CNC Parameters: Are yours backed up?

Here’s what you know: The parameters of the CNC control are an integral part of your machine’s operating system, and therefore, your metal fabrication shop. This digital data corresponds to machine option settings, controls servo drives, sets travel extents and essentially holds the backbone of machine operation – and of your business.

What many fabricators are not aware of is the importance of backing up control parameters.

Why back up?

Like backing up your computer, it’s important to backup CNC parameters.
The number one reason to back up: You never know what could happen. It’s possible that the memory in the control gets cleared by accident and putting the values back in the system is tedious and time consuming.

Like scheduling regular preventative maintenance for your machines, backing up your controls is an easy way to prevent productivity loss.

Easy as pie

Backing up this crucial data is quick and easy, and can save you time, money and productivity loss should your control memory get erased by error or hardware failure. The best part? Most people are already equipped to do it.

All controls have the capability to be backed up. Older controls have an RS232C communication link built in that most users are using to upload program files. This very same connection is used to transfer parameter files to the host PC. Everything is already there. Newer controls use FLASH cards to backup data.

Since most fabricators have the link in place to download the data to the machine, they already have the tools to back it up. It’s just a series of steps from there to upload the data to a computer or hard drive.

Here is guide by Amada to backup your CNC parameters.

One and done

Since system parameters hardly ever change and the data field is fixed, there is no need for updates. For most people, one backup is all you need. For the lifetime of your machines and your shop. It’s that easy.

No link, no problem

While the RS 232 link is very common, there are some outliers. For those who don’t have the link in place to back up the controls in-house, contact us: We can back up and keep your data on file.

This ongoing maintenance issue is one of the most important aspects for manufacturing productivity, but often the most unfamiliar. When it comes to machines, you never know what could happen – if something were to go awry, you want to be prepared and avoid wasting time and resources to fix the problem. CNC parameter backup is just another crucial part of preventative maintenance: It only takes a few minutes to prevent wasted hours.