Setting up under TwinCAT 2.11

The CU2508 must be created as a MultipleProtocolHandler in the configuration before functions can be assigned to its downlink ports.

Online scanning of the CU2508 is for the time being only possible with EtherCAT systems connected to the downlink ports. The notes in the EtherCAT port definition regarding the ESI XML files must then be observed.

Setting up

Append a new device in the TwinCAT System Manager with a right click.

Setting up under TwinCAT 2.11 1:
Appending a new device

Select the "Real-Time Ethernet Adapter (Multiple Protocol Handler)".

Setting up under TwinCAT 2.11 2:
Selection of the MultiplerProtocolHandler

Now select the Gbit uplink port used for the CU2508. You can only select ports on which the Beckhoff real-time driver is installed/activated. <none> can also be selected if the port is to be selected later.

Setting up under TwinCAT 2.11 3:
Selection of the Gbit Ethernet port used on the controller

If the real-time driver is not yet installed, it has to be installed first, e.g. via the System Manager options.

Setting up under TwinCAT 2.11 4:
Installation of the Beckhoff real-time driver

Characteristics that are important for the further operation, e.g. the MAC and the IP addresses of the Gbit network port are now listed in the adapter characteristics of the MultipleProtocolHandler.

Setting up under TwinCAT 2.11 5:
Adapter data for the Gbit Ethernet port used

Name

Explanation

Description

Name of the adapter in the operating system (the same on several identical PC systems)

Device Name

Unique adapter name (different on several identical PC systems)

MAC Address

MAC address of the hardware adapter; not changeable

IP Address

IP address of the hardware adapter; changeable via the Windows operating system "Network Connection" settings

Freerun Cycle

The adapter is now operated in ConfigMode with this cycle time, i.e. usually 250 cycles/sec.

Promiscuous Mode

If activated, the Ethernet Frames are copied from the real-time context into the Windows NDIS layer and can thus be read by Netmon/Wireshark

Virtual Device Names

deactivated:
"Device Name" is used by TwinCAT for the identification of the network adapter. Thus a TwinCAT configuration is not transferable to another PC system without being changed.


activated:
"Description" is used by TwinCAT for the identification of the network adapter. Thus a TwinCAT configuration is transferable to another PC system without being changed if an adapter with this name is present there.

The number of necessary ports must be set in the port mask (A). The TCP/IP mode of operation is also to be set (B); "via EoE" must be set for pure EtherCAT operation. Refer here to the Notes on TCP/IP settings. In each case the ESL protocol must be activated for the CU2508 on this Gbit port (C).

Setting up under TwinCAT 2.11 6:
Number of adapters

The CU2508 has no separate diagnostic variables, since it is designed to be as transparent an infrastructure device as possible.

In the following

Diagnosis

The TwinCAT System Manager provide several information about the online operation.

Setting up under TwinCAT 2.11 7:
Statistics

Name

Explanation

Send Utilization (%)

Utilization of the Gbit ESL transmission in transmit direction

R: real-time data, N: non-real-time data

Recv Utilization (%)

Utilization of the Gbit ESL transmission in receive direction

R: real-time data, N: non-real-time data