RemoTools SDK
virtualTNC
Software Interface forInteraction withTNC Controls

09/2023

RemoTools SDK
Software components for creating PC-based applications for
TNC controls
TNC controls from HEIDENHAIN have long
featured data interfaces for communication
with external systems. Two Ethernet
interfaces are standard on current
HEIDENHAIN controls. In combination
with the software development kit, thisopens diverse possibilities for fulfilling theincreasingly complex requirements ofautomation technology for machine tools.
HEIDENHAIN offers the softwaredevelopment kit RemoTools SDK forinteraction with TNC controls. Communica­tion takes place according to the TCP/IP
protocol. If the option HEIDENHAIN DNC(option 18) is enabled on a HEIDENHAIN
control, a Windows application can access
TNC data and, if necessary, change it. The
flexibility of the PC software and the large
selection of ready-to-use software
components and standard tools in thedevelopment environment enable you todevelop PC applications of great use to
your customers in a very short time.

Possible fields of application include:• Software solutions controlling themanufacturing process:– Machine and operating-data acquisition
systems (MDA/PDA)– Connection to higher-level ERP/MESsystems– Planning of preventive maintenancebased on the actual condition of themachine• Standard or customer-specific
PC software:– Programs for increasing processreliability and system availability– Error reporting systems that, forexample, send the customer a message
to his smartphone reporting problems
with the currently running machining
process– Overview plans that provide
information about the current conditionof all machines used in production– Gathering a base of data for generating
valuable insights

The main component of RemoTools SDK
is the HEIDENHAIN DNC component,
which is based on Microsoft's (D)COM(Component Object Model) standard.
It makes your programming interfaces
available independently of any regionallanguage. Each interface supports one ormore methods, properties or events thatcan be called from an application. The COM
component is integrated in the development
environment, and is thus available for de­veloping your own applications. Any COMenabled programming language, such as
C++, C#, VB.NET, as well as many of thescripting languages available under Windows
can be used to develop applications.
Another advantage of the COM component
is the version-independence typical ofCOM. It eliminates the need to update an
existing application with every version jumpof the component.

Functional overview and items supplied

Functional overview of the COM component
General machine functions• Configure and show connections• Establish and break connections to the control• Show information about the connection status• Make connections available to all other objects
Version information• Show information about the control model and NC software• Show information about the active PLC program• Check SIK numbers (Software Identification Key)• Show version of the COM component
Process information• Show operating time of the control• Show operating times of the machine, spindles and axes
• Display the run time of machining (NC program)Configuration information• Show number and designation of axes
• Show type and associated channel of axes
Machining control• Report changes to the state of the operating mode, active
NC program, program status and DNC mode
• Report tool changes, including old and new tool numbers• Report information from the NC program via FN 38• Set presets on the control• Select and start the NC program• Interrupt program run immediately or at a certain block• Query the current position of the tool and machine• Read and switch the operating mode
• Query the status of the currently running NC program• Query and change the values of the override potentiometers
Data access• Access the tables in the control• Create and delete rows of information• Read and change contents• Define the data to be monitored for event triggering• Read and write machine data

File operations• Create, rename and change directories• Read directory contents (also with filter)• Read current directory path on the control• Delete empty directories on the control• Transfer files to and from the control• Rename files on the control• Set the change date and change time of a file on the control• Cancel file transfer• Read and set file attributes on the control• Read the total and available memory on the control• Define the files to be monitored for event triggering• Report changes to a monitored file
• Report the conclusion of file transfer• Report the progress of active file transfer
Error management• Readout of pending error information• Acknowledge all current errors• Read error description• Create own error codes on the control• Report error results of peripheral devices• Report acknowledgment of an error• Read out a service file
• Configure logging• Create screenshot of the control screen
PLC communication• Transmit messages to the control’s PLC• Receive messages from the control’s PLC
Direct access to PLC memories• Read- and write-access to PLC memories, such as marker,counter, timer, byte, word, double word, and string• Input marker, byte, word, double word
• Output marker, byte, word, double word
Functions for virtualTNC• Read current axis positions• Set time and position filters for axis streaming• Set and test current position• Set time lapse
User authentication• RPC SecurePlease note:
It is not possible to communicate
according to strict real-time conditions
over conventional PC networks.
The reaction time attainable over
HEIDENHAIN DNC depends on
the network’s utilization.

Items supplied
RemoTools SDK V3.3
ID 340442-33
The following is included with
RemoTools SDK:
• COM component• API documentation as CHM help system• Various Visual Studio examples (C#)• JHIOSIM DLL for simulating the I/Os forvirtualTNC

Prerequisites for the PC• Operating system: Windows 10/11• CPU ≥ 1 GHz• RAM ≥ 4 GB
• Free memory on the hard disk ≥ 1 GB
• Ethernet interface

virtualTNC
Control software for PC-based machine simulation

Simulation of NC programs on the control
has been a feature of HEIDENHAIN
contouring controls for some time now.
The PC software virtualTNC makes it
possible to use HEIDENHAIN controls as acontrol component for machine-simulation
applications on external computer systems.
How machine simulation with
virtualTNC works
Machine-simulation applications cansimulate entire production units in order tooptimize production processes in advance.
VirtualTNC can control the axes of amachine simulation as with a real system.
Users program and operate the control inthe same way as they do an actual
HEIDENHAIN control. virtualTNC is theprogramming station software of therespective HEIDENHAIN control with a
special interface that enables the machine
simulation software to identify the current
axis positions of the running “virtual”
control. In order to simulate the interaction

with a real machine, virtualTNC also makes
the input and output states of the integrated
PLC available.
Coupling of virtualTNC throughthe RemoTools SDK
Software manufacturers who would like tosimulate a production system can connect
their machine simulation to virtualTNC via
HEIDENHAIN DNC. The AxisPosition­
Streaming interface of the COM component
must be used for coupling the axis positions.
The JHIOsim DLL is used to read the PLC
input and output states. Both are includedin the RemoTools SDK development
package. A software release module isrequired to enable the functionality of theinterface.
Prerequisites for the PC
Operating system: Windows 10/11 (64-bit)• Processor with virtualization support(VT-x or AMD-V)• RAM: ≥ 8 GB, ≥ 16 GB (TNC7)• Dedicated graphics board forgraphicsintensive applications• Hard disk:	≥ 10 GB per programmingstation• Resolution:	≥ 1024 x 768,
≥ 1280 x 1024 (TNC 640),≥ 1920 x 1080 (TNC7)• Interfaces: USB, LAN* Windows and Internet Explorer are
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Supported NC software• TNC7:
NC software ≥ 81762x-16• TNC 640: NC software ≥ 34059x-07• iTNC 530: NC software ≥ 34049x-03
virtualTNC
Control software for PC-based machine
simulation:• Single station license
ID 1113933-03• Network license for
1 workstations:
ID 1122145-03• Network license for
14 workstations:
ID 1113935-03• Network license for
20 workstations:
ID 1113936-03

Microsoft, Windows 10, Windows 11 are registeredtrademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Helpline for technical support
DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH
Dr.-Johannes-Heidenhain-Straße 583301 Traunreut, Germany +49 8669 31-0
 +49 8669 32-5061
info@heidenhain.dewww.heidenhain.com

628968-25 · 0.5 · 09/2023 · H · Printed in Germany

Application programmingPhone: +49 8669 31-3106
E-mail: service.app@heidenhain.deThis Product Information supersedes all
previous editions, which thereby become
invalid. The basis for ordering fromHEIDENHAIN is always the Product
Information document edition valid when
the order is made.