Heidenhain DNC

The Connectware Heidenhain DNC protocol implementation makes it possible to interact with CNC machines via the Heidenhain DNC communication protocol. It offers the possibility to read data and status information, to manipulate the tool and pocket table, and to access data as well as files on the filesystem. A machine connection is defined by:

  • Connection settings (how to connect to the machine), and

  • Data mappings (how to map data from Heidenhain to MQTT)

Cybus Heidenhain Agent

In order to access the Heidenhain DNC COM component, the Connectware makes use of the Windows based Cybus Heidenhain Agent running as a Windows Service.

-----------         ---------           ---------------
| Machine | <-----> | Agent | <-------> | Connectware |
-----------   RPC   ---------   MQTTS   ---------------

The Cybus Heidenhain Agent is a Windows Service implementing the Heidenhain RemoTools SDK which provides a Microsoft COM component for communication with Heidenhain DNC interfaces. Use the convenient MSI Installer package for installation. After installation the agent needs to be enabled with the Windows Service application. Optional, but recommended is to set the restart behavior of the service to restart on failure. Agent log messages can be found in the Windows Events.

Commissioning file specifics

The following sections describe the configuration objects Cybus::Connection and Cybus::Endpoint. See also the example Heidenhain reference commissioning file

Connection Properties

agent (string, required)

The name of the agent connecting to the CNC machine. Must match the name that is being used at the heidenhain-agent.exe executable.

Example: "heidenhain-agent-1"

ipAddress (string)

IP Address or hostname of the CNC machine

Examples: "localhost", "192.168.1.2"

cncType (string, enum)

Type of the CNC control

This element must be one of the following enum values:

  • tnc640

  • itnc530

  • tnc426

Default: "tnc640"

Examples: "tnc640", "itnc530", "tnc426"

domain (string)

Name of the edge communication domain

Default: "edge.cybus"

Example: "edge.cybus"

plcPassword (string)

Password to grant access to PLC functionality

Example: "807667"

tablePassword (string)

Password to grant access to TABLE functionality

Example: "807667"

usrPassword (string)

Password to grant access to USR functionality

Example: "807667"

sysPassword (string)

Password to grant access to SYS functionality

Example: "807667"

connectionStrategy (object)

If a connection attempt fails, retries will be performed with increasing delay (waiting time) in between. The following parameters control how these delays behave.

Properties of the connectionStrategy object:

initialDelay (integer)

Delay (waiting time) of the first connection retry (in milliseconds). For subsequent retries, the delay will be increased according to the parameter incrementFactor which has a default value of 2.

Default: 5000

Additional restrictions:

  • Minimum: 1000

maxDelay (integer)

Maximum delay (waiting time) to wait until the next retry (in milliseconds). The delay (waiting time) for any subsequent connection retry will not be larger than this value. Must be strictly greater than initialDelay.

Default: 30000

incrementFactor (integer)

The factor used to increment initialDelay up to maxDelay. For example if initialDelay is set to 1000 and maxDelay to 5000 the values for the delay would be 1000, 2000, 4000, 5000.

Default: 2

Additional restrictions:

  • Minimum: 2

Endpoint Properties

description (string)

Some descriptive text about the endpoint

method (string, required)

The function to call on the DNC control

Example: "isConnected"

params (array)

Only for subscribe: The parameter values for the function call to set up subscriptions. (For read calls, the function parameters are given in the payload data instead.)

The elements of the array must match at least one of the following properties:

(number)

(integer)

(string)

(boolean)

(array)

The schema defines an array with all elements of the type string.

(object)

Default:

[]

Examples: [1,"NAME"], ["this","that"]

pollInterval (integer)

Only for subscribe operation using type poll: Interval in milliseconds to poll the property

Default: 1000

Example: 1000

type (string, enum)

Only subscribe operation: Choose whether the subscription should be polled by the Connectware or whether it should be notified by DNC event notifiers.

This element must be one of the following enum values:

  • poll

  • notify

Example: "notify"

Data mappings

The data mappings are described in the Heidenhain Methods section below. Each data mapping of a Heidenhain method is described by

  • Communication pattern

  • Heidenhain method (e.g. setToolTableRow), see section below

Each Heidenhain method provides one of the following three possible access patterns:

  • subscription

  • read implementing a request/response pattern (or write as an alias)

  • notification pattern

Subscription

The subscribe pattern offers the possibility to subscribe to a Heidenhain method. This polls the specified method in a given interval.

