Data backup for CNC grinders and other machines

Data and Programming on CNC machines is often stored on a Windows based computer. Many businesses backup their critical business files (financials, personnel, scheduling, etc) yet does anyone backup their CNC programming files?
I am writing an article for Quality Digest and would appreciate your input.


*How often do you back up CNC machine computers?

• Backup daily
• Backup occasionally
• Never though about it.

*When you do a backup:

• We take the data off-site
• We keep the data on-site
• We use internet based backup

[Mustang]

One of the most common posts on forums is about lost parameters etc.

I do backups of everything that I can just in case something goes wrong. It usually is only required to do it again if something has been modified or changed.

This includes all parameters, CNC part programs, macro variables, PMC Logic and PMC parameters, tool offsets, and whatever else I can get my hands on.

Some CNC's offer a complete backup of all files into a condensed format that can be restored later if there's problems.

I like to have individual files also for that "Oops I deleted a program by accident" day.

Because of newer technologies I tend to Burn all these files onto a CD/DVD as well as leaving it on a PC or Laptop somewhere.

Can never have too many backups as far as I'm concerned.

[codyst]

To go along with what Mustang posted, we do an initial backup of everything when we get a new machine, and then do periodic backups as things are changed or modified, as well as a backup before any maintenance work is performed.

Each back up gets stored on whatever media device is used for the machine (CF Card, Floppy, Direct to Laptop), from there a copy is stored on our local server, on each maintenance laptop, and two removable storage devices-usually a USB thumbdrive and an external hardrive.

My mass backups may be over kill, but I've never had to call an OEM for a data backup that's been lost.