KRC4 Compact, OMRON, Ethernet/IP

I have made EthernetIP work with various devices (many, but not yet Omron PLC) and any EthernetIP device should work.
And one does not even need special EDS, WorkVisual has all you need (and you only need EDS on unit acting as master).

Few important steps:
1. KLI configuration (EIP must use virtual5)
2. Robot EIP configuration through WorkVisual
3. deploying and activating project
4. configuring of PLC

Your desired configuration is typical (PLC is master). KRC4 can be slave for up to five masters (plus one for safety) and at the same time KRC4 can be master to numerous devices.

note: the screenshot I posted must be configured while you are online with controller (only that screen).

Hello,

I have same problem but cannot find working solution. I think my configuration is correct see attachments. I can't find anything about virtual5 in EIP? whats that?
After reboot I've got errors:
KSS00099 "Read/Write Error: EIP-ADAPTER"
"timeout during connection between PLC and PLC1"

Any advices?

Who is the EIP Master device? The PLC or the robot?

According to screenshots, PLC is EIP master (standard, not safety), KRC4 is just a regular slave (has no own slaves).

Hello!!!
Thanks for your attention.

Yes KRC4 is set up as slave device. We have two different PLC to test:
- OMRON LX1P2
- SCHNEIDER M241
Both are able to communicate with eachother without problems, but no success with KRC4.

After mapping IN's and OUT's KRC4 shows EIP scanner connection timeout. For me it looks like comething "low level" like bad version of EIP driver or misconfigured driver?

We even have KUKA technician on the phone and he is not able to give us step by step guide

IP address is configured correctly, and all devices are able to communicate threw local switch (ping tests)

What is weird, EthernetIP scanner on PC is able to find all EthernetIP devices and even perform write operation to them, but KUKA still shows this EIP-scanner read/write error and timeout?

Where should I go from here?

1. are you sure your Etherent cable is connected to correct interface? EIP on KRC4 uses KLI port
2. are you sure all three devices are using same subnet mask and same IP range? (laptop with WoV, KRC4 and PLC)
3. are you sure configured IO block sizes and instances match?
4. are you sure IO are mapped on KRC4 side? if not mapped, there is nothing to exchange and EIP driver will not even start...
5. what settings did you use on PLC side? did you let PLC detect slave and use those settings (vendor, version, ...)?

Panic mode,

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. No.
I was able to communicate KRC4 as master and schneider as slave. Solution was to import eds file that was generated from SoMachine solution. Before I was using configuration downloaded from schneider website and it wasn't working. Main difference was Minor and Major versions of driver/software. But still I'm not able to communicate omron with KRC4 where KRC4 acts as slave. I can't find option in Visual Workspace to generate eds for current configuration of KRC4. I think this is the main problem. Configuration (eds) is wrong.
4. Yes.
They are mapped. Only after mapping i see this error EIP-SCANNER read/write error.
5. I don't know? haven't found such configuration. I will check/look for those options. Maybe I should set in KRC4 some kind of "less restrictions" mode (only for tests, of course)

For me it's a hudge step that I have any communication (able to toogle gpio).

Thanks for your advices!

Kuka does make GSD and GSDML files available. Unfortunately KUKA does not have habit of making device description files available for fieldbusses that are popular in Americas - DeviceNet and EthernetIP. As a result user has to jump through some hoops to get what they paid for. Even importing of device description files into WorkVisual is different for EthernetIP compared to any other fieldbus type.

So yes, one has to use Generic EDS and then manually enter correct values. Other option is to scan bus and detect the device parameters.

Basically here are the magic values when it comes to KRC4 with KSS 8.3
Vendor: 121
Product type: 140
Product Code: 2
Major Version: 8
Minor Version: 3
Electronic keying: Exact Match

Here are the same values when it comes to KRC4 with KSS 8.5
Vendor: 121
Product type: 140
Product Code: 2
Major Version: 3
Minor Version: 1
Electronic keying: Exact Match

If using CIPSafety on KRC4 (both KSS8.3 and 8.5) instances are:
Safety Input Assembly Instance: 776 (8-byte)
Safety Output Assembly Instance: 904 (8-byte)
Safety Configuration Assembly Instance: 1024 (0-byte)

Another important thing to note is that for CIP safety RPI need to be 25ms.