Example mapping:

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getStateSubscribe:
  type: Cybus::Endpoint
  properties:
    protocol: Heidenhain
    connection: !ref heidenhainConnection
    topic: myCustomOutputTopic
    subscribe:
      type: poll
      method: getState
      pollInterval: 5000

Payload format:

The MQTT message of the output data will be sent to the topic as specified in the endpoint configuration (in the example: myCustomOutputTopic), see also topic property.

The message has the following format:

{ "result": <data>, "timestamp": <timestamp> }

Read

The read property of an endpoint implement a request/response pattern. This offers the possibility to request a machine action and receive a response. The pattern follows the JSON-RPC 2.0 Specification, with two exceptions: The method member is set by the Cybus::Endpoint definition for the respective MQTT topic and not explicitly given in the request object. And the jsonrpc member is ignored and currently not sent.

The request message must be sent on the MQTT topic that is composed of the endpoint name with an additional /req suffix (shorthand for request), e.g. for an endpoint setToolTableRow the topic must be setToolTableRow/req. The result will be returned as a message on the MQTT topic with an additional /res suffix (shorthand for result).

Alternatively, the endpoints could also be configured as write endpoints, which results in exactly the same behaviour, with the single exception that the request message must be sent on a MQTT topic with the /set suffix. The results will be returned on the topic with /res suffix, identical to read endpoints, and with identical format. In that sense, write is just an alias for read.

The payload of the initial request message must be a JSON object as string, which must contain the params member as a JSON array (unless the method has no parameters anyway). The params member must be a JSON array with the method arguments listed as JSON values. The array of method arguments will be passed on to the machine and will be used depending on the Heidenhain machine method. The response message of read or write will contain the return value from the machine method as payload member result, or, if the method call failed, a payload member error which contains the error message.

Example mapping:

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setToolTableRow:
  type: Cybus::Endpoint
  properties:
    protocol: Heidenhain
    connection: !ref heidenhainConnection
    read:
      method: setToolTableRow

MQTT payload

The MQTT request payload must be a valid JSON object and can contain two properties:

  • id: (optional) User-defined correlation ID which can be used to identify the response. If this property was given, its value will be returned in the return message

  • params: Array of parameters required for the used method. If the method requires no parameters, this property is optional, too.

Following the example mapping above (method: setToolTableRow), the request payload, sent on topic setToolTableRow/req, needs to be as following:

{ "params": [ "1", { "NAME": "REQUEST-EXAMPLE" } ], "id": "1" }

This modifies the tool table row 1 and sets the field ǸAME of that row to REQUEST-EXAMPLE. The following response will be replied on topic setToolTableRow/res:

On success: { "result": null, timestamp: 123123123, "id": "1" }
On error  : { "error": "<error message>", timestamp: 123123123, "id": "1" }

On success, the result value is a null value since setToolTableRow is defined as void.

Notification

Certain Heidenhain methods offers the notification pattern. Notification messages will be published when a certain event is triggered.

Example mapping:

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onToolTableChangedSubscribe:
  type: Cybus::Endpoint
  properties:
    protocol: Heidenhain
    connection: !ref heidenhainConnection
    subscribe:
      type: notify
      method: onToolTableChanged

Heidenhain Methods

Available Heidenhain methods. The long list below shows the function prototypes in pseudo-code to clarify the input and output data types. The function name is identical to the method name (see examples below).

Machine Information

isConnected

Returns true if the CNC control is connected to the agent.

bool isConnected = isConnected()

getVersion

Get the version of the Heidenhain SDK which the agent is using for communicating to the machine.

string version = getVersion()

getState

Get the connection state of the connected CNC.

string state =  getState()

getNcUpTime

Get the CNC up-time.

int ncUpTimeMin = getNcUpTime()

getMachineUpTime

Get the machine up-time.

int machineUpTimeMin = getMachineUpTime()

getSpindleRunningTime

Get the cumulative spindle run-time the spindle has been running since installation. Parameter is the identifier of the spindle.

