Beckhoff ethercat 64 with bit linuxcnc, How to install.

Hi Nicolas,

Good news you got it running.

Is it possible that you post your installation step's over here for me and other users?
I like the idea that you start with a fresh distro and then switch to rt kernel.
My installation was easyer because of ready iso cd.

Hi Grotius,

I will do a step by step guideline, which should work from scratch for both 32bits and 64bits architecture. Will edit this post in few days.

Nicolas

I am almost at the moment to install my first ethercat hardware on real machine.

Spec's of this board:

4 axis stepper, config XXYZ, home sense X0+X1+Probe (+5 input spare on stepper drives)
1 analog input for torch height control (+1 analog input spare)
1 relais output for torch on/off (+3 output's spare)
1 24Vdc power supply
1 50Vdc power supply

But houston we have a little problem. First i have to write a new driver for the torch on output.
- EL2794 ( 4 channel solid state relais )

Later to do, interfacing plasma power output. At this moment i can do this with modbuss python on a Hypertherm.
But i am looking to connect a Thermal dynamic's inverter serie's up to 120 Amp's. There is no power interface available at this moment, i had indirect contact with the factory develop, but without information succces.
So i have to make a power setting's connection inside the inverter soon by myself.
The inverter has a digital pulse type potentiometer. That type is not so easy to connect to extern component's, because the begin value of potientio is alway's lost in that way. Maybe i bring the inverter to electronic expert to look at.

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationI had a look at the circuit diagrams n the A120 manual the other day.
www.esabna.com/eu/literature/plasma%20eq...utomation/0-4989.pdf
I think I would see if I could find a 40 pin connector breakout board (or make my own.) This might work.
au.element14.com/kitronik/5601b/breakout...connector/dp/2563845
This would give access to all pins on the console at J2.
I would observe the voltage at pin 6 - CUR_SET when turning the knob. I think it will vary from 0-5 volts if the gas control circuit on J4 is anything to go by. BUt if it is 12v or 3.3 volt, it would be very easy to pick up the power from the relevant pin and send the varying output to pin 6. Otherwise, you need a 12v to 5v step down power module or pick up 5 volts from the control board (J4-pin1). Maybe you could add a switch on pin 6 that switched between the current setting on the control panel and your potentiometer.

Also I would consider adding a 150 amp ACS758 current sensor in the power supply on the raw arc signal so you could give feedback to your control system..

You can buy prebuilt modules on ebay


Good luck.

Hi Rod,

It's the 40 pin ribbon cable that does all the i/o. It's kind of confusing there is also a 15 volt department available on the ribbon cable. In total 3 type of voltage channel's. The pulse type potientiometer has a push function. this is easy to capture.

The fact is. At the moment i was testing the inverter i had only one inverter in the company and i had to cut next day.
Now i have more on stock, so i can test. If it burn's out there is no problem next day.

The ribbon adapter you sent in your link is the perfect way to test the application. All pin's are covered with hard wax. So measuring is also not easy at this moment without scraping first the hard way away.

I will test it with a new 40i inverter coming day's.

The purpose is to make an ethercat connection to the inverter. Maybe it will end in 2 pieces of 40 pin ribbon cable adapters, with
a analog ethercat output module beween it. If there are more connection's available i will let it know.

Almost forgotten, the inverter's have a selectable internal voltage divider with different ratio's.
Results in 0-10 volt analog in can be used on the ethercat side, that has a resolution of 16 bit.


Did you buy the inverter?

Yes, I think a custom board that the ribbon cables from the inverter, the control panel and some terminals your Ethercat interface is the way to go. You can buy the ribbon cable and IDC connectors that crimp on in a vice. Very simple to make ribbon cables if they've used standard connectors

I have not bought the inverter yet. Tossing up between the Hypertherm and the Thermal Dynamics. I received a refund from our Tax Office yesterday that was overdue by their error. Next week, I will decide. It would be quite useful at the moment for the product development I am doing...