Setting up network addresses in PUMOTIX

For the joint operation of the motion controller (PLCM\PX series controller) and the plasma cutter height controller (THC1 controller), it is necessary to provide a certain equipment connection diagram.

The motion controller, height controller and PC with PUMOTIX software installed must be connected via an Ethernet cable to a single local network. As a device that connects all nodes into a network, you can use either a simple network switch or a router.

Configuring network parameters of controllers in PUMOTIX

Launch PUMOTIX and select the “Plasma Cutting” module. Setting up motion controller addresses in other types of modules is done in the same way.

Go to the main settings window of the PUMOTIX software.

PUMOTIX displays a list of available motion controllers (middle column) and a list of available THC controllers (right column) in the "General" tab. If the devices are connected to the local network correctly, then the PLCM\PX and THC1 devices will be visible in both lists.

Select a motion controller from the list. The system will begin updating the device firmware if necessary. Just wait until the operation is completed. The PUMOTIX will automatically check the network settings of the computer and the selected controller. If problems with network settings are detected, PUMOTIX will display a corresponding message to the user with a proposal to change the device address. When you click on the “Change Address” button (or on the pencil icon in the “Device Address (IPv4)” field), an additional window for entering network settings for the controller will open.

The choice of mode for obtaining network settings depends on the switching equipment used. If you connected the controllers to a router with the DHCP function (automatic assignment of network settings) enabled, then simply select “Obtain an IP address from a DHCP server.” You also need to make sure that the computer’s network adapter settings are also set to automatically obtain an address. In this case, all hosts on the local network will be issued addresses by the router’s DHCP server.

If you used a classic switch to connect devices into a network, then you will have to take care of issuing network addresses to each of the nodes manually. The basic rules for manually (statically) assigning IP addresses to nodes on a network are as follows:

• All devices must be on the same subnet.
• The subnet mask is responsible for the subnet.
• Each node on the network must have a unique IP address.

An example of manually configuring network parameters could be as follows:

Set the addresses in the table for your computer's network adapter, motion controller, and torch height controller. Configuring the IP addresses of the height controller is done in the same way.

If devices are selected in PUMOTIX and the addresses of these devices are configured correctly, then this will correspond to a green communication status indicator in the upper right corner of the main window of the PUMOTIX program. If the communication indicator lights up yellow, it means:

• the device has been selected in PUMOTIX, but is temporarily not online (the controller's power may have been turned off);
• the device is selected and online, but the device's network settings still conflict with the network settings of the computer running PUMOTIX.

Detailed instructions with screenshots for setting up the device’s IP address are available in the user manual for this device.

If you are unable to configure network addresses, contact your organization's system administrator or PUMOTIX technical support service for help at support@pumotix.ru