int spindleRunningTimeMin = getSpindleRunningTime (int axisId)

getMachineRunningTime

Get the machine working time since installation.

int machineRunningTimeMin = getMachineRunningTime()

getMachineState

Returns a json object with the specified information about the machine state

{state, machineRunningTime, machineUpTime, ncUpTime} = getMachineState()

getAvailableInterfaces

Returns an object with key/value pair for every of the known interfaces of the CNC controller. The value is 1 (true) if the respective interface is available, and 0 (false) if it is not.

object getAvailableInterfaces()

hasAutomaticInterface

Returns true if the Automatic interface is available at this CNC controller

bool hasAutomaticInterface()

hasDataAccessInterface

Returns true if the DataAccess interface is available at this CNC controller

bool hasDataAccessInterface()

hasErrorInterface

Returns true if the Error interface is available at this CNC controller

bool hasErrorInterface()

hasFileSystemInterface

Returns true if the FileSystem interface is available at this CNC controller

bool hasFileSystemInterface()

hasItncTableInterface

Returns true if the ItncTable interface is available at this CNC controller

bool hasItncTableInterface()

hasProcessDataInterface

Returns true if the ProcessData interface is available at this CNC controller

bool hasProcessDataInterface()

hasAutomaticEvents

Returns true if the AutomaticEvents interface is available at this CNC controller

bool hasAutomaticEvents()

hasDataAccessEvents

Returns true if the DataAccessEvents interface is available at this CNC controller

bool hasDataAccessEvents()

hasErrorEvents

Returns true if the ErrorEvents interface is available at this CNC controller

bool hasErrorEvents()

hasMachineEvents

Returns true if the MachineEvents interface is available at this CNC controller

bool hasMachineEvents()

Tool and Pocket Table

getToolTableRow

Read row identified by tool ID (row number) from tool table.

object row = getToolTableRow (string toolId)

setToolTableRow

Set tool table row. Parameters are the tool ID and an Object of key (column name) - value pairs.

void setToolTableRow (string toolId, object row)

addLinkedToolTableRow

Set the next empty tool table row and link the tool to the next empty pocket table ID.

string pocketId = addLinkedToolTableRow(object row)

removeTool

DEPRECATED - use removeToolTableRow instead. Alias for removeToolTableRow. Remove the given toolId from the tool table

void removeTool(string toolId)

removeToolTableRow

Remove the tool with the given toolId from the tool table

void removeToolTableRow(string toolId)

clearToolTableRow

Clear the row in the tool table with the given toolId so that it is empty

void clearToolTableRow(string toolId)

getToolTableCell

Read cell from tool table. Parameters are the tool ID and the column name.

string cell = getToolTableCell (string toolId, string fieldName)

setToolTableCell

Set tool table cell. Parameters are the tool ID, the column name and the value.

void setToolTableCell (string toolId, string fieldName, string fieldValue)

getLinkedToolId

Get the linked tool ID of the pocket table entry by specifying the pocket table ID (row number).

string toolId = getLinkedToolId (string pocketId)

linkToolToPocketTable

Link tool to pocket table by specifying the pocket table ID (row number) and the tool ID to be linked.

void linkToolToPocketTable (string pocketId, string toolId)

unlinkToolFromPocketTable

Unlink tool from pocket table by specifying the pocket table ID of tool to be unlinked.

void unlinkToolFromPocketTable (string pocketId)

setLinkedToolTableRow

Set the next empty tool table row and link the tool to the specified pocket table ID.

void setLinkedToolTableRow(string pocketId, object row)

getPocketTable

Read entire pocket table. Return is an array of objects, each representing one pocket table row

array pocketTable = getPocketTable()

getToolTableRowByPocketId

Returns the tool table row of the tool which is currently selected in the pocket table at the given pocketId

TableRow getToolTableRowByPocketId(string pocketId)

removeToolTableRowByPocketId

Removes the tool table row of the tool which is currently selected in the pocket table at the given pocketId

void removeToolTableRowByPocketId(string pocketId)

setTool

In the tool table, set the tool entry at the given toolId to the content of the newToolRow object. Additionally, if pocketId is given, link the new tool at the given pocketId

string setTool(string pocketId, string toolId, TableRow newToolRow)

addLinkedToolTableRow

Set the next empty tool table row and link the tool to the next empty pocket table ID.

