NCGuide Academic packages

Transcription

1 CNC Certification Education Training Program Frequently Asked Questions NCGuide Academic packages 1. Are there any maintenance charges after the initial product purchase? No, the only cost is the initial purchase. 2. Is the network license limited to 16 specific students? No, multiple groups of students can use the software on multiple computers, as long as no more than 16 are using it at the same time. Multiple licenses may be purchased if more than 16 concurrent licenses are required. For example, an additional license could allow students to perform individual studies, distance learning or homework at the same time as other students attend a class. This ensures the classroom always has sufficient licenses for everyone in the class. 3. How do students upload and download their work to the NCGuide CNC? FANUC CNC controls support external memory cards. When using NCGuide, the external memory card can be set to a directory on a drive on the network, or to a USB port on the local computer. 4. How do students transfer their files between NCGuide and a real CNC? FANUC CNC controls support external memory cards. All the FANUC Series i controls support a PCMCIA memory card. Current controls support both the PCMICIA memory cards and USB memory sticks. Student will save their programs in NCGuide to the virtual memory card, which can be a flash card or a USB memory stick using the standard output screens. At the machine, the student read the programs on the CF memory card program or the USB memory stick into the CNC using the standard output screens. Alternatively, if the CNC and the PC have Ethernet and are on the same network, NCGuide can output files to a directory on the network and the machine can input files from that same directory. 5. What documentation is included with NCGuide? The documentation to install and configure NCGuide is provided in PDF format on the NCGuide DVD in the directory \doc. The basic use of NCGuide is also covered in the curriculum documents. For specific CNC documentation (0i-TD, 0i-MD and 31i-MODEL A/B), additional documentation is required. FANUC CNC documentation is available in paper form and as PDF documents on a CD. 1 P age CNC CERT FAQ docx

2 6. What if my CNC does not have a USB port for program transfer? If the control you are using does not have a USB port, you can use a CompactFlash card on all FANUC Series i controls. For older controls, serial communications is probably required. For simply transferring files, commercially available compact flash cards can be used. Adapters are typically required for the CNC and the PC. A CF to PCMCIA adapter is required to use the CF card with the CNC. A card is available from FANUC (part # A02B-0236-K150 - $21.00). It is recommended that the CF/PCMCIA adapter is left in control and only the CF card removed. Some PCs have a CF card read/write slot built in. Otherwise, a USB to CF card adapter can be used. 7. Are there any differences between the NCGuide Academic packages other than the number of seats? The software is identical with NCGuide Academic package for Classroom and NCGuide Academic package for Homework. The licensing differs in two ways. The Classroom edition is for 16-seats whereas the Homework edition is for one seat. The license for the Classroom edition last indefinitely, but the license for the homework edition lasts only for 12-months. Therefore, if a school needs more than 16-seats, it is often better to purchase two Classroom licenses. The additional seat can be made available for students to use on library or other remote computers. 8. Does NCGuide Academic package for Classroom require a server? No, a server-class computer is not required. All the software is loaded onto each computer that needs to run NCGuide, only the licensing is done across the network. NCGuide Academic package for Classroom includes a single USB dongle that must be inserted on one computer on the network. It does not have to be a server-class computer; any PC will work as long as it can be accessed by the other computers on the network. The PC that has the dongle inserted must install a software application called the license server. 2 P age CNC CERT FAQ docx

