Recently introduced by
Karpas Engineering Ltd, Welwyn Garden City, is Legacy Connect USB. A USB wireless network drive that has been designed in the UK and manufactured locally, it enables manufacturers to network their machinery and send files via their local network to the legacy USB port.
Karpas says setting up Legacy Connect USB is straightforward and requires no technical expertise; also, that there are no subscriptions involved, as it is a one-time purchase with no ongoing costs. “Moreover, once configured it works without internet while offering high-speed data transfer, including files directly from Fusion 360, Mastercam, PowerMill, AlphaCAM, and OneCNC among others.
“It also offers universal compatibility, working with any device or machine that supports USB mass storage, with Wi-Fi access allowing users to easily send files to the device from a PC over their local network. Also offered are multiple storage capacities, and soon to be available are 4GB, 8GB and 16GB options. The system is also designed for storage to be managed via a simple browser-based setup.
“To get the system going is simply a matter of plugging the device in, turning it on then connecting to Wi-Fi via a phone or PC. This is followed by entering the network details by opening the Legacy Connect web page, selecting the preferred Wi-Fi network and entering the password. The Legacy Connect USB will now be connected to the local Wi-Fi, allowing the user to enter the provided network address and map the shared folder for easy access. Once the device is powered down, it can be plugged into a legacy machine and file transfer started.”
When Karpas was developing Legacy Connect it initially envisioned its use on legacy machines where networking was not an option. “However, its uses don’t end there. A machine shop may not want to spend thousand networking existing machines, or it might be considering making the switch from G-codes or wanting to test CAD/CAM before committing to it — or even sending files wirelessly to a 3-D printer.”