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.