stalling may occur with low horsepower spindles, which often results in many others with other parts on top of the spindle. Also, be sure to check out our article focused on maintaining automation machine tools. Maintenance is unavoidable and compiling maintenance with unnecessary rebuilds is unpractical and will likely result in downtime and lost profit.

Tolerance of CNCs should be tight. The tighter the tolerance, the longer the life expectancy generally is. Tighter tolerance will also result in an overall smoother operation. MRO Electric and Supply has new and refurbished FANUC CNC parts available. We also offer repair pricing. For more information, please call 800-691-8511 or email sales@mroelectric.com.

Factory Automation and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Advances

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 Factory Automation and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Advances

As technology evolves, automation has become more and more prevalent in the factory automation space. Machine-to-machine enables private and exclusive communication and control over sensors, cameras, industrial equipment, robotics (check out our FANUC Robotics parts) and essentially anything else. Manufactory facilities and several other remote systems are managed much more easily with machine-to-machine advances in communication.

Initially, with industrial and enterprise applications as a focal point, machine-to-machine communication was easily defined and used for a limited amount of tasks. Nowadays, there are many fewer limitations associated with the machine-to-machine communication.

Pressured to lower costs and improve speed and overall efficiency, factory automation companies are often in an uncomfortable spot. While using high-end, sophisticated automation applications and tools, more real-time data must be obtained to streamline more of the day-to-day operations and tasks. Implementing machine-to-machine solutions can help with operational efficiency gains, time and cost savings, and performance optimization.

From a cellular standpoint, machine-to-machine solutions enable integration of environmental controls into a single system, and to unify with security and video surveillance systems. All and all, companies are able to secure several properties from anywhere they wish to, even as they fine-tune power efficiency and decrease operating expenses.

Due to the immense increase of machine-operated plants in companies who rely on keeping critical assets and functions performing optimally, several companies are exploring options associated with a machine-to-machine communication. Of the many benefits, the fact that it’s able to deliver remote access to gather real-time process data to cut operation costs is often one of the most well-recognized. The ability to identify and rectify production line faults, or design and implement preventative maintenance strategies, for example, is what machine-to-machine communication is designed for.

Involving data exchange over the telephone line or via the internal with machines, plants, computers for issue detection, diagnostics, and repair, teleservice is an imperative aspect of machine-to-machine communication. Offering an optimal answer to diagnose distant systems, teleservice is becoming more and more popular and is not going anywhere.

Telecontrol, another aspect of machine-to-machine communication, deals with connections of distant process stations to one or more central control systems. Many networks, both public and private,  can be used for communication used to control. For these diverse applications and businesses, cellular M2M connectivity can address many business and technical challenges and enable important benefits.

MRO Electric and Supply has new and refurbished FANUC parts available. We also offer repair pricing. For more information, please call 800-691-8511 or email sales@mroelectric.com.

Additionally, M2M systems can be designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions and easily manage and control connected devices across the country or around the world. M2M systems provide flexibility to move equipment as needed, or bring up and tear down systems quickly for temporary or seasonal deployments. By using modern M2M management and application platforms, and taking care to choose platforms designed to meet real-world requirements, organizations can take full advantage of the M2M revolution.

In case you were wondering, machine-to-machine systems are indeed designed to withstand environmental conditions and easily control connected devices in any location. They are flexible and can move equipment with ease. In order to use machine-to-machine communication optimally, look into management and application platforms. Click here to view our article on IT and Robotics.

Boosting Factory Automation Productivity

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Boosting Factory Automation Productivity

In the factory automation space, productivity is much more than an imperative management concept; it is a scalable tool that drives employees and processes to be functioning at their best. In order to keep employees on track and enable goals to be met in the workplace, fine-tuning processes and running a ‘tight ship’ as far as time management is concerned is considered best practice.

As far as work is concerned, understanding where to start is the first, and often, most difficult step. Understand what may set your company back, whether it be a worn down motor (such as a FANUC CNC Motor) not performing up-to-par, or a poorly-maintained Servo Amp (such as a FANUC CNC Servo Amp).  Missing expectations due to a faulty machine is avoidable, as seen in this article focusing on Maintaining Automation Machine Tools.

