PCMCIA media cards Archives - Shop Floor Automations

Lengthen Useful Life with CNC USB Upgrades

You have a machine that is 30+ years old. It’s been there since the early days, long before Industry 4.0 was a buzzword and before wireless file transfer was even imaginable. It may be even going by the affectionate nickname of “Trusty.”

Despite its age, the equipment runs like a dream. Its spindles are still tight, axes still accurate within a few microns and its rugged build could chew through titanium like butter. Operators swear by its consistency. “It just knows what to do,” one would say. “Never crashes, never fusses.”

But there’s a catch. And it’s a costly one.

The machine’s control system, still original, can only receive CNC programs via two obsolete methods: a floppy disk drive and a Type I PCMCIA card slot. In an age when everything else on the shop floor has moved to USB, Ethernet or RS232 serial transfer, Trusty’s data interface is like a rotary phone in a world of smartphones.

The Bottleneck Begins

Every time a new G-code program needs to be loaded – be it a customer revision, toolpath tweak or entirely new part setup – one of the operators has to break from their routine to hunt down one of the two working 3.5″ floppy disks still in circulation. They probably guard those floppies like gold; one might be labeled “A-Shift Only” in Sharpie.

File sizes have to be trimmed meticulously. Programs have to be split into segments due to the 1.44MB limit. Worse still, perhaps the old laptop that supports the PCMCIA cards only works when plugged into a wall and booted in Safe Mode. You’re constantly worried that it will blue-screen in the middle of a critical job for an already-dissatisfied customer. The resulting delay could push an entire shift back, cause an overnight rush and lead to missed delivery windows. The warnings are clear: the machine isn’t failing mechanically, but it is failing logistically.

Good Machine Health Can Still Be Costly

Even if the machine can still “run well,” the time lost in file prep, operator retraining and manual transfers adds up. Even one mistake in file versioning – say, loading the wrong program because the floppy labels have rubbed off – means scrapping parts, rework or worse, customer complaints or attrition.

Then there’s compliance. Traceability and control of removable media may be a major priority, particularly for manufacturers with Federal Contract Information (FCI), yet the tracking of file changes and revisions on a machine that relies on physical media is like trying to manage ERP through Post-it® Notes.

If these challenges sound eerily familiar, you’re among peers. But replacing your aging CNC equipment just to modernize data communication is rarely feasible for most operations. IndustryWeek published this shared opinion from one operations manager at a Midwestern automotive components plant: “We can’t justify scrapping equipment that still produces quality parts just because it lacks connectivity.” Instead, many are choosing to retrofit their legacy equipment – with tangible results.

Retrofitting for Longevity

The process of upgrading floppy drives and PCMCIA cards on older CNC machines can be surprisingly simple, that is, with the right hardware and manufacturing integrator. Shop Floor Automations (SFA), which specializes in delivering machine connectivity through a full suite of hardware and software solutions, refers customers to its USB Connect device to improve obsolete CNC file program transfer processes without retiring the asset. “It’s a ruggedized, plug-and-play unit that lets you load and save programs via USB just like you would on newer machines. You install it on the CNC and connect it to your machine’s RS-232 port, insert a USB flash drive containing your programs and send the file directly into the CNC control. There’s no software setup, no tweaking parameters. It behaves exactly like a serial communication tool, only far faster and easier to use,” explains Greg Mercurio, president of SFA.

These benefits make CNC USB upgrade retrofits increasingly attractive, but Mercurio advises a careful connectivity approach. “Choosing the wrong device or the wrong partner can quickly turn productivity or efficiency issues into unexpected downtime, safety or security issues. Cutting costs and attempting implementations without a well-crafted plan or experienced installer isn’t worth the risk,” says Mercurio.

A New Lease on Machine Life

Programs can now be sent directly from your shop’s programming workstation to Trusty and other older CNC machines, removing the need for floppies, patch cables or ancient laptops. The operator loads programs as if they used a removable USB thumb drive, but without all the marching back and forth between the programming office and CNC.

