Hi all,

One of my clients is asking me to make some ladder logic changes to their Fanuc 0MC CNC. They have the software, fladder, an EPROM
programmer, and manuals. I am not familiar with the control, but it is probably fairly old.

Is it feasable for someone with basic PLC and motion background to tackle this project? I am pretty resourceful, but I do not want to jump into a snake pit. Is this CNC still supported? Can anyone give me a little background?

Thanks,

Bill Sturm

 

Bill,

First of all, you are right. The 0 is an older control, but there is still a number of us who work with the control. As new machine tools
can still be purchased with a 0, there must be some Fanuc support left. The 0 was at the "cheap and dirty" end of the price list with the 11
and 15 on the top end. Not many use the 0 any more as Fanuc and GE Fanuc have similar versions out with newer technology (ie. you don't have to burn eproms to test your software).

Second, you pose two questions. Is it feasable and is it snake pit. First let's look at feasable. In general terms yes. The ladder in
the 0 CNC (with a few execptions depending on the machine tool builder) works the same way a PLC does. The major difference is that it has a
number of specialized flags for passing status and requests from the executive to the machine tool via the ladder. If you are good with PLCs, motion, understand how the machine tool works (mechanically and software), and understand what the changes are and how it will impact the
machine tool, I'd say go for it.

As far as the snake pit is concerned, that depends on who did the ladder (quality of the code), any changes and how well they are documented not the control.

Good Luck
Robert Holman
Automation & Controls Eng., Ltd.

 

Hi Bill,
To make this task you must need:
-Old version of ladder diagram
-Electrical Circuit of the machine (If you need to change Inputs and Outputs)
-Programming Manual for Fanuc PLC model “L” or “M”
-The yellow suitcase (programmer PG from FANUC + FAPT LADDER)+ EPROM writer

If you don’t have the last one, you can take the 2 EPROM-s from the machine and read them with whatever it is EPROM Writer. From Address 0000H is the base software of the PLC. From address 2000H is the table for data. After that is HIGH LEVEL of the ladder and LOW LEVEL. You can modify the LADDER with ASEMBLER or other product. Our workgroup has done this before for PLC model “D” and “B”,
because PG programmer is very big and weighty.

Better decision is to find FAPT LADDER for PC.

BEST REGARDS: Anastas Lazov

 

Bill,
Just to add an additional note of caution to what's already been said, a major consideration in tackling the project is accessibility to the MTB's ladder printout in which you'll find the symbol & comment data for the ladder. As the ladder in the 0 series controls are compiled WITHOUT this info, making edits to it may be extremely difficult without knowing the OEM's orig. intent.

Good Luck,
Paul Sevin
Ovation Engineering, Inc.
http://www.ovationeng.com

 

Hi Bill,
To make this task you must need:
-Old version of ladder diagram
-Electrical Circuit of the machine (If you need to change Inputs and Outputs)
-Programming Manual for Fanuc PLC model “L?or “M? -The yellow suitcase (programmer PG from FANUC + FAPT LADDER)+ EPROM writer

If you don’t have the last one, you can take the 2 EPROM-s from the machine and read them with whatever it is EPROM Writer. From Address 0000H is the base software of the PLC. From address 2000H is the table for data. After that is HIGH LEVEL of the ladder and LOW LEVEL. You can modify the LADDER with ASEMBLER or other product. Our workgroup has done this before for PLC model “D?and “B?
because PG programmer is very big and weighty.

Better decision is to find FAPT LADDER for PC.

BEST REGARDS: Anastas Lazov