Introduction

The Beckhoff AX2000 and AX2500 drive contains internal parameters which can be manipulated fieldbus-independently via the serial drive interface (X6) through ASCII commands. For this procedure, e.g. the Microsoft Windows program HyperTerminal  could be used. To start it, use Start | Run... | hypertrm.exe.  The following picture shows a communication between Microsoft HyperTerminal and AX2xxx drive.

If an ASCII command without a value next to it is issued, it means a read request for a parameter value (see first line in above picture =  '--> ADDR'). After entering the command and a pushing the Enter key, the next line shows the register content of this object (in above example it is e.g. '11'). In difference to that, a write-request to the drive is issued if the command is given together with the wanted value (in above example e.g. in the third line where the drive (CAN-)address is set to '1'. 

In addition to the ASCII communication through the COM interface, the TwinCAT System Manager supports also the execution of ASCII commands via the Beckhoff Lightbus or Beckhoff Real-Time Ethernet. How to do so, is described in depth under "TwinCAT System Manager | Reference | Boxes | Beckhoff Lightbus | AX2xxx-B200 Axis"  resp. "TwinCAT System Manager | Reference | Boxes | Beckhoff Real-Time Ethernet | AX2xxx-B900 Axis". The following picture shall only give an idea how the AX2xxx ASCII communication dialog pops up in the TwinCAT System Manager:

For a detailed list of currently supported drive ASCII commands (resp. ASCII objects), please see...