I have an upcoming project where a customer has purchased a KUKA MillTech CNC package and we are integrating the controls for this system. The customer is looking at having a lot of different .NC files on this system that they want to be able to select from without Operator intervention on the pendant.
I have no experience with KUKA CNC, but I have been told by KUKA that all the .NC files need to live in the controller at KRC:\R1\Program\NC. I can't tell from the KUKA CNC 3.0 manual if this is actually true and I haven't had a chance to play with it myself, but I'm assuming this is a true constraint.
I am worried this will cause issues for the customer because a) their directory will get very cluttered with a ton of .NC files and b) more seriously, if their .NC files are large enough they will bog down the robot because they are all in the KRC: drive.
I am wondering if DirectoryLoader is a possibility here? Does anyone know if DirectoryLoader 3.0 can be setup to load files that are not .src/.dat? I have used it successfully in the past but only for standard .src/.dat files.
The KSS for this robot is 8.6.10
KUKA CNC version 3.0.3
MillTech CNC version 1.0.2
Robot does not currently have directory loader, but I assume it would be 3.0 based on the KSS version
Any insight would be much appreciated!