06.03
1.1 Overview of SINUMERIK 840Di
1-23
Siemens AG, 2003. All rights reserved
SINUMERIK 840Di Manual (HBI) – 06.03 Edition
1.1.3
Software components
The software basis of the SINUMERIK 840Di consists of the components listed
below.
Note
For a detailed list of the installed software components or the ones required to
prepare for installation, please refer to Section 1.2, Page 1-32.
The operating system basis of the SINUMERIK 840Di is Windows NT 4.0.
Windows NT is the platform on which all applications, such as the individual
user interfaces of the HMI modular system and the start-up tools run.
Since Windows NT, however, is only conditionally real-time capable, as known
(in this context, the term “soft real time” is used), SIEMENS has developed a
method that allows the operation of the NC system software in hard real time,
without modifying Windows NT.
The NC system software mostly has the same functionality as the SINUMERIK
840D.
It comprises both simple Motion Control processes (positioning and linear inter-
polation) and complex automation tasks as they occur in conjunction with ma-
chining centers, handling and mounting, up to machine tools and machine tool-
related applications.
The NCK (Numerik Control Kernel) is part of the NC system software that real-
izes the real-time capability of the SINUMERIK 840Di.
The NCK is characterized by the following features:
–
The NCK is automatically started when Windows NT powers up.
–
The NCK cyclically runs in the background.
–
The current status of the NCK is displayed on the SINUMERIK 840Di
standard user interface 840Di start-up:
Menu command Window > Diagnostics > NC/PLC.
–
The NCK is automatically quitted when Windows NT is quitted.
–
When the NCK is quitted, it will write the SRAM data from NC and PLC to
the hard disk of the PCU as a backup copy.
–
The maximum portion of NCK computation can be specified using an NC
machine data unselect.
Windows NT and the NCK share the available processor power. The CPU time
share used by the NCK (standard 65%) can be altered in the machine data. See
Subsection 10.3.8, Page 10-290 “Cycle times”.
The PLC system software, like the NC system software, largely has the same
functionality as the SINUMERIK 840D.
Windows NT
NC
system software
NCK
Distribution of
computation time
PLC
system software
1 General on the SINUMERIK 840Di