Difference between revisions of "VTube Communication for Winton Benders"

VTube-LASER and VTube-STEP can communicate with Winton bender controls using the Winton RD data file protocol.

VTube-STEP can EXPORT data to Winton benders using the protocol. VTube-LASER can SEND and RECALL data to/from Winton benders for full corrections loops.

Follow this guide to setup the VTube for communications with benders using the Winton RD file protocol.

You can use the VTube-STEP EXPORT menu to send a new part data to a Winton RD bender.

This protocol requires that a network connection be shared between the Winton bender control and the VTube-LASER computer.

Press the EXPORT Winton WMC File button.

Choose a good starting Winton WMC Template file. Use the ellipsis button if necessary to select a template file. A template file contains your starting setup for a Winton bender.

Then press the Edit Winton WMC Template File button.

Loading the Winton template will display a starting set of values for the WMC file.

You can change any of the setup values in this template. (We don't recommend that you change the values in the first two rows.)

Keep in mind that VTube will automatically overwrite any of the LRA and radius values in the next step, so you don't have to change those values.

Save the Winton file to the network location where the Winton control can also find the file.

Load the new Winton file into the control, finish the setup of the bender, then bend the tube.

VTube-LASER uses a Benderlink grid to setup the communications protocol for each bender. The grid is in Setup Options, Measure 2, Setup Benderlink Options menu.

In the Benderlink options menu, choose the bender to edit by selecting the cells in the bender row you want to setup.

• Set the bender name (this is for showing the bender name in the user interface only).
  
  
• Set the protocol by choosing Winton WMC.
  
  
• Set the NetPath where files will be shared.
  
  
• Skip the ComPort setting because it has no application to this protocol.
  
  
• Skip the timeout setting because it has no application to this protocol.
  
  
• Set the Part Name Match to Yes or No. If the option is set to Yes, then a mismatched part name in the data will cause VTube-LASER to warn of a part name mismatch while receiving data.
  
  
• If the network location server has a fixed IP address, then the location can be pinged to prove that the network path is currently available before VTube attempts to save files in the network path.
  
  
• Skip the number value for the bender. This only has application for other protocols.
  
  

To communicate with a bender when using VTube-LASER, switch to the Bender Setup menu (see the navigation pane on the right), then follow these steps.

• If the bender control needs to be placed in communications mode, then do that now.
  
  
• Back at VTube-LASER, set the bender number on the top.
  
  
• If the Bender values in the blue columns are all zeros, or the data is not correct, then use the Setup this Window menu on the right to copy MASTER data into this menu. Also, you may need to copy MASTER part setup values into the top of the menu. If your bender requires it, you can also calculate a cut length.
  
  
• To SEND NEW data out to the bender, use the Setup the Bender button on the far right and press one of the Send buttons.
  
  
• To perform a CORRECTION to the bender, use the Bidirectional Communication menu on the right. Press the RECALL then the AUTO SEND to fully correct the bender.