History regarding Communication / Transferring Mazatrol Programs to and from the Mazak CNC

The Mazak CNC (with Mazatrol programs) has a number of methods (varying over the Mazak generations) of communicating / transferring Mazatrol programs to and from the Mazak CNC.

The first method (on the first Mazatrol control, the T1) was to save programs to a Cassette Magnetic Tape, and hence the abbreviation “CMT”. This used a serial-port (“RS232”) to communicate between the Mazak CNC and the Cassette (CMT) unit.

This “CMT-I/O” uses the same 25-pin connector found on the earlier IBM-PC compatible computer, and later the IBM-PC changed it to a 9-pin configuration (although the Mazak remained at the standard 25-pin configuration, it is a simple wiring adapter difference). Note that while the RS232 connector is industry-standard, the “CMT-I/O” communications “language” that the Mazak communicates with over the cable is not the industry standard, and requires special software to communicate (such as Mazak Corp’s “MDT” software or Solutionware Corp’s MazaCAM software).

Note: "RS-232" is an abbreviation for "Recommended Standard 232" of the Electronics Industries Association ("EIA") Further reference: Electronics Industries Association, "EIA Standard RS-232-C Interface Between Data Terminal Equipment and Data Communication Equipment Employing Serial Data Interchange",

Later, Mazak replaced the Cassette (CMT) unit with a 3.5-inch floppy-disk unit (blue “Micro-Disk” unit), which used the identical “CMT-I/O” communication system and RS232 connectors.

With the M-Plus/T-Plus, in addition to “CMT-I/O”, Mazak started offering an extra-cost option to transfer via Ethernet (network). This was rare. Also available is a “3-digit G-code” method via “Tape-I/O”, but this has various problems and thus is not recommended.

With the Fusion generation (which uses a Windows-based computer), Windows-compatible floppy-disk and “Compact-Flash”-Card were available, in addition to an optional Windows-standard Ethernet network connection. CMT-I/O was also on every machine.

The Fusion-Pro generation has the same communication offerings as the Fusion above.

With the Matrix, CMT-I/O was no longer available as a method to save programs, but USB-drive was added as standard. In addition, Windows-standard Ethernet network connection and “Compact-Flash”-Card either come with the machine or are available as an inexpensive option, depending on model of CNC purchased.

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