Electronic access to the BIC (eBIC)

Electronic BIC (eBIC)

The Beckhoff Identification Code (BIC) is applied to the outside of Beckhoff products in a visible place. If possible, it should also be electronically readable.

Decisive for the electronic readout is the interface via which the product can be electronically addressed.

K-bus devices (IP20, IP67)

Currently, no electronic storage and readout is planned for these devices.

EtherCAT devices (IP20, IP67)

All Beckhoff EtherCAT devices have a so-called ESI-EEPROM, which contains the EtherCAT identity with the revision number. Stored in it is the EtherCAT slave information, also colloquially known as ESI/XML configuration file for the EtherCAT master. See the corresponding chapter in the EtherCAT system manual (Link) for the relationships.

The eBIC is also stored in the ESI‑EEPROM. The eBIC was introduced into the Beckhoff I/O production (terminals, box modules) from 2020; widespread implementation is expected in 2021.

The user can electronically access the eBIC (if existent) as follows:

• With all EtherCAT devices, the EtherCAT master (TwinCAT) can read the eBIC from the ESI‑EEPROM
• From TwinCAT 3.1 build 4024.11, the eBIC can be displayed in the online view.
• To do this,
  check the checkbox "Show Beckhoff Identification Code (BIC)" under EtherCAT → Advanced Settings → Diagnostics:
  
• The BTN and its contents are then displayed:
  
• Note: as can be seen in the illustration, the production data HW version, FW version and production date, which have been programmed since 2012, can also be displayed with "Show Production Info".
• From TwinCAT 3.1. build 4024.24 the functions FB_EcReadBIC and FB_EcReadBTN for reading into the PLC and further eBIC auxiliary functions are available in the Tc2_EtherCAT Library from v3.3.19.0.
• In the case of EtherCAT devices with CoE directory, the object 0x10E2:01 can additionally by used to display the device's own eBIC; the PLC can also simply access the information here:
• The device must be in PREOP/SAFEOP/OP for access:
  
• the object 0x10E2 will be introduced into stock products in the course of a necessary firmware revision.
• From TwinCAT 3.1. build 4024.24 the functions FB_EcCoEReadBIC and FB_EcCoEReadBTN for reading into the PLC and further eBIC auxiliary functions are available in the Tc2_EtherCAT Library from v3.3.19.0.
• Note: in the case of electronic further processing, the BTN is to be handled as a string(8); the identifier "SBTN" is not part of the BTN.
• Technical background
  The new BIC information is additionally written as a category in the ESI‑EEPROM during the device production. The structure of the ESI content is largely dictated by the ETG specifications, therefore the additional vendor-specific content is stored with the help of a category according to ETG.2010. ID 03 indicates to all EtherCAT masters that they must not overwrite these data in case of an update or restore the data after an ESI update.
  The structure follows the content of the BIC, see there. This results in a memory requirement of approx. 50..200 bytes in the EEPROM.
• Special cases
• If multiple, hierarchically arranged ESCs are installed in a device, only the top-level ESC carries the eBIC Information.
• If multiple, non-hierarchically arranged ESCs are installed in a device, all ESCs carry the eBIC Information.
• If the device consists of several sub-devices with their own identity, but only the top-level device is accessible via EtherCAT, the eBIC of the top-level device is located in the CoE object directory 0x10E2:01 and the eBICs of the sub-devices follow in 0x10E2:nn.

Profibus/Profinet/DeviceNet… Devices

Currently, no electronic storage and readout is planned for these devices.