Read your CNC machines from a Mac.
MTConnect and FANUC, with simulators.

Connect to an MTConnect agent or a FANUC controller over Ethernet, watch execution state, axes, spindle, program and alarms, and test your integration against a built-in simulator when the machine is not within reach.

Download for Mac (free) Buy Pro · $39.99 See what it does

Free

Pro $39.99, one Mac

MTConnect

Agent client and simulator

FANUC

FOCAS/Ethernet, Beta

macOS 13+

Apple Silicon and Intel

The Problem

Shop-floor tools live on Windows.

FANUC ships its FOCAS library only for Windows and Linux, and most MTConnect and CNC tooling assumes a Windows laptop. If you integrate machines from a Mac, you end up with a browser tab on the agent's XML and a script for everything else.

Raw XML in a browser

An agent's /current and /sample are readable, but not a table you can filter, trend or keep an eye on while you work.

No FOCAS on macOS

The FOCAS library is a C library for Windows and Linux. CNC Explorer speaks the protocol itself, so it runs on a Mac.

No machine to test on

Building a dashboard or a data collector usually waits for access to a machine. The simulators stand in for the agent and the controller.

Two tools for two protocols

MTConnect and FANUC each get their own utility. Here they share one connection list, log and trend panel.

Features

Two protocols, one native app.

MTConnect client

Probe, current, sample and assets from any agent, over streaming or polling, with Data, Conditions, Devices and Assets views.

FANUC client (Beta)

Overview, axes, program, alarms, macro variables, and parameter, diagnosis and PMC reads over FOCAS/Ethernet.

Built-in simulators

An MTConnect agent with an SHDR adapter and a FANUC-style CNC, both running on your Mac. Pro.

Live trends

Plot MTConnect samples and FANUC feed, spindle, servo load and positions in a bottom panel next to the communication log. Pro.

Conditions at a glance

Faults and warnings from an agent are counted on the Conditions tab, so a machine in trouble stands out.

CSV export and profiles

Export the data table to CSV and keep as many connection profiles as you have machines. Pro.

MTConnect

Any agent, readable in a table.

Point CNC Explorer at an agent URL such as http://localhost:5000. It reads MTConnect 1.x and 2.x documents, follows the agent's streaming sample feed with a polling fallback, and recovers when the agent restarts. It has been tested against the public demo agent at demo.mtconnect.org.

Data

Every data item with its latest value. The free version streams 10 items live and reads the rest on refresh; Pro streams them all.

Conditions

Normal, warning and fault observations, with the counts in the tab.

Devices and assets

The probe document as a device tree, and the agent's assets.

Agent simulator

Start a 3-axis VMC or a 2-axis lathe as an HTTP agent that serves /probe, /current, /sample and /assets, with an optional SHDR adapter port. Pro.

FANUC FOCAS/Ethernet Beta

Talk to a FANUC control without the library.

The client connects over TCP (port 8193 by default) and reads system info, status, axis positions, feed, spindle speed, servo load, the running program and block, alarms, macro variables, parameters, diagnosis values and PMC memory. It can write macro variables, with a confirm step.

Honest testing note

The FANUC path is a Beta. It has been tested against the built-in CNC simulator and against the pyfanuc reference client, and it has never been run against a real FANUC controller. Controller families other than the ones in the public references are untested. Please test read-only first, and send your controller model to [email protected].

CNC simulator

A 3-axis mill with 31i-B and 0i-F identity profiles, programs that run a cycle, a part counter, alarms, macro variables and emergency stop. The identity strings and the parameter, diagnosis and PMC contents are made up. Pro.

Same app, same log

Point the client at the simulator on 127.0.0.1 to rehearse a collector before it touches a machine.

Part of: Field tools · Debug one device from your laptop: protocol apps, terminal database browsers, utilities.

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FAQ

Common questions

Does the FANUC part work on a real controller?+

It is a Beta. The FOCAS/Ethernet client has been tested against the built-in CNC simulator and against the pyfanuc reference client, and never against a real FANUC controller. The protocol layouts come from published references. If you try it on a machine, send the controller model to [email protected].

Do I need the FANUC FOCAS library?+

No. CNC Explorer speaks the FOCAS/Ethernet protocol itself over TCP (port 8193 by default), so no FANUC library or Windows machine is involved. The controller must have its Ethernet function enabled.

Which MTConnect agents does it work with?+

Any agent that serves the standard probe, current, sample and assets requests over HTTP. It reads MTConnect 1.x and 2.x documents and has been tested against the public demo agent at demo.mtconnect.org.

What is free and what needs Pro?+

The download is free to connect to an agent or a controller and read values. Free streams 10 MTConnect items live and keeps one saved connection profile. Pro lifts those limits and adds the simulators, live trends, macro writes and CSV export.

How does the licence key work?+

Pro is $39.99 one-time. The key activates one Mac. You can move it to another Mac from the app, and the app works offline after the first activation. There is no subscription.

Is this affiliated with FANUC or MTConnect Institute?+

No. FANUC and FOCAS are trademarks of FANUC Corporation. MTConnect is a trademark of AMT, The Association For Manufacturing Technology. CNC Explorer is an independent product and uses the names only to say what it connects to.

Get it free

MTConnect and FANUC, on your Mac.

CNC Explorer is a free download for Mac. The DMG is signed and notarized by Apple, so it opens normally. An optional Pro licence key, $39.99 one-time, unlocks the Pro features below. The source is on GitHub under GPL-3.0.

Download for Mac (free) Buy Pro · $39.99 Source on GitHub Contact support

Optional Pro, $39.99 one-time licence key

Unlimited live items (free: 10 MTConnect items stream live)
Live trends for MTConnect samples and FANUC feed, spindle, servo load and positions
MTConnect agent simulator (VMC and lathe) with an SHDR adapter
FANUC CNC simulator (31i-B and 0i-F) with alarms and macro edits
Macro variable writes with a confirm step
Data table CSV export
Unlimited saved connection profiles

Pro is a one-time purchase on the Voltrus Console. Your key arrives by email and in your console account. No subscription.

Requires macOS 13 Ventura or later, Apple Silicon or Intel. One Pro key activates one Mac and can be moved to another.

FANUC and FOCAS are trademarks of FANUC Corporation. MTConnect is a trademark of AMT, The Association For Manufacturing Technology. Voltrus is not affiliated with either.

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