Integrating a Leoni Advintec TCP via Ethernet IP

    I need some assistance/clarity regarding the integration of this 3rd party hardware.
    I've connected the cable directly to port #2 (no hub) as recommended by Leoni to our R30iB controller.
    I have a computer on Port #1 which works fine.
    The setup, attached pdf, is per Leoni's instructions but I am unable to establish an initial connection.
    Initialization sequence starts with an attempt to connect but returns "No Connection" and then enters an error state "Error Bus Error".
    I believe I'm not setting up the second Port properly.




    Serge
    R2000iB 165F
    R30iB

    OK...
    Missed the part that you have to restart the controller every time you change the IP address.
    Modified the similar addresses between the scn and the port and it now communicates.


    Yaaaahhh.
    Thanks...


    Serge


    You don't actually need to cycle power, after you do any changes to the address just press Next. That will bring up different options above your F-keys. Above F3, IIRC, will be INIT option, just press that and a yellow box will pop-up with the standard YES/NO options. Select yes and it will restart communications, negating the need to stop and cycle power. I cant remember who told me about this, and I cant seem to find any mention of it Fanuc's documentation, but it is there for that reason and does work.

    Thought this was fixed but...
    Setting up this device has been particularly difficult for one reason or another and I am no closer to a working solution. At present I am unable to establish a solid communication with the device. I have attached a relatively concise summary of our setup which reflects the setup sent to us by LEONI. After every configuration change, the robot was restarted and the device retested (just in case). Although INIT, as previously mentioned, is a quick way to restart the IP address, in my early years I had a bad experience with the same INIT option in the control start menu. Spent a few day reloading the OS.


    Please review the attached PDF. You’ll also notice that I have a Digital In & Out card occupying Rack 1 slot 1 & 2 and assigned to DO/DI 1 through 16. Since Rack 89 slot 2 is assigned DO/DI 121 through 232, I'm assuming this should not cause any conflicts.


    Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.



    Serge
    R2000iB/165F
    R30iB V8.30P/23

    Follow-up


    Leoni request a series of test:
    -Reset all the FANUC settings and started from scratch.
    -Ran the experiment twice, once on port#1 and then on port#2 as requested (behaviour was the same on both).
    -Set up the IP address on port#2, restarted, ping test to port OK.
    -Turned on Advintec device. Device plugged into port 2 directly, as directed by Leoni. (as a side experiment I also tried connecting through a hub, it works)
    -From Host Comm. Ping the Advintec IP address and it is successful.
    -Set Ethernet/IP to SCN, restarted.
    -Set up the Ethernet/IP settings as per Leoni, restarted.
    -Switched Ethernet/IP from False to True
    -Restarted Advintec.
    -The Advintec behaves erratically by flashing back and forth between "Measure Circular" which is the normal operation to "Error Bus Error". The flashing continues randomly with very short intervals for about 1.5 to 2 minute and eventually settles on "Error Bus Error"
    -Ping Advintec from Ethernet/IP, successful, during the flashing behaviour.
    -Ping Advintec from Ethernet/IP, fail, when in settled error state.
    -Ping again from Host Comm., successful even in error state.


    The Advintec box settings were checked and deemed OK.
    It looks like some setting in the Ethernet/IP either by Leoni or FUNUC is not set correctly or not compatible.
    By the way I did get the cable checked, OK.


    If anyone has experience with setting one of these boxes up via Ethernet/IP, your help would be appreciated.
    If I resolve the issue, I will post a follow-up.


    Thanks in advance


    Serge
    R2000iB 165F
    R30iB V8.30P/23

    Found a Bug/Issue


    To eliminate the Advintec as a source of error I reset the box.
    Modified the language back to English and left everything else unchanged.
    Re-started everything.
    Turned the Advintec back on. As before the system flashed back and forth between “Measure Circular” and “Error Bus Error”.
    Essentially the same issues as before...
    I left the system in this state and was observing the Ethernet/IP main menu.
    The status was showing “offline”
    I accidentally switched from True to False and observed the status indication switch to “<Running>”
    After a few moments the system failed completely.
    I repeated the circumstance and switched True to False and back to True within a few seconds.
    The Ethernet/IP status remained “<Running>” and the Advintec became active.


    Therefore it is now working.
    I’m not sure as to the owner of the bug.
    I've been in touch with FANUC previously and will be sharing this new info.


    Thanks all whom have helped.


    Serge
    R200iB 165F
    R30iB V8.30P/23

    I have not received any feedback from either FANUC or LEONI yet.
    I did "play" with the program for about an hour and got it to work in its basic form but I was not able to try out or confirm its overall functionality.
    The option I have is the 6D TCP calculation.
    Due to circumstances beyond my control, on the same day that I finally got the system working, the robot was scheduled for tear down and is currently being moved. I will not have an opportunity to test the Advintec properly till I'm back in operation, in 1 or 2 weeks.


    Serge
    R2000iB 165F
    R30iB V8.30P/23

    Ok...
    It has been a while but I believe I should close this thread.


    We have not been able to get the Advintec technology functional on a FANUC R30iB v8.30P/23 using Ethernet/IP. The communication between the R30iB and the Advintec controller remains unstable. No amount of technical help was able to solve the issue at the time.


    The critical nature of the work we are doing requires an accurate TCP that can be self calculated over and over. Since we were not getting any traction by either FANUC or Leoni, we had to do something or the project was going to die. We convinced management to move to an ABB system with the Bulls Eye. ABB integrates its own calibration system which has similar accuracy specification to the Advintec. The Bulls Eye does have its own issues but we were willing to work around it, such as the TCP Z-axis cannot be in line with the Z of the wrist plate.


    The ABB System we selected was optioned with an Ethernet/IP protocol and since we still owned the Leoni, we gave it a test. We were able to successfully calibrate a TCP with the Advintec using Ethernet/IP. The solution was not without issues, the software provided by Leoni was two software generations out and had to be run through a migration program to recompile it to the current code standards. The default setting do not work and after a detail help file provided by Leoni (Germany) the system executed a TCP calibration successfully. This took two days, waiting for a response from Germany, with about 3 hours of actual work. The bonus is the Advintec can calibrate the Z-axis in line with the Z of the wrist plate.


    We are in a particular position to test both the Bulls Eye and the Advintec head to head. But to do so we need to create a 22.5 degree wedge at the wrist to allow the Bulls Eye to function.


    To summarize:
    FANUC and LEONI Advintec with Ethernet/IP (Never got it work due to unresolved communication issues, months of time wasted.)
    ABB and LEONI Advintec with Ethernet/IP (Has old code issues but was able to get it functional within 2 days with ABB technical help.)


    Serge
    ABB IRB 6700 205/2.8
    IRC5

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