3 Students enter the remote PC s IP address into a setup page. When a remote PC runs the software, it checks with the license server to see if there is an available seat. Some schools prefer to install the dongle on a server in the IT domain to prevent anyone walking off with it. In this case it is convenient if the PC has a fixed IP address so that remote student knows what to set on their computer. Others install the dongle on the instructor s PC. The instructor can check the current IP address of the computer (since it will likely change from time to time) and provide it to the student in the class.. 9. Is NCGuide Academic package for Classroom server-based? No, the software must be loaded onto each computer that uses NCGuide. There is no limit on the number of computers that can be loaded with NCGuide. The licensing uses an application we call a license server, but it does not require a server, just a PC or a server with the license server running. 10. Do NCGuide Academic packages support conversational programming? Yes, FANUC s premiere conversational programming application is called MANUAL GUIDE i. NCGuide supports MANUAL GUIDE i as does most of FANUC s CNCs. Note that the FANUC Series 0i-Mate controls do not support MANUAL GUIDE i, they support MANUAL GUIDE 0i conversational programming. NCGuide does not support MANUAL GUIDE 0i at this time. Conversational programming provides a step-by-step, fill-in-the-blanks programming based on machining operations such as facing, contouring, roughing, finishing, bolt-hole-circles, pocketing, drilling and tapping. MANUAL GUIDE i programs created in NCGuide or on a CNC can be executed on a machine supporting MANUAL GUIDE i or they can be converted to standard G-code and run on a wide range of FANUC CNCs that do not have MANUAL GUIDE i installed. For an introduction to MANUAL GUIDE i, see the webinars on YouTube. 11. Can a school purchase NCGuide Academic packages without committing to the CNC Certified Education Training program? Yes, anyone can purchase NCGuide. 12. Is there a training class for NCGuide Academic packages? No, NCGuide is really little more than FANUC s CNC software running on a PC. Therefore, if you know FANUC controls it will be easy to use NCGuide. If you need to learn more about FANUC controls, then the class recommended is the FS-30i/31i/32i/0iD G-code and Operation. The documentation on NCGuide Academic package DVD provides instructions on using NCGuide as does the curriculum workbooks from FANUC America Corporation. Videos are also available on YouTube for specific topics. 3 P age CNC CERT FAQ docx

4 Certification Program 13. What are the requirements of Certification The requirements are fully covered in the FANUC CNC Certified Education Training Program Terms and Conditions document. Certification requires: Instructors must be certified by attending our G-code class and passing a test. School must have machine tools with modern FANUC CNC equipment so that at least 50% of student s hands-on experience is with machine tools with FANUC CNCs. School must use an approved curriculum. FANUC CNC can provide CNC curriculum, but curriculum must also include shop math, blue print reading, measurement and other basic topics required for a competent machine operator. Students must pass a practical and academic test to prove competency to receive a FANUC certificate. School must provide students access to the NCGuide Academic package. 14. How and where is an instructor certified and what is the cost? Instructors are certified by attending one of FANUC s standard G-code training classes. At the end of the class the instructor will be given a competency test to ensure the material has been absorbed. Passing the test allows the instructor to be certified. The training classes are held a various times of the year at FANUC s training centers. Check the current course schedule for the next available class. The course lasts 4 days (32 hours) and cost $1,660. Of course the instructor may also incur travel and living cost in addition to the class cost. 15. Approximately how many hours are required for the students to meet certification? There are no fixed time periods for certification; each curriculum is assessed on its merits. The FANUC CNC G-code course is 32-hours. Schools can teach G-code programming as a standalone class. Alternatively, Mill and Turning G-code can be each taught separately in combined theory and hands on classes. The goal is to have a qualified operator, so topics such as shop-math, blue-print reading, measuring parts and adjusting tool offsets need to be covered. 16. Can a school apply for certification without buying all new equipment? Yes, existing FANUC equipment is fine for the certification program, but at least 50% of the machine must have modern FANUC CNCs (less than 10-years old). 4 P age CNC CERT FAQ docx

5 17. How much does the curriculum cost? Currently, the CNC curriculum is available in PDF format free of charge. Schools are authorized to print the document and sell it in the book store. This may change in the future as the CNC program aligns with the Robotics Certification program. Then printed copies and printing copies from CD may cost the same as the Robotics program. 18. Is there elearning training available? FANUC CNC s elearning content is under development. There are several instructional videos on FANUC CNC s YouTube page. Amatrol s NIMS CNC operator modules are also ideal elearning content. FANUC is working with Amatrol to update some of the content. 19. Is the electronic 0i-MODEL D Documentation CD needed as part of the curriculum and if so is it copy protected so that one is needed for each student? The control documentation is not needed as part of the curriculum. We have tried to include all necessary information in our curriculum documentation. It depends whether reading and interpreting the official documentation is part of the instructor s curriculum typically not. We recommend that one electronic copy available for the class as a reference. A copy of the CD comes with the CNC Certification Cart, but not NCGuide. The documents on the CD are not copy protected but there is a license statement No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form. CNC Certification Cart 20. What are the dimensions of the cart? The cart is 71 high and 43.5 deep. With the CNC pendant folded out in operation mode, the width is With the CNC pendant folded back for transportation the width is P age CNC CERT FAQ docx

