Hi! This is the first time we use a KRC4 Controller. In any of the previously application we've used a device net wich was connected the the mfc card in KR1 and KRC2 Controller. Now, if i'm right, the only built in BUS is EterCAT. So if we want to continue to use a DEVICENET we must use a coulper. But why continue to use devicenet if it is a new machine... Basically my question is wich is the common and chepest way to connect I/O the KRC4? Thanks a lot...
KRC4 and BEST WAY TO CENNECT I/O
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IlFincoITA -
December 16, 2014 at 3:20 PM -
Thread is marked as Resolved.
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The easiest is probably to buy EtherCat slave devices and connect them directly to the robot -- this will not require buying any add-on software or hardware. You will have to watch your device compatibility, however -- I understand that the KRC4s only support a limited list of EtherCat devices.
In my experience, ProfiNet and EtherNetIP are more popular in the industry that EtherCat, so you might find it easier to use one of those long term, although it would require an additional up-front investment to buy the bus adapter hardware and the KUKA software upgrade to add PN or EIP (note: KRC4s can support many buses at once, but PN and EIP are two that cannot coexist on the same controller).
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Has anyone used a similar configuration with WAGO
750-354 EtherCAT® Fieldbus Coupler
750-602 Power supply
750-430 8DI Module
750-530 8DO Module -
As far as I know with EtherCat I/O there is no support for coupling/decoupling so if one node is out, the whole bus is out.
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^^^and this is a pretty annoying thing(given that ecat supports this, but krc does not). I have since moved [some of] my ecat busses to external PLC, so they can easily be hotpluggable, etc. It is then very easy(well, relatively) to use an ethercat bridge to allow the KRC to still have control over the plc's fieldbus. ecat is great though, in my experience(I use twincat 3 for the plc, its very user friendly).
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As far as I know with EtherCat I/O there is no support for coupling/decoupling so if one node is out, the whole bus is out.Really? I haven't run into that limitation, as yet. Good to know -- no EtherCat with tool changers, I guess.
Speaking personally, while I prefer ProfiNet, EIP seems to be slightly better implemented on KRC4s -- it supports multi-master communications, where the KRC4 implementation of ProfiNet does not (yet).
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yep, I like EIP too..