To ensure your teams’ insights aren’t hindered, consider documenting priority-oriented processes such as customer service, client retention, and cutting operation costs, that way, more focus can be put toward improving workflow, coaching employees and pinpointing other areas that could be improved on. Take industry benchmarks into consideration; they can be used as a point of reference to determine if an area can be improved in, or if it’s already up-to-par. Along with documenting the aforementioned processes, keeping track of progress and growth can also aid in fine-tuning.

In order to remain on the same page with employees, ask for their buy-in and try to understand where they’re coming from. They may help shed light on problematic areas such as why certain departments aren’t working as closely together as they could be, or if downtime could be minimized by having two departments working together more effectively. By making employees feel valued and trusted, a company is less likely to run into honesty issues, communication issues and/or issues with collaboration. The foundation for productive operations starts with an honest, well-communicating team. Teams need to have an in-depth understanding of where they’re expected to add value and, of course, what the company is working toward as a whole. Eliminating clutter in order to have a well-focused and productive team is an achievement that most of those in the factory machine automation space don’t lose sight of. MRO Electric and Supply has new and refurbished FANUC CNC parts available. We also offer repair pricing. For more information, please call 800-691-8511 or email sales@mroelectric.com.

These days, there are shortcuts and tools for essentially any and every niche. Many of those in the machine and factory automation space are focusing on robotics (see FANUC Robotics parts) to explore ways to automate processes in hope of enhancing productivity. Be sure to stay ‘in the loop’ when it comes to tools that could enhance one’s productivity through collaboration, etc.

Gathering Information Before Considering a Repair

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Downtime is inevitable when it comes to machine automation. When production stops, orders will likely stack up quickly, hitting start on the ‘profits lost’ clock. After the failed part is identified, many machine automation professionals would lean towards shipping the flawed part to get serviced as soon as humanly possible. While MRO Electric and Supply appreciates the business, we want to ensure our customers are as well-informed as possible and able to fix issues of their own, is able to.

By grouping observations together and looking at them closely,  many of those in the machine automation space may find that the issue can be fixed internally, rather than sending a part out to another party. Be sure to press the in-house employees for details, as someone on the clock may have witnessed the failure first-hand and would be able to provide more intimate and valuable insight as far as what may have happened. Any way to avoid a future issue is worth exploring!

As many know, factory automation machines consist of several interconnected parts and components. Because of this, it’s important not to overlook related issues that have occurred or may occur. If a drive (such as a FANUC Robotics Drive)  were to fail, best practice would be to send it along with the motor it’s connected with to preventative maintenance to be checked together. By consulting with the machines’ operators, you may find that other parts could be sent to preventative maintenance along with motor (such as a FANUC CNC motor)  and drive. Keep in mind, certified experts will likely be able to point machine details out that others may not recognize or think of. Nobody wants to run into an issue, fix said issue, and run into it again, due to lack of attention to detail.

Whether you have only two wires to unhook or twelve hundred, document everything. When you uninstall the damaged unit, label your wires. Be sure what you are using is sturdy and will remain affixed. Do not use tape that will slip off with grease or dust. Also, take before, during and after pictures of the operation. These pictures can save you from a tremendous headache later on. Also, when possible, make sure to save any parameters and record any settings before the unit has been taken out of service.

By documenting all of the parts or wires that had to be disassembled as specifically as possible, you would likely be avoiding many headaches. Nobody wants to disassemble a section of a machine, later to discover a wire or bolt is misplaced, which would lead to dreaded downtime that everyone in the factory automation and manufacturing space despises. Don’t be afraid to take a video or several photos of the disassembling process; in-depth videos or even photos are often invaluable to refer back to, especially when in a rush or a busy time of the year.

In order to make your time count with the service center, be sure to prepare your explanation on a written or typed document. If there’s a possibility of more than one employee communicating with the service center, ensure they’re up-to-speed with all details that may be of help to fixing the issue or issues at hand. MRO Electric and Supply has new and refurbished parts available now, and also offers repair pricing. Be sure to check out our core exchange program to learn how to save. For more information, please call 800-691-8511 or email sales@mroelectric.com.

Be sure to avoid shipping damage by packing the part or parts securely and appropriately. Nobody wants a quick and painless fix to turn into an extended fix due to laziness or lack of initiative to research correct packaging processes. Most units need 3-5 inches of packaging insulation on all sides, to ensure rough handling won’t damage the part or parts. Check out our other articles focused on robotics here.

