need help with ethercat vs mesa

timo wrote:

Just a general question. Does a mixed system work? Put the basics on the Mesa card and, if needed, extend with Ethercat?

Makes no sense to me, a bit like being half pregnant. But each half would need their own NIC. There are plenty of Ethercat IO modles and its easy to write the XML they need. The one that is costly with limited options (eg. Beckhoff) is an encoder for spindle. 

I also heard about mesa-ethercat combo but it sounds complex with no real benefit. Something you try just because you can I feel. It would probably make sense for me to see what kind of modules I need for ethercat and look how much thats going to cost. 
I need 4 servos, 60 € more than the other servos for all 4, dont know if sto makes sense for me, that would be another ~ 60 € ish. 
I already have a pilz safety relais, how do I tie that into the system with sto?

Im using 8 endsensors and possibly multiple tool sensors in the future,  so I would go for 16 i/o right now and add more later if needed.

VFD would be controlled by a 10v analog output ~50 €

In turn I could sell my mesa, dont know how much I would get tho. Sadly I cant send it back anymore, at least I think so.

I also heard about mesa-ethercat combo but it sounds complex with no real benefit. Something you try just because you can I feel. It would probably make sense for me to see what kind of modules I need for ethercat and look how much thats going to cost. 

OP-
The benefit is that Mesa hardware is inexpensive and easy - especially for the 'pricey' types of IO (encoder, analog).

Once you price out the ethercat IO modules, you might price out a Mesa FPGA board and appropriate daughterboard(s) and find it'd be cheaper to go with Mesa for IO.

I suspect for your modest IO needs it won't make much difference, but for an IO-intense machine an Ethercat + Mesa combo becomes attractive.

As far as complexity... every LCNC machine - including Ethercat based - needs a HAL file.  Both Ethercat and Mesa services are started in the HAL file, and pins are assigned like normal.

Not trying to convince you of anything in particular, just letting you know options are available.

I did a calculation:
with 4 ethercat sto servos, beckhoff ek1100(interface), el1809 (16inputs), el2809(16outputs),el4102(vdf control) im getting ~50€ more expensive than mesa + 4 cables.

If I ditch the beckhoff and handle i/o by the servo drives im more limited in machine control and vfd has to be set manually. Spindle control could be added later when I need more i/o for toolchanger anyways.

Basicly a drive i/o system instead of a centered i/o.

Thats why I have difficult times deciding stuff like that, I have two in my eyes equal options. Sto would only come in when using ethercat tho, so theres that.

You can use RS485 Modbus to control your VFD so its not really a problem until you come to the encoder if its needed. Threadmills are a lot easier than rigid tapping.

I thought it would make sense because the Mesa card was already purchased and paid for. ... it seemed not final what was missing.
Admittedly two network adapters probably complicates things.
When you just want to eat pickles and cake without getting "the look", being half pregnant does the trick.

Greetings Timo

I think I will go ethercat and sell the mesa. 
I completly ignored the fact my vfd works with rs485, thanks for the reminder to check.
Leaves only the decision on drive i/o vs central i/o. I found some deals on the beckhoff parts
ek1100, el1809, el2809 
are those the right ones?
I will be using 8 24v end sensors pnp nc.
Many thanks again.