TNC155 Drip feed problems

[large519]

Hi, Can anyone help please as I am stumped as to why I cant get my Bridgeport 520 with Heidenhain TNC155 control to drip feed with R232 cable. I have downloaded the free TNC Remo software from the Heidenhain website, (but with the download though only the TNC server works). I have managed to transfer files to and from the control via the TNC server, which seems to work ok. But when I try to drip feed it just wont work. I have changed the parameters on the control from -M71>515, M218>17701, M219>16677, M220>279, M221>5382, M222>162, M223>0, M224>4 to M71>515, M218>17736, M219>16712, M220>279, M221>5382, M222>168, M223>1, M224>4, Baud rate is 2400 on control and TNC server, and changed the R232 interface to FE. I got the parameter changes off of the internet, as am also not sure what type of control I have either a TNC 155A/P/B or Q, I believe it is the TNC 155Q, cant seem to find it in the manual, where else can I find what the correct type is??? Also how do you start the drip feed on the control, is it programme run/single block, then press EXT enter programme number the GO?? As this doesn't seem to work. I have read that the programme needs to start and end a certain way but, not sure how.
Any help with this would be great...please!!!

[awemawson]

OK I fought this battle back in 2003 with my TNC151 which is the same RS232 set up as the 155. This is a copy of what I posted on the Practical Machinist forum when I bottomed out the problem:

The Solution !!!!!!!!!!

Not wanting to be a quiter I put some more time in on this odd problem and got a result.

First a few misconceptions (by me).

A/ What I thought was "TNCRemo" is in fact "TNCServer"
B/ The TNC RS232 interface can exist in three modes - "EXT", "ME", and "FE" selected via the 'MOD' key - I had only ever had it as "EXT" and it should have been "FE"
C/File names & extensions ARE important in block mode transmission. 123.H = program 123 in Heidenhain conversational code and 123.I is program 123 in ISO-Gcode

Setting all these options correctly and using software handshaking (MP222=168) means I'm now a happy bunny loading & saving at 9600.

On the way I've remade the RS232 cables (twice!), had the controller totally to bits, blown loads of swarf out of the cabinet and even some off the TNC151 motherboard, and learned how to reload all the machine parameters into an empty controller.

Many thanks to all that offered help and particularly GISMO who sent me known good code to use as a standard.

AWEM

[large519]

OK, cool. So you reckon what i've done so far is ok, it's just the file extension that needs to be changed as currently I have tried drip feeding in either .txt or .nc remembering i'm using standard Heidenhain language not Gcode. I'll try changing the file extension to .H, and give it a go tomorrow. Can you and how do you change the baud rate of the controller, it is currently set at 2400 is this speed ok for drip feeding?? Also does anyone know what parameter 218 and 219 are for???? As apart from parameter 223 they are the only other 2 that are changing.

[shahid@cadem]

I think this will be helpful to you.Document contains all the details of Heidenhain data interfaces.

[Filmills]

On the way I've remade the RS232 cables (twice!), had the controller totally to bits, blown loads of swarf out of the cabinet and even some off the TNC151 motherboard, and learned how to reload all the machine parameters into an empty controller.

Many thanks to all that offered help and particularly GISMO who sent me known good code to use as a standard.


Did read you had reloaded the parameters into the empty controller tnc 151.
I assume it is the same procedure for my tnc 355Q.

Had an mishappening when i did change the backup batteries. So my controller is now empty.
Did enter the MP i had printed out from the controller.
But at the end none of the axes like to move for the reference when start up.
It was also supplied a list of the plc software printed and a other listing which is german so i dont understand what it is.

Are there other things to reenter after the the out of power?

[jmccracken]

In response to the earlier messages on this thread, I continue to have trouble drip feeding my Heidenhain 151B. Note that I have no problem communicating from PC to controller, and vice-versa, when the controller / TNCServer on the PC are configured as follows:

* Heidenhain 151B controller is set to ME mode (baud rate has always been set to 2400)
* TNCServer is set to ME (see attached picture of TNCServer set to ME mode)
* Machine Parameter 223 is either 0 or 1

In this configuration, I can transfer programs while the machine (a Bridgeport Interact) is running. Unfortunately, on a long program, it stops at line 1224 every time ... regardless of whether I'm running the machine (i.e., have pressed the start button in automatic mode) or not. The controller gives a "BLOCK FORMAT INCORRECT" error at the same time TNCServer stops transmitting at line 1224 (see attached picture of controller screen).

OK ... so reading I see that the controller should be in FE mode. I set the Heidenhain controller thus and change the TNCServer to FE mode. Now I cannot select a file (see attached picture of TNCServer in FE mode). Further, immediately upon pressing ENT on the controller panel to initiate blockwise transfer of the program ... nothing happens and the TNCServer says "stopped" in the lower left corner of the window. This happens regardless of whether machine parameter 223 is 0 or 1.

Interestingly, when machine parameter 223 is set to 0 and the controller's communication mode is set to EXT while TNCServer is set to ME ... it behaves exactly as if both were set to ME. When MP 223 is set to 1 (controller is EXT and TNCServer is ME) then the behaviour is exactly that described when both are set to FE.

Please help ... what is it doing? I assume the buffer is getting full ... why isn't it communicating? Why isn't FE mode working?

Thanks again!