EtherCAT & IRC5

Laro88

Is there any built in EtherCAT support in RAPID / IRC5.

I am asking since I am investigating using a new direct drive controller as an external axis. EtherCAT seems to be growing and is a default option in the controller.

Oyvind

Hi

 

Did you find any answer for this? I am using a lot of Beckhoff equipment and would like to use EtherCAT between robot and IO-modules in some future robotprojects.

frpa

Hello,

It is currently not possible to use EtherCAT in the IRC5 controller to control external drives.

 

BR frpa

Laro88

Same story with the Beckhoff here (KBus looking at EtherCAT), however I will most likely strip the Beckhoff of the Robot and let the PC control all the external IO parallel to the Robot.

Oyvind

I will put some Beckhoff IP67 IO-modules and a SMC valveblock on a robotgripper. And I am also considering handeling all the gripper functions trough the Beckhoff PLC.

 

Is there no support for EtherCAT in IRC5? I understand that it is not possible to control external drives trough EtherCAT, but what about regular IO modules? 

 

Laro88

I am currently using Beckhoff IO's on devicenet, runs fine. Mapping can be a pain however. So go for simple analog and digital IO modules. There are to the best of my knowledge no EDS support in RS.

Apparently there are no EtherCAT support ofr anything in RW / RS.

DaveX

I see this is a pretty old thread. Any updates? Does ABB have plans to add EtherCAT to the IRC5?

ABB is a member of the EtherCAT group. http://www.ethercat.org/en/members/members_A0B3EB9B73FE46C18342FE26D90687E4.htm
I see ABB has a EtherCAT drive addon http://www.abb.us/cawp/seitp202/1316a0c89aee3d738525782d00599b7c.aspx

VsaMpaio

Hi,
Are there already any I/O modules that support EtherCat?
Thank you

walterARTC

I feel the safest way we have now is to use DeviceNET with an EL6752 beckhoff unit. I haven't tried it myself. Anybody had experience with this??