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tropostudio

Need PLC Program software or program peripheral for Mitsubishi M520AM and Model E Control

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I have a 1996 Howa Vertical Machining Center running on a Mitsubishi M520AM control. 3 Axis with Jig Changer on the main control. ATC and 16-tool magazine on 2 each Model E/FCUA single-axis amplifier/controls with a DIO extension interface to main control . I lost parameters and User PLC program to the 2 Model E amplifier/controllers at  ATC and the Magazine servos. Dead batteries, and both units are back to defaults. 

Main Control and Operation Panel work. I can read the ladder and write to CPU ladder from the operator panel, and I have a paper copy of the main ladder and parameters. I have a working FCUA-CT200 pendant to communicate with the 2 Model E controls, but no way to program a new user ladder and upload it to the Model-E's. Anyone know where to find PLC software for 1996 vintage Mitsubishi CNC controls? I can probably make any kind of interface cable it would take to get from a PC to the control. the FCUA-CT200 teach pendant will let me enter parameters  via 'PLC I/F' but it won't let me program and read/write a User  PLC.

Edited by tropostudio
poor choice of wording

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Thanks - I made an inquiry to tech support in IL via their online form.  I have previously downloaded a lot of documentation from their site. Fingers crossed there is a way to get this going without resorting to a control retrofit!

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No luck working through MEAU on PLC support for circa 1995 Meldas M520AM or FCUA-MP10 (Model E) CNC controls. Anyone know if there is a Mitsubishi industrial PLC model that would correspond to the internal PLC in 1) the Meldas M520AM control and 2) the internal PLC in the Meldas FCUA-MP10 combined drive/control? 

I've made up Rs232 cables, but am not able to read from either the PLC using either Melsec Medoc 1.64b (FX series only) through vDOS or GX Developer 8.91 in Win10.  Have tried wiring cables for CTS/RTS and Xon/Xoff. Using a Tripp Lite Keyspan USB-DB9 RS23 adapter.  I know the Keyspan adapter works, as I can download machining programs through the operator panel.  I've tried every combination of baud rate, data bit, parity, and stop bit I can think of, with every PLC type I can think of and get nothing trying to read the PLC ladders. 

Maybe none of the PLC options in Medoc FX or GX Developer match what are inside the controls? 

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From that era, it would most closely resemble a model in the A Series PLC family.  Not sure which one, but you sure can't access it in an FX version of software.

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Thanks for the tip.  I found a manual for a similar control with internal PLC of that era - the Model W FCUA-MP200.  It mentions selecting 'PC Type A3A' if using the A6GPP programmer or an AT-compatible PC.  Lots of swapping floppies using unobtainable MS-DOS programs and moving selection switches is involved (see attached pic from manual).

Without DOS programs for setting up drive parameters and PLC ladder development, it looks like my remaining option is to 1) use my CT-200 teach pendant to enter  drive parameters via the single SIO port and 2) to use an R020 adapter cable to interface with that same SIO port on my PC, using MELSEC/GX Developer software to read the factory ladder and then to reverse engineer a custom, User  ladder.  

I've managed to set servo parameters  via the CT-200 teach pendant, and can manually jog the servo using the pendant.  PLC-related parameters are still all all defaulted to '0' and I can't connect to the controls stock ladder.  I have made a version of the FCUA-R020 cable that connects directly to the male DB-9 end of Tripp Lite Keyspan USB adapter (diagram attached).  Same functionality at the PC end, but wired for a female DB-9 vs DB25. Cable wiring is good, I know the Keyspan works, I have the control switch set to 'when using SW_NX-GPPA with personal computer.' 

I'm using GX Developer v8 with PLC type selected as ACPU:A3A.  PC set up to COM4, 9600kbps.  Have tried switching through 8/8 bit data length, odd/even/no parity, 1/2 stop bits, Hardware vs Xon/Xoff.  Can't communicate with drive's built-in PLC using GX Developer connection test.  I've even tried re-wiring cable as a Xon/Xoff cable, jumping DTR/DSR and RTS/CTS at respective cable ends.  Still nothing.

Anyone see an obvious mistake I've made?  Am I done, and time to ditch the drives?

FCUA-R020-Cable.jpg

FCUA-M200-mentions-A3A-PLC.jpg

FCUA-R020-MyCable.jpg

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