When designing a smart factory, engineers often compare FOCAS 2 to open standards like MTConnect and OPC UA. FANUC FOCAS 2 Proprietary API Open Standard Open Standard Data Scope Deep (Read & Write) Broad (Read Only) Broad (Read & Write) Compatibility FANUC Only Multi-vendor Multi-industry Best Used For Advanced control & deep integration Uniform shop-floor monitoring Enterprise-wide connectivity
MTConnect, the open standard for manufacturing equipment interoperability, can be implemented on top of FOCAS2 using free adapters available from mtconnect.org. This approach provides a standardized XML-based data interface that works with many off-the-shelf monitoring tools and dashboards, allowing shops to start monitoring within hours rather than weeks.
// Read axis data ret = cnc_rdaxisdata(h, axis, &data);
Here's a basic connection example pattern (conceptual):
The library is natively written in C/C++ (dynamic link libraries like FWlib32.dll or Fwlib64.dll ). However, wrappers allow seamless integration with modern languages such as C#, VB.NET, Python, and Node.js. Basic API Workflow: fanuc focas 2
Open-source wrappers (such as pyfocas ) allow data scientists and automation engineers to quickly script data collection pipelines and integrate CNC data into machine learning models.
By logging spindle load, axis temperature, and servo currents via FOCAS 2, data scientists can build predictive models. A sudden spike in spindle load during a specific cutting cycle can flag a dull tool or failing bearing before a catastrophic breakage occurs. Automated Part Tracking and Quality Control
Feature / Aspect | FOCAS1 | FOCAS2 ---|---|--- Transport | HSSB (High-Speed Serial Bus) | Ethernet TCP/IP PC Hardware | Requires FANUC HSSB PCI/PCIe card | No special hardware — standard NIC Supported Controls | Older 0i, 16i, 18i, 21i series | Modern 0i-F, 30i, 31i, 32i families Network Routing | No — point-to-point only | Yes — switches, routers, VPN Deployment Complexity | High — drivers + dedicated card | Low — copy DLL and connect via LAN Future-proofing | None — frozen API | High — actively maintained
Call cnc_allclibhndl3 with the machine's IP address and port number to open a session. When designing a smart factory, engineers often compare
Supports newer high-end controllers like the FS30i/31i/32i/35i series and modern 64-bit operating systems including Windows 10 and 11 . How to Use Fanuc FOCAS to Collect Machine Data
: A high-speed physical card connection for specialized PCs integrated into the machine.
The API returns raw structures, pointers, and specific bitmasks. Translating these values into clean JSON format for cloud platforms requires deep development expertise.
When a machine stops, every minute of downtime incurs severe financial costs. FOCAS 2 enables rapid troubleshooting by pulling active alarm numbers and text strings, reading the historical log of past machine errors, and diagnostics monitoring of internal relays, timers, and registers. 5. PMC Data Window (Programmable Machine Control) // Read axis data ret = cnc_rdaxisdata(h, axis,
The application calls cnc_allclibhndl3 to establish an Ethernet connection via IP address and port (usually port 8193), returning a unique connection handle.
Standard industrial middleware like Kepware (PTC) or Node-RED utilize FOCAS drivers to convert FANUC protocols directly into MQTT, OPC UA, or SQL database writes. Challenges and Implementation Best Practices
Use specific API calls like cnc_statinfo() for machine state or cnc_rdsrvspeed() for motor speeds.