Workforce Automation and Robots

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FANUC Robotics

Workforce Automation and Robots

Automation has been in mind for not just decades, but centuries. Whether we’re talking about those who worked in flour mills or those who dealt with windmills, automated processes have always been on inventors’ minds. While automation would technically result in job losses, the increased prevalence of robots and robotics parts (FANUC Robotic Parts found at MRO Electric)  in the manufacturing, packaging, and engineering space would result in interesting implications for consumers, employees, companies, organizations, etc.

Does Workforce Automation Result in Job Losses?

Many are convinced that automation will come and take over a majority of the work done by humans in the next few decades, and some feel as though their jobs are safe. Let us take China for example. China is one of the most dominant manufacturing hubs in the world, supplying a huge chunk of the world’s electronics products. Over the past few years, Chinas’ factories cut human workforce by an astounding average of 50%, due to the increased prevalence of robots.

Are there Advantages of Workforce Automation?

Although there is definitely a negative side of workforce automation, do positive sides exist? Customers could experience, to an extent, cheaper and more effective services and products. This would be due to the cost savings of the autonomous robotics, which yield a one-time fee along with other basic upkeep costs. Lower production costs would also make it possible to build items in the U.S. vs overseas, which many would prefer.

 Automation Limits?

There are limits to mostly everything, and automation is no exception. Short product life cycles that quickly become obsolete and ability to entertain fully-custom projects do not fit into an automation system. For example, paying for a large number of robots to build an electronic product that will become obsolete in less than a year would not be a smart decision from a business standpoint. The ability to be flexible and custom is imperative when concerning several products in several different markets.

What does Second Machine Age Mean?

Robotics in machine automation is becoming a larger part of the workforce as time goes on. Some companies plan to simply increase production levels with the help of robots and robotics parts while keeping their employee count the same and reassigning their workers to other positions within the company. With the addition of robots and robotic parts in the workplace, workers will be needed to maintain robots, calibrate and monitor them, analyze data and more.

The rise of robots and robotic parts is unavoidable in several niches. Today’s technological prosperity is changing tomorrow’s workforce for good. MRO Electric and Supply has new and refurbished FANUC Robotics parts available. We also offer repair pricing. For more information, please call 800-691-8511 or email sales@mroelectric.com.

Lastly, be sure to check out our articles on boosting factory automation productivity here.

LCD Retrofitting Benefits

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LCD Retrofit

LCD Retrofitting Benefits

Part 1: CRT to LCD Retrofits

Many professionals in the automation space that have a CNC Machine (such as FANUC CNC parts found here) in their shop deal with pesky issues from time-to-time. One common issue for those who use CNC machines would be CRT monitors that begin showing their age. Several of our customers have been in this situation, feel as though they’re left with two choices: repair their CRT monitors, or replace them.

To be clear, those are not the only two options. The main reasons:

1.) it’s often time-consuming to pinpoint a CRT Replacement part.

2.) It is not cost-effective to have the CRT monitor repaired.

 Our alternative to the two options: an LCD retrofit (found in FANUC Displays and Controls) .

The advantages of retrofitting or upgrading a CRT monitor with an LCD retrofit are:

    • Improved screen visibility
    • Increased life of CNC Machine
  • Decrease amount of electricity used during operation

Part 2: Floppy Disk to USB Drive Retrofits

Another outdated piece we have encountered in the machine automation space? a floppy disk.  

Floppy disks are still in use today for some, often causing issues. By implementing an updated, customized USB flash drive, several issues can likely be avoided. What is now a slow and obsolete tool, the floppy disk is still in use with some of our clients and causing problems.  Our recommendation is a new custom-built USB flash drive solution.

Upgrading to a USB drive is usually a straightforward process. No changes or system configurations are necessary during this process, and yes, it will work on CNC machines and other devices that still use the floppy drive.

Nobody likes the costs of downtime including those in the machine automation space.

MRO Electric and Supply has new and refurbished FANUC CNC products available, including LCD Retrofit products. We also offer repair pricing. For more information, please call 800-691-8511 or email sales@mroelectric.com.