r/Heidenhain

I’m trying to figure out how to make a macro. I’d like to be able to save the current coordinates, retract, move to a safe position and then move back to the exact position where it started. Google and chat gpt haven’t been much help. Is this even possible?

I have been using this control for a few years now and have told that it has limitations like you can't spiral cut into a hole to mill even though the control say you can. I was going thru manual appeared lately and it talks about an angel in the tool table and that it applies to the angel for ramping. The machine currently has 90 for every tool. If I change this to a 3 will it now ramp?

I just received a new to me 2014 Litz Hitec LU-620 equipped with a tnc530 control.

Currently struggling with new machine setup issues and could use some basic control guidance to make sure I'm not just doing things wrong at the control.

Once I've powered up is jogging as simple as putting the machine in manual mode and pressing the axis move buttons? I currently can't get the machine to unclamp the b and c axis.

I've run fadal, Haas, and siemens controls before and have done a significant amount of multi axis programming. I could really use a chat with someone that has tnc530 multi axis experience. Big bonus if you're a fusion user too.

Hello everyone,

I'm fighting with a data transfer issue on a Mecof milling machine equipped with a Heidenhain TNC 430 control. I am consistently getting a [NO DIR] error on the machine when trying to access the PC via RS-422 or RS-232 using both TNCserver and TNCremo.

Here are the technical details and what I have already tried. Any help from Heidenhain veterans would be hugely appreciated.

1. The Hardware Setup:

• Machine: Mecof with Heidenhain LE 426/430.
• PC 1: Desktop running Windows XP with a native, physical COM1 port.
• PC 2: Laptop running Windows 11 with USB-to-RS232 adapters.
• Converter: Sintechi RS-232 to RS-422/485 passive terminal block converter. It is externally powered with 12V DC.
• Software: TNCserver / TNCremo.

2. The Port & Wiring (The Mystery):

• Outside the electrical cabinet, there is a factory DB15 port labeled "Program Loading".
• I traced this cable inside the cabinet: it is physically connected to the X22 port on the Heidenhain logic unit.
• Electrical Verification: I measured the voltage on the DB15 pins while the machine was on. Between Pin 2 (GND) and Pin 4, I get 0.9V DC at rest. This confirms it is an active RS-422 differential line, not RS-232.
• Pinout used on DB15: * Pin 2 = GND
  • Pin 3 = TX+
  • Pin 4 = TX-
  • Pin 5 = RX+
  • Pin 6 = RX-

3. What I have already tried (Troubleshooting):

• Software Settings: PC set to LSV-2, 9600 Baud, 8-N-1. Machine MOD menu set to RS-422, LSV2, 9600 Baud.
• Handshake: Set to SOFTWARE (Xon/Xoff) or NONE on the PC. (The machine MOD menu for RS-422 doesn't even show an handshake option).
• Windows XP COM1: I disabled the FIFO buffers entirely in the advanced COM1 device manager settings.
• Polarity Swapping: I swapped the TX+/TX- and RX+/RX- wires on the Sintechi converter to account for incorrect Chinese labeling. Still [NO DIR].
• RS-232 attempt: I also tried connecting a custom Null-Modem cable (with 4-5 and 6-8-20 bridges) to the X21 port, but it didn't work either. Tried all baud rates, FE protocol, different parities, etc.

My questions for the experts:

1. Since the factory "Program Loading" cable goes to X22, are the DB15 pins (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) exactly correct for the Heidenhain RS-422 TX/RX pairs on this specific port? Do I need to change a specific Machine Parameter (MP) to enable data transfer through X22?
2. Right next to it, the X21 port is empty. Is X21 the actual RS-232 port? I tried connecting a standard Null-Modem cable (bridged 4-5 and 6-8-20) to X21, but got "Interface not ready" / no connection regardless of baud rate or FE/LSV2 protocols. If X21 is the 232, what is the exact trick/pinout to make it work?
3. Has anyone successfully used one of these cheap active/passive Sintechi RS422 converters on a TNC 430?

Thanks in advance for your time!