2: Fanuc Focas

Note: The target CNC must have the FOCAS 2/Ethernet option enabled (FANUC option parameter and sometimes a hardware board). Without this option, the CNC will reject TCP connections.

You must configure the CNC side. Usually done via the "System" -> "Softkey -> "►" -> "Embedded Ethernet" menu.

Many new engineers ask: "Is FOCAS 2 dying?" fanuc focas 2

Note: function names are illustrative; use the language SDK/wrapper you have.

conn = Focas2.connect(ip='192.168.1.50', port=8193)
axes = conn.read_axes()          # actual position, command position
spindle = conn.read_spindle()    # speed, load
alarms = conn.read_alarms()
programs = conn.list_programs()
for p in programs:
    text = conn.read_program(p)
    save_file(p, text)
conn.disconnect()

A plant manager installs a Raspberry Pi or industrial PC on the network. Every 5 seconds, it polls 30 Fanuc-controlled mills using FOCAS 2. It calculates Availability (Power On vs. Production time), Performance (Actual speed vs. Ideal speed), and Quality (Good parts/Total parts). The data streams to a wallboard in the front office. If a machine sits idle for 3 minutes, an SMS is sent to the cell leader. Note: The target CNC must have the FOCAS

First, let's decode the acronym. FOCAS stands for Fanuc Open CNC API Specification.

Originally released as FOCAS1 (Library for CNC), the evolution to Fanuc FOCAS 2 represented a seismic shift. FOCAS 2 is the dynamic link library (DLL) and protocol set that allows external computers (PCs, servers, edge devices) to communicate directly with Fanuc CNCs (Series 0i, 15i, 16i, 18i, 21i, 30i, 31i, 32i, and Power Motion i) via standard Ethernet. You must configure the CNC side

Think of FOCAS 2 as the "universal translator" for your machine tools. It bridges the gap between the low-level, real-time CNC memory and high-level languages like C++, C#, Python, or VB.NET.