Why Does it Take So Long to Download a NC Program?

A CNC tech working directly with a controller to download an NC program via ethernet.

If you are looking to improve the efficiency of your shop floor there are many ways to do so. One of these ways is looking at your NC program downloads and seeing if there is room for improvement.

What are the typical transfer speeds?

There are different transfer speeds depending on the setup that you have. Typical transfer speeds are:

  • RS232 Performance: Predator DNC RS232 performance depends on both your file size and baud rates. The higher your baud rates, the quicker your NC program will download. For files that are 50,000 bytes, it can take between 3 minutes and 50 seconds to 29 seconds depending on your baud rates. Going up to 200,000 bytes, it can take anywhere from15 minutes and 40 seconds to 1 minute and 55 seconds.
  • Ethernet FTP Performance: Predator DNC Ethernet FTP performance depends on file size when the files are extremely large. Files between 50,000 and 200,000 bytes typically download in less than 1 second. Even a 2,000,000 byte file took less than 1 second to download.
  • Ethernet Fanuc Focas Performance: Predator DNC Fanuc Focas is also dependent on only file size. For a 50,000 byte file, it takes approximately 7 seconds to download. A 100,000 byte file takes 13 seconds to download, and a 200,000 byte file takes approximately 25 seconds to download.
  • Ethernet Predator Secure DNC Performance: Predator Secure DNC performance is also dependent on file size only. Files from 50,000 bytes to 200,000 bytes typically take 2 seconds to download.

How can I improve the speed of my NC program downloads?

Glancing at the transfer speeds above makes it clear that Ethernet performance is significantly better than the RS232 file transfer. By switching to Ethernet, you can greatly improve your transfer speeds, which frees up your time to do other things. Instead of waiting upwards of 10 minutes, with Ethernet, you can transfer files in seconds, making you more productive and your shop floor more efficient

Contact Shop Floor Automations for help improving the speed of your NC program downloads!

At Shop Floor Automations, we have decades of experience implementing Predator Secure DNC applications. By utilizing our expertise, wireless connect, and ethernet hardware, you can vastly improve download speeds and improve the speed to the CNC. If you’re interested in our Windows 10 support and improving your shop floor efficiency with Ethernet for Predator Secure, contact us today at (619) 461-4000.

To learn more about the machine automation, hardware, and software services that we offer, visit us on the web at Shop Floor Automations.