Btw, for long time AllenBradley PLCs did not allow communication of standard and safe data over same interface. This meant need for two network interfaces in the AB PLC Rack.
Only relatively recently RS introduced AOP (Add-On Profile) that combines safe and standard data over one network interface but AB folks are apparently still quite unaware of this (at least in my neck of the woods) so finding AOP download may be cumbersome. Fortunately KUKA also offers download of this thing.

And just for sake of completeness of this post, when connecting KRC2, use
Vendor ID: 579
Device ID: 12
Product Code: 2
Major Revision: 2
Major Revision: 1

Basically Revision is software version of the KukaEIP (in this case EIP version is 2.1).

Quote

As a result user has to jump through some hoops to get what they paid for

OMG, yes that's true

Thanks for advices. I will check and let you know how it is working (or not :))

Unfortunately we failed to communicate omron as master when KUKA is slave. I don't have communication with omron at all

Are you willing to help? Not for free of course. I can open VPN tunnel or any other connection accepted by you? We can share solution here after problem is resolved. Please send me private message for access information if you are interested/can help.

Sorry. I hope You have not been offended with my proposition. Currently I will connect KRC4 (master) with Schneider (slave) and Schneider with Omron using other protocol. Anything else communicates with Omron using EtherCAT which is unavailable in Schneider. Expensive solution, but it HAVE to be done.

i am not offended, usually i am told that i am the offender

setup should be straight forward with the manuals and info shared.

key is to be focused and follow the milestones thoroughly:
1. make sure everything is connected correctly (both network and power),
2. make sure network addresses are compatible, you never listed network settings of all devices
3. choose block size for data exchange
4. configure robot and make sure to map IO, reset driver or reboot
5. configure PLC (should be able to scan EIP network and see KRC. this will populate all values in EDS other than size)
etc.

each of the points could be a problem. Let's see how many of them did you clear so far:

1. you never explained what physical connections are. well if this is secret, keep it to yourself. i am not going to ask. but i have seen plenty of cases where users connect ethernet cable to first RJ45 port they see, without checking what the name and function of that port is.

2. you never listed network settings of all devices, just stated that 'they are ok'. Well if they are ok, everything must be good then, nothing for me to get involved with.

3. i don't see what the IO block size is, or how is it mapped.

etc.

do you see the point?

I really hope this helps. It covers key things when setting up KRC4 as EIP slave.

OK... so solution was... wait for it... wrong EDS provided by KUKA. With correct EDS everything works. They assured its correct.

The thing is that all points that were listed by You was triple checked by me. Minor major versions which were messed up in EDS file and some other things but not so revelant.

Conclusion: Make sure you have vendor, minor and major versions correct!!!! Even if producer gives you EDS saying that it is 100% correct one.

BIG THANKS for help.

So why don't you post that EDS?

About evaluation of steps.... You say you tripple checked them.... But you still had problem. So it is obviously not good enough that you check them all by yourself, should have stated facts so everyone here can decide for themselves if what you checks and conclusions are ok.

Vendor (Kuka) did not provide EDS (unless you exported generic one from WoV). It was mentioned before that one must manually enter correct settings which i shared before.

Btw, your Omron software can scan network and get correct vendor info, major and minor version from the slave. This was also mentioned.

And one can also try to use more relaxed keying option when adding slave into master configuration (does not need to be an "Exact match").

Hello everyone!

we are working on the same problem, so....

attached a modded eds, i will try it soon as possible and then will inform about the result.

regards

M

Bug Found!

i got two virtualized interfaces, Virtual 5 and virtual 6.

The virtual 6 was configured as the same subnet of plc scanner [ad he always respond to ping that's why we have lost a lot of time!]

The Ethernet/IP instead work on the Virtual 5 and after a well new configuratio all works perfectly.

Check the image below...

Unfortunately we have already bought the profinet adaptor for plc. [Damn]

Best regards

M