Connecting a Machine Tool to Your SFx Account via MachineX
Introduction
MachineX is a utility aimed at bridging bi-directional communications between CNC machines and SFx Asset Management by providing a consistent and generic API for communicating with CNC controllers.
MachineX has been integrated into SFx Desktop and works as an alternative to connect CNC machines to your SFx account.
In comparison to SFx Desktop, MachineX has the following features:
MachineX is exclusively designed to address the communication issue with CNC machines, from the latest to the vintage models while currently SFx Desktop can be used to connect to four kinds of machines: CMMs, laser trackers, portable arms, and machine tools (a kind of CNC machines).
SFx Desktop works as an agent to connect machines to your SFx account and it uses MachineX to connect to CNC controllers.
For SFx Desktop, the communication between machines and your SFx account is mono-directional but for MachineX, this is mutual communication.
Although SFx Desktop can be used to connect machine tools via the MTConnect agent, MachineX allows connection to CNC controllers and functionality that is not supported by MTConnect.
Device Compatibility
The table below lists the manufacturer brands and CNC controller models compatible with MachineX.
Manufacturer / Brand | Model | Protocol |
|---|---|---|
Fanuc | 16_18, 15i, 21i, 30i, 31i, 32i, 0i | |
HAAS | Classic, NextGen | |
Heidenhain | HH640, HH530 | DNC |
Connecting a Machine Tool to Your SFx Account via MachineX
Sign in to your SFx account, and download and install SFx Desktop.
You can find the Downloads section in your User Menu in the upper right.
Open SFx Desktop from the Windows Start menu after installation.
On the home page of SFx Desktop, click Begin Tour on the pop-up Tour dialog.
Select and click Machine Tool.
To browse the key features of SFx Asset Management, click Next.
To jump to the end of the tour, click Skip.
On the Get Started screen (the final screen of the tour), mark the I agree to the End User License Agreement check box and then click Set up my asset(s).
Tip
Click the End User License Agreement link to read the full text.
In the Add Asset dialog box, click the link Don't have an MTConnect Agent?.
Select a controller manufacturer.
If you select Fanuc, follow the steps below to proceed:
On the Basic Info screen of the Add Asset dialog box, specify the basic properties of your asset. Then click Next.
Type the Host Address and Host Port according to the connection configuration of your machine controller.
Click Save.
If you select HAAS, follow the steps below to proceed:
On the Basic Info screen of the Add Asset dialog box, specify the basic properties of your asset. Then click Next.
Type the Host Address and Host Port according to the connection configuration of your machine controller.
If you want to enable the File Management function, toggle on this option, and type the Host Name or IP, Share Name, and the Programs Folder path of the destination location.
Tip
File Management is used to enable monitoring of NC Program files.
To ensure your data privacy, toggle on the Credentials and type your user credentials, including User Name, Domain, and Password.
Click Save.
If you select Heidenhain, follow the steps below to proceed:
Note
Heidenhain controllers require that Option 18 (HeidenhainDNC Components) is enabled on every controller before MachineX can connect.
On the Basic Info screen of the Add Asset dialog box, specify the basic properties of your asset. Then click Next.
Type the Host Address according to the connection configuration of your machine controller.
Enable the Programs option, then enter a path (relative to TNC:\) to a preferred directory to store NC Programs. If left blank this will default to TNC:\.
If you need to use the program variables, enable the User Variables option, and provide the path (relative to TNC:\) on the controller to the User Variable Table.
Note
The program variables (Q Parameters) on a Heidenhain Controller cannot be accessed remotely, therefore a User Variable Table is required to read and write user variables to. The Table's structure should have each variable on a new row, with a column heading of 'Q'.
Click Verify to test the connectivity of these provided settings to the selected CNC controller.
Tip
Verify Connection is a simple tool to help you diagnose the connectivity of provided settings to the CNC controller. If the verification failed, you need to check if the IP Address, Directory Path, or Variable Table Path you entered is incorrect.
You can still proceed to onboard your CNC machine even though the verification result is failed.
Click Save.
Sign in to your SFx account.
Your SFx Desktop and your asset are now connected to your SFx account.
On the SFx Desktop screen below, you can see your asset in the list. Click View Online to visit the Asset Detail View with a new browser window.
On the All My Assets screen, you can find all assets you've connected to your SFx account.
To connect another CNC machine to your SFx account, click the + icon in the upper left and select Machine Tool.
Then repeat Step 7-10 described above.