For controllers starting with TNC 320 up to TNC 7 Heidenhain uses the concept of access to Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) addresses by symbolic names. As the same name leads to different numeric addresses on every single machines PLC data mandatorily has to be read and written by usage of symbolic names.
CNCnetPDM fully supports reading from and writing to symbolic TNC PLC address names without the need for additional COM(DCOM) server components at your PC.
For Heidenhain iTNC 530 and older controls it was possible to access data for specific items at the machine’s PLC by using fixed numeric addresses f.i. DWord 360 for ‘Programmed feed rate’.
Starting with TNC 320 this technique changed to symbolic names that point to numeric addresses in specific areas (Marker, Byte, Word, DWord) of the PLC. Although many symbolic names are standardized like NN_CHNPROGFEEDMINUTE for ‘Programmed feed rate per minute’ they usually lead to different PLC addresses on every single machine f.i. DWord 4420 in a basic PLC program but DWord 5020 on a GF Mikron S 600 milling machine.
As machine manufacturer specific extensions or additions like bar feeders or handling robots are also added to the machine’s PLC program and get their own names the number accessible items highly differ on every machine, from 10k in a basic program up to 39k on specific GF milling machines.
A major benefit of this concept is that there is no need to know the data type and numeric address of a specific item as the symbolic name automatically points to its correct location.
EXTRACT SYMBOLIC NAME DEFINITIONS
To be able to read and write from/to symbolic addresses CNCnetPDM has to know the symbolic names defined for your machine. Definitions can be read from a service file generated by the controller.
Connect to the machine with TNC Remo click [Extras] (1) and select [Create Service File] (2). The controller generates a service file in ZIP format and stores it in TNC folder \service (3). Select the file and transmit it to a directory on your PC (4). After transmission it is save to delete the service file at the controller.
FIG 3: Create service file with TNC Remo
On your PC open the ZIP file, navigate to folder \SYS_\runtime\ and only extract file ‘PlcDataMarker.txt’ to subfolder \plcdatamarker\ of the directory where CNCnetPDM is installed.
Note: If you have multiple machines with Heidenhain TNC controllers rename file ‘PlcDataMarker.txt’ to be able to identify each machine e.g. ‘PlcDataMarker_Cheto.txt’.
All done, now you’re ready to read and write Heidenhain PLC data with CNCnetPDM by using symbolic names.
Privacy notice
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use it you agree to our privacy policy.