6 OPERATING DIMENSIONS WITH PENDANT FOLDED BACK TO PASS THROUGH DOORWAY 21. What is the weight of the cart? The operational weight of the cart is approximately 420-lbs. The shipping weight is around 550-lbs, which includes the weight of the wooden crate. 22. What is the warranty on the CNC Certification Cart? The FANUC CNC is covered by a 2-year parts and labor warranty. The machine components are covered by a 2-year parts only warranty. Technical support for the machine will be provided over the phone. If onsite labor is required for the machine components during the warranty period, the customer must pay all travel and living expenses from Levil in Florida. 23. Is everything I need included in the CNC Certification Cart? Some parts are quoted as accessories (vice, tool holders, tooling). Please make sure you order the accessories you need. The machine also needs compressed air. This can be provided from a central system or a simple portable compressor. 24. What size air compressor is required for the CNC Certification Cart? The air compressor is used for the automatic tool changer (ATC) if fitted, to pressurize the spindle to keep contaminants out and cool the spindle when coolant is not used. If coolant is always used a small 90 PSI, 2.6 to 3 CFM air compressor is all that is required. If there will be a lot of cutting without coolant, then more air is required to cool the spindle, and a 6 CFM or more capacity air compressor with a 15 to 20 gallon tank is recommended. 6 P age CNC CERT FAQ docx

7 25. Does the CNC Certification Cart include instructor training and NCGuide? No, the CNC Certification Cart does not include instructor training or NCGuide, they must be purchased separately from FANUC. 26. What is the horsepower of the standard (non-atc) spindle? 3HP. FANUC CNCs 27. Is a USB port available on all current FANUC controls? A USB port is standard on the FANUC Series 30i/31i/32i MODEL B controls. It is an available factory installed option on the FANUC Series 0i MODEL D and the Series 0i Mate MODEL D. That means it can be specified in a new control from the factory but cannot be upgraded later in the field. Please make sure you specify the USB port when working with machine vendors. A USB port is not available most other FANUC controls including the FANUC Series 30i/31i/32i MODEL A control. 28. Is an Ethernet port available on all current FANUC controls? An embedded Ethernet port is standard on the FANUC Series 30i/31i/32i MODEL A and MODEL B controls. It was also standard on the FANUC 16i/18i MODEL B controls. Embedded Ethernet is an available factory installed option on the FANUC Series 0i MODEL D and the Series 0i Mate MODEL D. That means it can be specified in a new control from the factory but cannot be upgraded later in the field. Please make sure you specify the embedded Ethernet port when working with machine vendors. An Ethernet upgrade is available for most FANUC i-series controls including the FANUC Series 16i/18i MODEL A, Series 21i MODEL A and B and the Series 0i-MODEL C and D,. It is not available for any FANUC Series 0i Mate controls. 29. What are the differences between the FANUC Series 30i/31i/32i control models? The primary difference between the FANUC Series 30i/31i/32i is in the total number of axes, program paths and the number of simultaneous control axes that each model can support. In general, the machine axis configuration decides which control makes the most sense. In general, the 32i is often seen on advanced lathes (with more axes than the 0i-TD can support). The 31i is seen on higher performance machining centers and lathes that support mill-turn, and on 5-axis 3+2 machining centers. The 31i-B5 is used exclusively on simultaneous 5-axis machines, or mill-turn machines that include 5-axis simultaneous. The 30i rarely used except to ultra-complex machines like dial-index machines (supports 40 axes and 10 programmed paths). NCGuide includes the 31i, but the Academic package only supports 3-axis and 1 path. For more information see the FANUC 30i/31i/32i MODEL B brochure and the FANUC 5-axis brochure. Also see a summary online here. 7 P age CNC CERT FAQ docx

8 30. What are the differences between the FANUC Series 0i MODEL D and the 0i- Mate MODEL D control models? The primary difference between the FANUC Series 0i MODEL D and the 0i-Mate MODEL D is number of high-end options available. Both CNC models include numerous functions in the standard package. Here are some of the key option differences: Function 0i-MD 0i-Mate MD 0i-TD 0i-Mate TD Max. Simultaneous Axis color LCD 10.4 color LCD - - Embedded Ethernet * * USB Port * * Data Server - - MANUAL GUIDE i - - MANUAL GUIDE 0i Tool Management - - * these options must be installed at the factory, cannot be field upgraded Recommend purchasing the USB port option for 0i-Mate MODEL D controls. For education applications purchase the 0i MODEL over the 0i-Mate MODEL D if 4 th axis programming is required. 8 P age CNC CERT FAQ docx