EC-Engineer - EtherCAT® Network Configuration, Diagnosis, and Monitoring

Manuals

EC-Engineer

Version Description HTML PDF
3.9 EC-Engineer User Manual HTML PDF
EC-Engineer SDK Layer 5 User Manual HTML PDF
3.8 EC-Engineer User Manual HTML PDF
EC-Engineer SDK Layer 5 User Manual HTML PDF
3.7 EC-Engineer User Manual HTML PDF
EC-Engineer SDK Layer 5 User Manual HTML PDF
3.6 EC-Engineer User Manual HTML PDF
EC-Engineer SDK Layer 5 User Manual HTML PDF

EC-Engineer Web

Version Description HTML PDF
2.2 EC-Engineer Web User Manual HTML PDF
2.1 EC-Engineer Web User Manual HTML PDF

Tutorials

EC-Engineer EtherCAT Tutorial - Installing and How to Create a Basic Offline EtherCAT Configuration

In the video tutorial you will be guided through the installing process and after successful installing all needed steps will be presented to get a basic offline EtherCAT configuration.

EC-Engineer EtherCAT Tutorial - How to Create an Advanced Offline EtherCAT Configuration

In the video tutorial you will be guided through all steps to get an advanced offline EtherCAT configuration.

EC-Engineer Tutorial: Create/Modify an Online Configuration by Scanning a Local EtherCAT Network

In this video we will demonstrate how you can create an EtherCAT configuration by connecting online to a local network of EtherCAT devices. We will also show how you can modify a previous configuration by scanning the network for any changes caused by new devices that were either added or removed from the network.

EC-Engineer Tutorial: EtherCAT Configurations with Devices Based on the Modular Device Profile (MDP)

In this video we demonstrate how you can create an EtherCAT configuration consisting of devices implementing the Module Device Profile (MDP). We provide some background information on MDP, and then show how you can create an offline configuration, and also how you can scan a local network and create a configuration from that.

EC-Engineer Tutorial: Create a Remote EtherCAT Configuration via Remote Access Server (RAS)

In this video we demonstrate how you can create an EtherCAT configuration by remotely connecting to the master via the acontis Remote Access Server (RAS). We also show how you can use EC-Engineer in Diagnosis mode to remotely manipulate and control the EtherCAT network and devices.

EC-Engineer Tutorial: EtherCAT diagnostics with the Object Dictionary and Process Data Variables

In this video we demonstrate how you can diagnose problems in a live running operational EtherCAT network by using EC-Engineer from acontis. This video will focus on the diagnostic possibilities available from the object dictionary, as well as with the process data.

FAQ3012: I added a SCI file but cannot find it in append dialog

We do not show the SCI files in the append dialog on default. But there is a check box to show preconfigured slaves (SCI). If this checkbox is selected the SCI files are shown.

Last update on 2021-11-05 by EtherCAT Support Team.

FAQ3011: How can I create ENI files for slaves from the Beckhoff CX5000 series?

The ENI file of those slaves must start with an Ebus slave, but EC-Master exports only an MII port. This problem can be solved by first adding a helper slave “EK1200”. The “real” EBus slaves can be connected afterwords to this helper slave.

Last update on 2021-01-07 by EtherCAT Support Team.

FAQ3010: EC-Engineer reports the following message: Network scan successful - 0 slaves found.

  • Make sure you have connected the input and not the output port of your first slave to the computer
  • Do you have TwinCAT installed on this machine?
    • Open “Compatible Devices” in TwinCAT
    • Uninstall or disable the “TwinCAT RT-Ethernet Adapter” for your network adapter
    • If this doesn’t help, try to disable the “TwinCAT RT-Ethernet Driver” in the properties of your network adapter and reboot your system.
  • Run EC-Engineer with administrative rights? Does it help?
  • Do you have a some kind of security software (like firewall, antivirus, …) installed on this machine?
    • Try to turn it off and check if problem is solved
  • Do you have problems on sending or receiving pakets?
    • Install “Wireshark” and check which pakets are missing
  • Do you have only problems on sending packets?
  • Try it with Npcap instead of WinPcap. Make sure you chose “Install Npcap in WinPcap API-compatible Mode”

Last update on 2021-01-07 by EtherCAT Support Team.

