Introduction – EtherCAT Verifier on Windows PC
Welcome to Sybera – your specialist for real-time communication and industrial automation under Windows.
In this video, we demonstrate how to efficiently configure and test EtherCAT devices using the Sybera EtherCAT Verifier.
For hardware, we use a desktop PC or a notebook with the Windows operating system. An Ethernet port with a Realtek or Intel network chip is required for optimal real-time performance.
For configuration, we copy the XML configuration file to the EtherCAT Verifier's program folder, e.g., in C:\ECT.
In our example, the file is already located in the C:\ECT folder.
The XML file must be converted to a native format. To do this, we start EtherCAT Verify and select "Params – XML to Native" from the menu.
Under "Convert File," select the source and target file and start the conversion of the EtherCAT parameter file.
After successful conversion, you can modify or extend the target file at any time using a text editor.
In the next step, we copy the target file to the system folder Windows\System32 to use it in the EtherCAT Verifier.
To check the device configuration, we use the extensive analysis functions of the EtherCAT Verifier.
First, we initialize the stack with the desired Sample Period and the appropriate Sync Cycles.
From the displayed Device List, we select the EtherCAT device that needs to be checked.
The EtherCAT Verifier now displays all required and optional device settings to switch to the Operational Status.
With each state change, the corresponding parameters and setting options are activated.
In the "Init" state, the physical station address is assigned first, followed by the setup of the FMMU registers and Sync Manager registers.
The device can now be moved to the Pre-Operational status. The functionality of the device is controlled via Mailbox communication.
The PDO mappings define the communication structure of the EtherCAT device and control data exchange at the Application Layer.
All PDO mappings were previously stored in the native configuration file eCutDevice.PAR.
Next, the time constancy is measured in the device status "Safe Operational" to ensure precise synchronicity.
In the Operational status, data exchange between the Master and Slave begins. In our example, the first four output bytes control the motor speed.
We hope you enjoyed this presentation on the EtherCAT Verifier.
If you would like to learn more about EtherCAT, real-time communication, and Sybera products, please visit our website.
Our team will be happy to answer your questions about automation, test systems, and EtherCAT configurations.