Ethercat HAL driver

Hello Chimeno,

Thank you for responding so quickly.
I have improved the pid configuration.

The shaft started to spin, one pin was missing 'net v-vel-cmd=> axis.0.0.join-vel-cmd'. But to the same signal is assigned x-pid.output pin. When it assigns both pins to the same signal, the information pops up when the program is opened that the second pin cannot be assigned to the same signal. When for x-pid.output I change the name of the PID signal just doesn't work so the motor shaft is quite "soft" enough that I can shake it with my hand. When I assign it to x-vel-cmd signal, PID works as it should but the shaft does not rotate. Someone may have some idea how to solve this problem, maybe some examples of writing in the hall?

Regards,
Marcin

Hi all,

I am trying to summarize the general philosophy to get a device with EtherCAT capability to work with the EtherCAT driver then linuxcnc-ethercat.

As far as I understand it, the device manufacturer can provide an ESI file (EtherCAT slave information, using xml formatting). Not sure at this stage if this file can contain some default communication feature.

Then with the firmware of the manufacturer you can set up the EtherCAT communication of the device: which information is exchanged, what frequency and so on. For instance that would be Indraworks for Bosch Rexroth. Once done we should be able to generate an ENI file (EtherCAT network information) which describes the bus topology and all the information exchanged.

This configuration can be amended/tested with the EtherCAT configurator or TwinCAT.

Another file is then created, based on the ENI file, WITH a xml format. It should be created manually to fit the format for the .xml file used in linuxcnc etherCAT module based on the ENI file. This step is described in the nice .pdf tutorial by @roschi: docs.google.com/document/d/1GiB065ZIAaoM...GQl2X9DM9-THNM/edit#
I understand all the parameters transformation but not parameter 2:

Then grab the Information of the NC-cycle time

here it is A00F → 0x0FA0 = 4000 and multiply by 1000; Or choose another number which fix to the needs (Parameter 2)

I do not really get the A00F transformation to 0x0FA0. I get that 0FA0 in hex gives 4000 in decimal.

At this stage I might need to implement a Eurotherm temperature controller (mini and an ABB drive with EtherCAT for a specific project. So as I have not seen any of those devices being used like that on this forum topic, I wanted to be sure I got it right in theory before digging in the more technical aspects.

Thank you,

Nicolas

Hi Marcin,
  You do what I can! I'm glad you start the engine, I just didn't understand very well? surely only the PID configured with more margin would have to work without problems.

Hi Nico,
in theory, the configuration of any ethercat device is quite easy, if you are using TWINCAT, the values you have, you have to invert them every two bits example
TWINCAT parameter "A00F00F0A0" = "A0 0F 00 F0 A0" invert.
Parameter Linuxcnc-ethercat "0A F0 00 0F A0
When the parameters are very long, it is best to make a capture with WIRESHARK, you activate it at the same time as the configuration in TWINCAT and you can see the exact values in format for linuxcnc-ethercat.
I create my own .XML configuration files only with the parameters that I want to change, since any configuration problem creates many problems.
I don't know if I could help you a lot.
Regards
Chimeno

Hello guys,
I have attached a new EL9576 controller, for you players!
regards
Chimeno

Hi,
thanks @chimeno for your answer. Although just to be sure:

TWINCAT parameter "A00F00F0A0" = "A0 0F 00 F0 A0" invert.
Parameter Linuxcnc-ethercat "0A F0 00 0F A0

Did you mean: Parameter Linuxcnc-ethercat "0A F0 00 0F 0A" the last one being different?

So if I got any device EtherCAT capable and its ESI file, I should be able to work out the associated .xml file for linuxcnc-etherCAT. Is that it?

Thank you,
Nicolas

Hi Nico, Sorry I was wrong,
TWINCAT parameter "A00F00F0A0" = "A0 0F 00 F0 A0" inverted.
Parameter Linuxcnc-ethercat "A0 F0 00 0F A0
If you can configure any device in the attached .xml file.
for example
EL5152
"set up
80n0: 03 Enable up / down
counter [} 128]
Enablement of the up / down counter in place of the encoder with the bit set.
BOOLEAN RW 0x00 (0dec) "


<? xml version = "1.0" encoding = "ISO-8859-1"?>
<EtherCATMailbox><CoE> <InitCmds>
<InitCmd>
<Transition> PS </Transition>
<Comment> <! [CDATA [Max current]]> </Comment>
<Timeout> 0 </Timeout>
<Ccs> 1 </Ccs>
<Index> 32768 </Index>
<SubIndex> 3 </SubIndex>
<Data> 0x01 </Data>
</InitCmd>
</InitCmds></SoE> </EtherCATMailbox>

it helps you?

Regards
Chimeno