VTube Communications using Current Tech BendPro G1 and G2 versions.

For OEM Benders:

• HMT (Horn Machine Tool)
• UTE
• Tubeline
• RbSA

BendPro can use the Supravision Network Protocol as a purchased option. This is the protocol this article assumes. This protocol must be switched on inside the control for the Supravision Network protocol to work as described in this article.

• Read this article: Supravision Network Protocol, for the basics of the protocol.
• See general Infrastructure Setup Notes for IT Departments.
• See BPG2_Supravision_Interface_Setup.pdf Current Tech setup notes for IT departments.
• See BPG2_Supravision_Import_With_Material_Specification.pdf Current Tech notes on how to use Material Specification to automatically choose the correct tools in Bend Pro

The Supravision link is sold by Current Tech as an option that can be enabled.

It's important to verify that this option is switched on when discovering if a BendPro G2 is ready for communication. Click on the "Utilities" pulldown menu...

...then click on the Measuring Machine Interface option.

If the Enable Supravision Client Interface Option checkbox will allow you to check the box, then your bender has communication capability.

Edit Part Button

Verify that this option is switched on when discovering if a BendPro G1 is ready for communication.

If you are able to open the BendPro to Supravision Link window then your software has communication capability.

Click on Edit Part button in the main screen:

Measure Machine Button

BendPro to Supravison Link Screen

If you can see this BendPro window - then you have communications capabilities on your control.

You can edit the network path for the protocol and also choose and set some communications options.

• Enter the Utilities / Measuring Machine Settings menu.
  
  
• Put a check in the checkbox to enable communications.
  
  
• Set up the path that Supravision Network will use for communications.
  
  
• Use the Machine Parameters / General Options to set up the correct bender number. If the bender number does not match the bender number used at the measuring center, communications will not occur.
  
  
• The G2 user interface does not need to be in the Measuring Center menu to communicate. However, that menu includes a log that displays the time of the last data transmission. If there are errors, then this is where they will be listed. So it is beneficial to change to that menu before communications.
  
  
• In general, it may be a good idea to ENABLE the "Receive Y, B, C & CLR Only" option or the BendPro's setup may be changed in ways that make the bender not run at all.
  
  

This is a closeup of the G2 log after communications:

Some G2 controls have a Host Emulation tab menu.

It is critical that you are sure that the host emulation mode is disabled - or standard communications will not work properly.

Host emulation mode enables BendPro to act like the measuring center side of the communication. If both Host Emulation' and Client Interface are switched on at the same time, then they interfere with each other.

The following rules apply for communication using the Supravision Network protocol:

• To RECALL data from BendPro, the measuring center must ask for the part with the correct part name - or BendPro will not answer.
  
  
• To correct an existing part in the bender, the part must be saved in the BendPro database and must be the active part.
  
  
• The part number must have no spaces. The G2 controls will parse the part number so that all letters after the first space are deleted. For example:

"01234 REV0"

• To send a NEW part to the bender, the part number must NOT already be in the database.
  
  
• Changing the first straight length will also change the START position for the first bend. If you are using VTube-LASER to correct the bender, and don't want the first or the last straight lengths to change, then manually set the first adjustment to zero in the Bender Setup menu before sending a correction.

• Starting from the main screen, press the Edit Part button at the bottom of the screen.
• Press the Measuring Machine button to enter the Supravision Network screen (see the image on the right).
  
  
• Set up the path that Supravision Network will use for communications.
  
  
• Use the Machine Parameters / General Options to set up the correct bender number. If the bender number does not match the bender number used at the measuring center, communications will not occur.
  
  

The following rules apply for communication using the Supravision Network protocol:

• Unlike the G2 user interface, the G1 Supravision window must be displayed during communications. The menu includes a single line that displays if communication works.
  
  
• Spaces are allowed in the part number - but NOT recommended. If the number of spaces doesn't match, the communication will fail. It is difficult to differentiate between one space and two spaces, and the G1 can have spaces AFTER the part name - which is not discernable until you enter the keyboard to edit the name. Recommendation: Replace the spaces with underscores.
  
  
• AFTER a send from the measuring center to the bender, the operator must walk out to the bender and press the RECEIVE PART DATA button.
  
  For VTube-LASER SEND, there is no timeout. For Supravision or DOCS, if the timeout occurs before the operator arrives at the bender to press the button, then DOCS and Supravision will delete the data file - and the communications will fail.
  
  If there are errors, then this is where they will be listed.
  
  
• To correct an existing part in the bender, the part must be saved in the BendPro database and must be the active part.
  
  
• The part number must NOT be in the database to send a NEW part to the bender.
  
  
• Changing the first straight length will also change the START position for the first bend. If you are using VTube-LASER to correct the bender, and don't want the first or the last straight lengths to change, manually set the first adjustment to zero in the Bender Setup menu before sending a correction.

BendPro operators can easily type in a very long part note:

• The older Supravsion software (on a ROMER or MM5000 measuring center) will shut down without warning if it receives a part note with more than 95 characters.
  
  
• VTube-LASER can handle any part note length.

• BendPro returns the YBC axis SPEEDS in the Supravision data transfer. This data should be observed and returned from any Benderlink system - or the speeds may be reset to a new value during the following correction. For this reason, it is a good idea to always perform a RECALL before SENDING data corrections to a BendPro control.
  
  
• BendPro will use the incoming Centerline Radius values in the Supravision transmission (rather than the values on the tool page). This data should be observed and returned from any Benderlink system - or the radii may be reset to the new incoming vale during the following correction. For this reason, it is a good idea to always perform a RECALL before SENDING data corrections to a BendPro control.

BendPro operators sometimes use non-bending YBC data rows to enable special avoidance moves.

• Supravision and DOCs cannot handle data with avoidance moves inserted in the YBC data. It is necessary to make manual corrections in these cases.
  
  
• VTube-LASER uses a data mapping feature to allow for any number of non-bending rows.

• DOCs software will sometimes invert rotations (to move in the opposite direction) - especially when making rotation corrections around the 180-degree area. Be aware of this, and be prepared to reset any rotation moving in the wrong direction.
  
  
• Supravision observes and maintains the rotation direction found at the bender.
  
  
• VTube-LASER allows operators to check an Invert checkbox to invert any rotation corrected to the opposite direction. Operators of VTube should observe any rotation that is close to 180 degrees to check for the possibility of the need for inversion. This gives operators complete control over the rotation direction during the correction.