EtherCAT Alias

[beheredurgesh]

Hello,

 

I am using the PPMAC 460 controller connected to the Beckhoff CU1128 EtherCAT switch. Two EtherCAT drives are connected to the switch.

 

As mentioned in the manual, Alias number can be changed using the command ecat alias {constant} {constant}

but after setting the alias using the above command EtherCAT is not getting enabled.

 

But when I am changing and configuring the alias number of the two drives in the system setup window, I am able to connect both the drives anywhere in the EtherCAT switch (having eight ports) without any issues.

 

Am I using the command the right way or is there any correct way of using the command line?

 

Regards,

Durgesh

[Alex Anikstein]

You mention that you can connect both drives "without any issues" when you change and configure that alias numbers in the system setup window. To make sure I understand your issue correctly--you are getting the desired results through the IDE, but you just want the option to do it manually, correct?

 

1. Can you confirm which version of the IDE you are using?

2. (Depending on IDE version) At the bottom of system setup, it will list every command that it issues. What happens if you issue EVERY command the System Setup does, one at a time, in the terminal window?

 

It might be that you can only issue that when PMAC or the slaves are in a specific state, so System Setup might issue more commands before/after the "ecat alias X Y". Alternately, there might just be a typo or mistake in the command you are issuing.

[beheredurgesh]

Hello,

Thanks for the reply. It is now working as expected.

I have one more question. Instead of PPMAC 465 now I am using an ARM CPU (Firmware: 2.6.0.0, IDE: 4.4.0.99) and want to assign an alias number for all EtherCAT devices.

I have followed the instructions written in the EC engineer manual and configured the station alias in diagnostic mode as mentioned. After changing the alias number, when I am changing the position of any slave in the network, EtherCAT is not getting enabled at all.

 

Can you provide any direction or advice to resolve this issue?

[Alex Anikstein]

Unfortunately, we are moving from one facility to another right now and do not have access to multiple EtherCAT devices to test.

It should be possible, but it will likely be a few weeks before we can provide specific guidance.

[beheredurgesh]

Hello,

We seem to have found a solution.

 

We connected a couple of slaves through ECAT junction (CU1128 of Beckhoff make) and configured the slaves in group and did a “hot connect” to it through embedded EC-Engineer of PMAC IDE version 4.4.0.99.

After doing the above, we could remove and re-connect any slave on the fly and even change slave port on the ECAT junction w/o any change in the scheme.

 

But,

Of course we would like to have a 3rd and expert opinion on what we have done and whether it is fool-proof or not.

So, let me know once you are done with the testing at your end.

Thanks!!