With this CNC USB upgrade device in place, operators can be empowered to focus on quality parts, not workarounds. Engineering can feel confident in a more streamlined CNC program transfer process. IT can rest easy with full awareness of this process, as well as the roles and responsibilities that result in a compliant and secure course of action. And long-standing equipment, like Trusty, can still run just as well, only now, with the tools to keep pace with the rest of the floor. Learn more about upgrading your existing machinery with expert assistance from SFA technicians by reaching out today.

Companies within the Defense Industrial Base (DIB), like machine, pharmaceutical and aerospace product manufacturers, are increasingly the subject of frequent attacks in pursuit of the billions of dollars tied up in Department of Defense (DoD) projects. The SolarWinds breach, the REvil cybergang hit on a defense contractor and others incidents making headline news are the overt evidence of these escalating targets – but it’s estimated by Black Kite that “twenty percent of America’s largest 100 defense contractors are highly susceptible to a ransomware attack.”

An aerial view of the United States Pentagon.

For manufacturers with FCI, compliance with the DoD’s CMMC 2.0 involves the control of removable media, such as PCMCIA memory cards and USB drives, and impacts the use of such media in conjunction with your CNC machinery.

The DoD is naturally taking action. The safeguard of defense-related information has been named a major priority, says the DoD, leading the agency to unveil its “enhanced” CMMC 2.0 program in November of last year. With three different levels of compliance (“Foundational,” “Advanced” and “Expert”), CMMC 2.0 will undergo implementation through the rulemaking process, which can span from nine months to two years, and then ultimately fold the program into a contractual requirement. This means that any company that processes, stores or handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) must perform a CMMC Level 1 self-assessment.

Proper Protection of CUI

For manufacturers with FCI, CMMC 2.0 compliance involves the control of removable media, such as PCMCIA memory cards and USB drives, and encrypting this media to properly protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). The process of storing and transferring machine programs is already a time- and labor-consuming task: often companies set up a kiosk for programmers to peruse programs, copy the selected machine code onto a USB, trek back to the machinery and copy the program to the machine. One manufacturer estimated that it took them 10 minutes of set-up time to upload a program and get the routers – per part. The total time devoted to this process amounted to around 83 hours a month.

CNC machine programs with PCMCIA media cards and USB drives also make revision control virtually impossible. Programs that were never proven can be exported to machines, machined “not to spec” and lead to the scrapping of parts, rework, or worse, customer rejections. Companies can then find themselves scrambling to repair customer concerns and spending additional time and labor sourcing the correct program, and ultimately going through the machine program transfer process over again.

Now, with CMMC 2.0, machinery using removable storage devices can also lead to noncompliance. Solutions to achieve compliance, however, may hold even greater possible benefits for manufacturers.

DNC for Compliancy, Reliability, and Greater Productivity

A modern DNC networking solution, like Predator DNC as available through Shop Floor Automations, can work towards helping companies eliminate removable drives from CNC manufacturing equipment altogether. Serving as one industrial network for all your CNC machines, robots, CMMs, PLCs, 3D printers and other equipment, a well-designed DNC networking system ensures that only your latest files are tapped from their central location and, when changes occur, the edits are stored back on your file server.

A machinist working with a machine that is running DNC software, removing the need for physical drives and saving time between jobs.

A well-designed DNC networking solution can connect all your CNC machines, robots, CMMs, PLCs, 3D printers and other equipment on one industrial network, thereby removing or reducing the need for removable storage media, like PCMCIA media cards or USB drives.

Even more so, CNC program revisions can be controlled through a bar code or QR code reader to eliminate errors and transfer the proven/released part program every time into the CNC for complete traceability. Securing greater control of your CNC program revisions can lead to a reduction in the amount of rework and scrap that plagues companies utilizing untested programs. All in all, the implementation of a proper DNC networking solution can equate to a more productive team and a more consistent and reliable manufacturing process.

Set up your organization for CMMC 2.0 compliance while realizing significant gains in productivity and reliability – contact a DNC networking specialist at Shop Floor Automations to discuss your unique defense environment today.

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