Creating EtherCAT I/O connections through WorkVisual

    Hi all,
    As the topic name implies, I'd like to create an EtherCAT I/O for the Sunrise Cabinet where I can essentially send a digital signal through one of the pins. However, I've been struggling over the last two days because I have no actual experience with Fieldbuses and creating networks in general. As a result, I've been very lost on trying to figure out how to actually assign input and output pins. Actually creating the Sunrise I/O group and assigning IOs within it is not a problem, but I'm struggling with understanding what is what when I'm going through the Fieldbuses tab to actually find this particular connection. I see a lot of people on this forum discussing things like EL*** buses and etc. when I search this topic, so am I missing something fundamental while approaching this problem?


    I don't know if it'll help, but I've attached a screenshot of the Fieldbuses I have access to, and (what I assume to be) the IO's I can modify on the KUKA Sunrise Cabinent (CIB-SR, right?).


    Thanks for reading - any help is appreciated, even the kind that tells me my approach to this entire issue is wrong. :icon_smile:

    Hi there!


    It looks like you haven't configured any EtherCAT devices in WorkVisual! Do you have the EtherCAT devices (such as an EL1809 Digital Input) that you want to use? You also need an EK1100 bus coupler to send and receive EtherCAT signals to and from the robot. If you do have devices to configure, follow these steps:
    1. Go to https://download.beckhoff.com/…Beckhoff_EtherCAT_XML.zip to download the EtherCAT device description files (in XML format). Unpack this file to a directory of your choice.


    2. In WorkVisual, go to File > Close to close your current project.


    3. Follow File > Import/Export (dialog box will appear) > Import device description file > Browse > Set file type to EtherCAT ESI


    4. Find the EtherCAT device description that matches the device you are working with (in the case of the EL1809, it would be EL1xxx.xml). Select this file and upload it to WorkVisual. For the EK1100, you will need to upload the EKxxxx.xml file.


    5. Open the WorkVisual project through Sunrise again, then set your controller as active (double click on Steuerung 1)


    6. Find KUKA Extension Bus (SYS-X44) > EtherCAT, right click on EtherCAT, then select add. A list of elements from the DTM catalog should appear. Choose the 2A EK1100 bus coupler in the latest version (mine is V0.18)


    7. You will notice that the project will update with the included EK1100 in the field bus. Find KUKA Extension Bus (SYS-X44) > EtherCAT > EK1100 EtherCAT Coupler (2A E-Bus) > EBus, right click on EBus, and select add. Add the modules that you have attached to the EK1100, (such as the EL1809, or other devices).


    8. You should be able to interface the I/O under the Fieldbusses > KUKA Extension Bus (SYS-X44) > EK1100 EtherCAT Coupler, by selecting the folder containing I/O. These I/O can interact with the Sunrise I/O that you make, or with other fieldbusses or variables seen in the IO Mapping window.


    9. Once you are done with the I/O programming, you need to Export your configuration to Sunrise. Follow File > Import/Export > Export the I/O configuration to the Sunrise Workbench project, then complete the wizard.


    I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions about the steps I've laid out. I included a picture of what your Fieldbus might look like after completing these steps.

    I forgot to mention: You must add SYS-X44 to the Bus Structure. Right click on Bus structure in your active controller > add > KUKA Extension Bus SYS-X44 to add it to the bus structure.

    College student currently in undergraduate program in Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science working internship with a KUKA LBR iiwa R800 7kg Robot.  I'm still learning the basics, but I hope to master the techniques necessary to operate and understand this robot during my time in University!

    Thank you very much for your response. I don't actually have either the EL1809 Digital Input or EK1100 bus coupler, but I think I will attempt to purchase them very soon. When I get those set up, I'll go ahead and give these steps a shot.

    You can try to configure them before you have them in hand, but keep in mind that when you export the I/O configuration and transfer your data over to the robot, the I/O groups will throw an error until everything is wired up (but the robot will still be able to move). It would probably be good practice.

    College student currently in undergraduate program in Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science working internship with a KUKA LBR iiwa R800 7kg Robot.  I'm still learning the basics, but I hope to master the techniques necessary to operate and understand this robot during my time in University!

    Hello,

    I am new to this stuff and the instructions posted were really helpful. I am stuck because I don't have an EtherCat option beneath the SYS-x44 bus. Any ideas on how to make this appear?

    (Did you) try the following:

    1. When you right click on the Extension Bus, are you able to add your device from the list? It might show up after adding a device

    2. Try restarting WorkVisual

    3. Try deleting SYS-X44 then adding it again


    Which version of WorkVisual are you using?

    I am just trying to get some sort of input/output at the inside electrical components of the media flange. So I have added the media flange option. Restarting or deleting and putting x44 back both did not change anything. I am using workvisual 5.0. I have a lbr med 14 robot and a MF Inside elektrisch MFD. I'm not positive I need the ethercat option but I and currently blindly following any sort of instructions I can find online. Would I need to connect the control box to the bottom of the arm? I believe I need to connect x65 to x651? And the also connect x76 to something (not sure what)? Any pointers in the right direction are appreciated!

    first thing you need to do is make good backup (hdd image).

    that way if you run into trouble, you have a way back to a working situation... trouble is always just around the corner so - better safe than sorry.


    next you need to really really, i mean really, know the versions of everything. you cannot just poke around and hope for the best. you need to know exact type of media flange that your robot uses, you need to know exact version of Sunrise OS and WorkVisual. You need to know if your WorkVisual needs a patch or not.


    then you need to get familiar with interfaces, and that is where KUKA documentation comes in.

    X44 is internal interface on CCU. depending on your system configuration, this may end up at X65 (external interface) after passing through any IO that may be added internally in the Sunrise controller. Type, order etc of devices matters.


    next you need to know the workflow...


    Everything is done with SWB. WoV is only used to create new I/O configuration.

    It is something like this:

    Install correct version of WorkVisual that is matching your Sunrise OS version and patch it up if needed. (if patch is required, it is important to apply it before first use of WoV)

    integrate sunrise KOP and any device description files.

    Open project in SWB, then open WVS using WoV.

    Crete necessary configuration and mapping.

    Export WoV configuration into Sunrise. (WoV will generate bunch of files that SWB can use.)

    Create program that uses I/O.

    Connect anything that was configured. Configuration and hardware connections must match.

    Use SWB to deploy project.



    Good luck

    1) read pinned topic: READ FIRST...

    2) if you have an issue with robot, post question in the correct forum section... do NOT contact me directly

    3) read 1 and 2

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