CNC Controls from DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH are particularly popular among European precision manufacturers and machine builders.
Modern HEIDENHAIN controls offer an OPC UA interface to capture machine data for MES integration or other digitalization projects. However, connecting these controls is not straightforward. Due to stringent security requirements and the need for a three-stage certificate exchange, the process can become complex.
In this article, we will show you how to securely and easily connect HEIDENHAIN CNC controls via OPC UA, without compromising data security or system availability.
Why connecting HEIDENHAIN CNC controls is important
HEIDENHAIN is one of the largest providers in the European CNC market. According to a study by Findus Factory, which uses data from Maschinensucher.de and Indeed, 28% of all machines in the European market are equipped with HEIDENHAIN controls. HEIDENHAIN particularly dominates the milling machine segment, boasting an impressive 69% market share. The only more significant player in the European market is Siemens, which accounts for 38% of all controls, according to the study. However, in the milling sector, HEIDENHAIN holds the lead.
The following graphic from Findus Factory summarizes the results:
How to read machine data from HEIDENHAIN CNC controls
Connecting HEIDENHAIN controls opens up numerous applications in production monitoring, work preparation, or maintenance. Scenarios ranging from condition monitoring, production data acquisition, to the automatic initiation of production orders are possible.
Key technical capabilities that such a connection enables include:
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Monitoring of machine parameters
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Transmitting NC programs
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Viewing and acknowledging error messages
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Remote control (start/stop)
Heisenware offers a very simple and fast way to connect HEIDENHAIN controls via OPC UA, making all the aforementioned use cases possible. The secure connection is established between the OPC UA NC Server of the HEIDENHAIN control and the OPC UA Client of Heisenware, which can be deployed as an Edge Connector in the production network. The Edge Connector, in turn, connects over a secure channel to the Heisenware platform, where the data is available for storage, visualization, or further processing.
Simple certificate exchange and seamless integration
To establish the initial connection, Heisenware fully supports the required certificate-based infrastructure (PKI Admin). The certificate exchange process is automated and seamlessly implemented, eliminating the need for copying and cumbersome pasting of certificates. The use of TNCremo for file transmission is also unnecessary. Only the built-in OPC UA Assistant in the control is utilized. Once the connection is established, the machine can be read and controlled remotely through any application.
All you require for connecting your HEIDENHAIN controls is an active Heisenware account and the Edge Connector, which you can create yourself from the low-code interface. Send us a message through the contact page to gain access and support in this process. Once the mentioned prerequisites are met, this step-by-step guide will walk you through the connection process.
For which HEIDENHAIN controls is the connection possible?
The connection can generally be established with all controls that utilize the optionally activatable OPC UA NC server from HEIDENHAIN. This includes the TNC controls TNC 620, TNC 640, as well as the latest models TNC7 and TNC7 basic. For further details, please contact us or inquire directly with HEIDENHAIN.
What about older HEIDENHAIN controls?
Many older machines still use controls without OPC UA support, such as the HEIDENHAIN iTNC 530 or the TNC 320. It's difficult to determine exactly how many machines without OPC UA are still in the field. However, we observe that for every ten HEIDENHAIN controls with OPC UA support in the field, there are typically two to three machines with controls lacking OPC UA support. This is only a rough estimate.
The good news is that even these older machines can be connected via the DNC interface. Heisenware is working on a solution that will enable a similarly easy connection for these machines. If you're interested in this technology, please contact us so we can inform you as soon as the connector becomes available.