1. Introduction

1.1. Overview

EC-Engineer is a configuration and diagnosis tool for EtherCAT networks that are controlled by the EC-Master.

The following screenshot shows the EC-Engineer in configuration mode:
_images/config-mode.png

It runs on the Engineering System where the engineer can configure the EtherCAT network. All slaves default to settings that match the Slave’s typical use case. Complex networks or installations with special requirements need adjustments to the default settings. Using the Configuration Mode, the user can configure his EtherCAT network according to the project’s needs.

As the result of his work the user can export the EtherCAT Network Information (ENI) file, which is necessary to run the EC-Master on the Control System:
_images/overview.png

If he has the possibility to connect his Engineering System to the Control System, he can also scan his existing EtherCAT network. The EC-Engineer will then read the network configuration and add all slaves to the project explorer. Now the user can fine tune the network or directly export the ENI file.

If the control system is now running, he can connect to it by using the remote diagnosis functionality and verify that everything is fine by accessing the states, variables, object dictionaries, ESC registers EEPROM data.

1.2. Features

The following table shows the features of the EC-Engineer:

General features

Feature ID

Free

Standard

Plus

Classic view

100

✅

✅

✅

Flat view

101

✅

✅

✅

Topology view

102

✅

✅

✅

Multiple Instances

103

✅

✅

✅

Different themes

104

✅

✅

✅

Different Languages

105

✅

✅

✅

Command line interface

106

✅

✅

✅

EMI Manager

107

✅

✅

✅

ESI Manager

108

✅

✅

✅

Expert Mode

109

✅

✅

✅

Edit topology view

110

✅

✅

✅

Offline Diagnosis

111

❌

✅

✅

Unlimited Slave Count

112

❌

✅

✅

Configuration features

Feature ID

Free

Standard

Plus

Set up distributed clocks

200

✅

✅

✅

Configure MDP slaves

201

✅

✅

✅

Custom PDO mapping

202

✅

✅

✅

Changing name of variables

203

✅

✅

✅

Group support / Hot Connect / Pinned Group

204

✅

✅

✅

EoE Support

205

✅

✅

✅

Startup Commands

206

✅

✅

✅

CoE Object-Dictionary (offline)

207

✅

✅

✅

Enable / disable slave

208

✅

✅

✅

Slave to Slave

209

✅

✅

✅

Support gateway slaves (EL6692, EL6224, EL6631-0010, …)

210

✅

✅

✅

Export ENI-File

211

❌

✅

✅

Export Process variables

212

✅

✅

✅

Multiple Cyclic Tasks

213

❌

✅

✅

Import slaves from ENI

214

✅

✅

✅

SoE Object-Dictionary (offline)

215

✅

✅

✅

Change revision of slave

216

✅

✅

✅

Scan topology of local system

217

✅

✅

✅

Scan topology of remote system

218

❌

✅

✅

Scan PDO configuration from slave

219

✅

✅

✅

Scan MDP configuration from slave

220

✅

✅

✅

Define project templates

221

❌

✅

✅

Support gateway masters (EL6751, EL6731, …)

222

❌

✅

✅

EtherCAT P support

223

✅

✅

✅

Slave to Slave in Cycle

224

❌

✅

✅

Diagnosis features

Feature ID

Free

Standard

Plus

Watch list with export

300

✅

✅

✅

ESC Register

301

✅

✅

✅

FoE support

302

❌

✅

✅

DC Diagnosis

303

✅

✅

✅

Extended Diagnosis

304

✅

✅

✅

Trace Data Variables

305

✅

✅

✅

EoE endpoint support

306

❌

✅

✅

Export CoE Object-Dictionary

307

✅

✅

✅

Local System with Windows Master

308

✅

✅

✅

Remote System via RAS-Client

309

❌

✅

✅

Reading count of slaves or frames

310

✅

✅

✅

Compare configured and found slaves

311

✅

✅

✅

See value of variables in a list view or chart view

312

✅

✅

✅

Changing value of a variable

313

✅

✅

✅

Reading/Writing values (CoE OD)

314

✅

✅

✅

EEPROM Reading/Writing values

315

❌

✅

✅

Reading error or frame counters

316

✅

✅

✅

Diagnosis History of master or slave

317

✅

✅

✅

Reading/Writing values (SoE OD)

318

✅

✅

✅

1.3. Supported Slaves of Beckhoff EL6xxx

The following table shows the supported slaves of Beckhoff EL6xxx in the EC-Engineer:

Name

Free

Standard

Plus

EL6001 Interface (RS232)

✅

✅

✅

EL6002 Interface 2Ch. (RS232)

✅

✅

✅

EL6021 Interface (RS422/485)

✅

✅

✅

EL6021-0021 Interface (RS422/485 line device)

✅

✅

✅

EL6022 Interface 2Ch. (RS422/485)

✅

✅

✅

EL6080 EtherCAT Memory Terminal (128kB)

✅

✅

✅

EL6224 / EP6224 IO-Link Gateway

✅

✅

✅

EP6228 / EPP6228 IO-Link Gateway

✅

✅

✅

EL6601 1 Port Switch (Ethernet, CoE)

✅

✅

✅

EL6614 4 Port Switch (Ethernet, CoE)

✅

✅

✅

EL6631-0010 PROFINET IO Device

✅

✅

✅

EL6690 EtherCAT Bridge terminal (Primary)

✅

✅

✅

EL6690 EtherCAT Bridge terminal (Secondary)

✅

✅

✅

EL6692 EtherCAT Bridge terminal (Primary)

✅

✅

✅

EL6692 EtherCAT Bridge terminal (Secondary)

✅

✅

✅

EL6695 EtherCAT Bridge terminal (Primary)

✅

✅

✅

EL6695 EtherCAT Bridge terminal (Secondary)

✅

✅

✅

EL6731 PROFIBUS DP Master

❌

❌

✅

EL6731-0010 PROFIBUS DP Slave

✅

✅

✅

EL6751 CANopen Master

❌

❌

✅

EL6751-0010 CANopen Slave

❌

❌

✅

Not listed devices are not supported.

1.4. Requirements

  • Microsoft Windows 10 and above

  • Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile

  • Screen resolution at least 1024x768 pixel

  • Memory as recommended for operating system

  • Disk space approximately 80 MB (depend on number of ESI files)

1.5. EtherCAT Slave descriptions (ESI files)

The EC-Engineer needs information about each Slave Type to correctly initialize it, give reasonable default settings and present the configurable properties to the user. The knowledge about the different Slave types is gathered from ESI files. The ESI files can be managed by the ESI-Manager.