string pocketId = addLinkedToolTableRow(object row)

Data Access

setAccessMode

Set the access mode to gain access to protected data sub trees. Not available for iTNCs.

void setAccessMode (string dataPath, string password)

getValue

Read value.

string value = getValue (string dataPath)

setValue

Set value.

void setValue (string dataPath, string value)

getPlcData

Read PLC Data.

string value = getPlcData (string memoryType, string memoryAddress)

File System

transmitFile

Transmits the given buffer (of base64 encoded bytes) to the CNC where it should be stored as a file at the given destinationPath.

void transmitFile (string fileBuffer, string destinationPath)

receiveFile

Receives the given file from the CNC. Returns it as base64 (!!) encoded string, not in direct binary or text form.

string receiveFile(string cncFile)

deleteFile

Delete the file at the given path

void deleteFile(string filePath)

copyFile

Copy the file specified by sourceFilePath to the destination destFilePath

void copyFile(string sourceFilePath, string destFilePath)

readDirectory

Returns the list of entries of the directory at the given directoryPath. The json structure contains the actual path (input argument plus potential prefix), and the list of entries.

object readDirectory(string directoryPath)

makeDirectory

Make (create) a new directory at the given path

void makeDirectory(string directoryPath)

deleteDirectory

Delete (remove) the directory at the given path. Directory must be empty.

void deleteDirectory(string directoryPath)

deleteDirectoryRecursively

Delete (remove) all files and directories recursively at the given path. Watch out and use this with care.

object deleteDirectoryRecursively(string directoryPath)

NC Program handling

selectProgram

(Un)select an NC part program for execution.

void selectProgram (int channel, string programName, string startBlockNumber)

stopProgram

Stop executing the active NC part program.

void stopProgram (int channel, bool onBlockEnd)

cancelProgram

Cancels the execution of a stopped NC program.

void cancelProgram (int channel)

setExecutionMode

Set the execution mode.

void setExecutionMode (string executionMode)

startProgram

Start or restart the specified program.

void startProgram (string programName)

getProgramStatus

Get the current program execution status.

string programStatus = getProgramStatus()

getDncMode

Get the current DNC mode.

string dncMode = getDncMode()

clearControl

Execute a Clear Control.

void clearControl()

setOverrideFeed

Set the feed override.

void setOverrideFeed (int percentage)

setOverrideSpeed

Set the speed override.

void setOverrideSpeed (int percentage)

setOverrideRapid

Set the rapid override.

void setOverrideRapid (int percentage)

getOverrideInfoFeed

Get the current feed override.

int feed = getOverrideInfoFeed()

getOverrideInfoSpeed

Get the current speed override.

int speed = getOverrideInfoSpeed()

getOverrideInfoRapid

Get the current rapid override.

int rapid = getOverrideInfoRapid()

Custom Functions in the Cybus Heidenhain Agent

getAgentVersion

Returns the version of the Cybus Heidenhain Agent.

string getAgentVersion()

setTableMonitorInterval

For itnc530 and tnc426, sets the manual monitoring (polling) interval of the tool table.

void setTableMonitorInterval(int32_t seconds)

getTableMonitorInterval

For itnc530 and tnc426, returns the manual monitoring (polling) interval of the tool table.

int32_t getTableMonitorInterval()

setSdkMutexTimeout

Set the special timeout value that ensures thread-safe access to the Heidenhain SDK methods (only needed for some itnc530 variants)

void setSdkMutexTimeout(int32_t seconds)

getSdkMutexTimeout

Returns the special timeout value that ensures thread-safe access to the Heidenhain SDK methods (only needed for some itnc530 variants)

int32_t getSdkMutexTimeout()

Events

All event methods are available as subscribe operation with type: notify.

onToolTableChanged

Notification on any tool table cell change.

{ toolId, oldRow, newRow } = onToolTableChanged()

onToolChanged

Tool in spindle changed event. This event is fired by the CNC when a new tool is placed in the spindle or when the actual tool is removed from the spindle.

{ int toolId, object toolOut, object toolIn, double timestamp } = onToolChanged()

onStateChanged

Connection state changed event. Notifies the client application of the connection state changes of the CNC. (_IJHMachineEvents2::onStateChanged)

{ string newState } = onStateChanged()

onDncModeChanged

DNC mode change event.