FAQ3009: EC-Engineer reports the following message: Failed to query EtherCAT Slaves. No slaves found.

  • Verify that WinPcap / Npcap/ Ndis is correctly installed
  • Try to restart you operating system, because this is sometimes necessary if you e.g. using a USB network adapter
    Increase the message level (Menu → Settings → All Messages)
  • Turn on debug message of the master
    • Stop “EC-Engineer”
    • Set “MasterDebugMessageLevel” to “5” in “%ProgramData%\EC-Engineer\user.myusername.xml”
    • Start “EC-Engineer” again

Last update on 2021-01-07 by EtherCAT Support Team.

FAQ3008: Why is the process image size different between EC-Engineer and EC-Master?

EC-Engineer shows on tab “Process Data Image” not the real size of the process data image. It show only the offsets and the size of the variables.
If you want to get the real size of the process data image, which is used from EC-Master, you have to look into the ENI file: “EtherCATConfig/Config/ProcessImage/Inputs/ByteSize” or “EtherCATConfig/Config/ProcessImage/Outputs/ByteSize”. This is the offset + size of the last variable and additional administration data depending on the slaves which are used (ALStatus, DC Support, Mailbox, …).

Last update on 2021-01-07 by EtherCAT Support Team.

FAQ3007: How can I update the firmware of my slave via FoE?

For updating the firmware of your slave via FoE, please follow these steps:

  • Enable diagnosis mode
  • Set master state to INIT
  • Select your slave, and set his state machine to BOOTSTRAP
  • Enter path of file on slave (optional)
  • Enter password (optional)
  • Press button “Download” (it will open the FileOpen-Dialog, where you can choose the file which contains the new firmware and uploads this file)

Last update on 2021-01-07 by EtherCAT Support Team.

FAQ3006: How can I configure the modules of a BK1120 slave?

  • EC-Engineer supports only the MDP-Version of BK1120 slave. If you want to add this slave, enter “BK1120” into the search field, enable option “Show Hidden Slaves” and double-click on slave “BK1120 EtherCAT Fieldbus Coupler (MDP)” (Revision Number: 0x120001). The modules of this slave can be configured in tab “Modules” like in all other MDP slaves.
  • If you have one of the other versions of BK1120 and you want to use it, please contact our support.

Last update on 2021-01-07 by EtherCAT Support Team.

FAQ3005: Slave reports the error state: “Sync manager watchdog” (Diagnosis → Slave → General)

You need a realtime operating system. If you still want to use your slave on Windows, you can turn off this watchdog (Slave->Advanced Settings: Set PDI Watchdog = 0).

Last update on 2021-01-07 by EtherCAT Support Team.

FAQ3004: EC-Engineer reports the following message: Slave '…' has unexpected state (Current state: '…', Expected state: '…')

Select the slave and open the tab “General”. Here you can see the error state of the slave. If it has no error, try to change the state again.

Last update on 2020-12-18 by EtherCAT Support Team.

FAQ3003: EC-Engineer reports the following message: Changing topology failed: Bus configuration mismatch (ErrCode: 0x9811001E)

The configured bus and the currently connected bus does not match. Please open the 'Network Mismatch Analyzer' (Menu → Network → Network Mismatch Analyzer) to solve the problem.

Last update on 2021-01-07 by EtherCAT Support Team.

FAQ3002: EC-Engineer reports the following message: Not all EtherCAT slave devices are in operational state

Check if all slaves have a green icon. If the color is not green, open tab “Diagnosis → Slave → General”. Here you can see the error state of the slave. If it has no error, try to change the state to OP again.

Last update on 2021-01-07 by EtherCAT Support Team.

FAQ3001: EC-Engineer reports a message with ErrCode: 0x…

The Error Codes comes from the EC-Master. If you want to know how to solve this problem, please refer the manual of EC-Master.

Last update on 2021-01-07 by EtherCAT Support Team.

FAQ3000: The integrated EC-Master does not react as estimated

Increase the message level (Menu → Settings → All Messages) and try it again.

Last update on 2021-01-07 by EtherCAT Support Team.

E-Mail Support

EtherCAT products: ecsupport@acontis.com
Japanese support: jpsupport@acontis.com