{ string newDncMode } = onDncModeChanged()

onPocketTableChanged

Notification on any pocket table cell change.

{ toolId, oldRow, newRow } = onPocketTableChanged()

onProgramChanged

Notification on execution switch to another program, subprogram or macro.

string program = onProgramChanged()

onNcProgramChanged

Notification on a changed NC program. From _IJHAutomaticEvents3::OnProgramChanged and also _IJHAutomaticEvents3::OnProgramStatusChanged. This event is fired when the CNC program execution status is changed. At itnc530 watch out: The iTNC 530 emits this event when a newly selected program is started and not when the program is selected. Typically this event will be emitted after the OnProgramStatusChanged programEvent DNC_PRG_EVT_STARTED.

{string state, string programPath, string programName} = onNcProgramChanged

onProgramStatusChanged

Notification on program execution status change.

string programEvent = onProgramStatusChanged()

Commissioning File Example

The long file containing all implemented methods is available for download here: Heidenhain reference commissioning file

Short example file, Download: heidenhain-example.yml

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---
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------#
# Commissioning File
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------#
# Protocol: Heidenhain
# Copyright: Cybus GmbH (2020)
# Contact: support@cybus.io
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------#
description: >
  Heidenhain sample commissioning file

metadata:
  name: Heidenhain example
  icon: https://www.cybus.io/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/for-whom1.svg
  provider: cybus
  homepage: https://www.cybus.io
  version: 1.0.0

parameters:
  ipAddress:
    type: string
    description: The IP address of the CNC machine
    default: 10.0.0.2

  cncType:
    type: string
    description: The CNC type; can be tnc640, itnc530, tnc426
    default: tnc640

  agentName:
    type: string
    description: The name of the Cybus Heidenhain agent on the windows machine
    default: heidenhain-WIN1234

resources:
  heidenhainConnection:
    type: Cybus::Connection
    properties:
      protocol: Heidenhain
      connection:
        domain: edge.cybus
        agent: !ref agentName
        ipAddress: !ref ipAddress
        cncType: !ref cncType
        plcPassword: <password>
        usrPassword: <password>
        tablePassword: <password>
        sysPassword: <password>
        connectionStrategy:
          initialDelay: 5000
          maxDelay: 30000
          incrementFactor: 2

  getVersion:
    type: 'Cybus::Endpoint'
    properties:
      protocol: Heidenhain
      connection: !ref heidenhainConnection
      topic: getVersion
      read:
        method: getVersion

  getNcUpTime:
    type: Cybus::Endpoint
    properties:
      protocol: Heidenhain
      connection: !ref heidenhainConnection
      topic: getNcUpTime
      read:
        method: getNcUpTime

  getToolTable:
    type: Cybus::Endpoint
    properties:
      protocol: Heidenhain
      connection: !ref heidenhainConnection
      topic: getToolTable
      read:
        method: getToolTable

  onToolTableChanged:
    type: Cybus::Endpoint
    properties:
      protocol: Heidenhain
      connection: !ref heidenhainConnection
      topic: notify/onToolChanged
      subscribe:
        type: notify
        method: onToolTableChanged

  onProgramChanged:
    type: Cybus::Endpoint
    properties:
      protocol: Heidenhain
      connection: !ref heidenhainConnection
      topic: notify/onProgramChanged
      subscribe:
        type: notify
        method: onProgramChanged

MQTT Examples

MQTT Examples following the example device commissioning file above.

Legend:

Request --> (MQTT topic) MQTT payload
Response <-- (MQTT topic) MQTT payload

Get SDK Version

--> (getVersion/req) { "params": [], "id": 1 }
<-- (getVersion/res) { "result": "1.6.3", "id": 1 }

Set tool table row

--> (setToolTableRow/req) { "params": ["10", { "NAME": "MY-AWESOME-TOOL", "L": "1", "R":"4" }], "id": 2 }
<-- (setToolTableRow/res) { "result": null, "id": 2 }

Get tool table cell

--> (getToolTableCell/req) { "params": ["10", "NAME"], "id": 3 }
<-- (getToolTableCell/res) { "result": "MY-AWESOME-TOOL", "id": 3 }