Digital inputs and outputs in ZPA mode

Notice

Disturbance of the ZPA mode

In the factory setting, ZPA communication takes place via digital inputs/outputs. If you switch the digital outputs of these inputs/outputs via the process data, the ZPA communication may be disturbed. The result can be, for example, collisions between the conveyed goods.

  • Only switch digital outputs of inputs/outputs that are not involved in ZPA communication.
  • Make sure that the output variables of all inputs/outputs involved in the ZPA communication are constantly set to 0.
    In the factory setting this concerns all variables with the name pattern "Control output x".
Digital inputs and outputs in ZPA mode 1:

Functionality depending on firmware version

The digital outputs can only be switched in ZPA mode from firmware 05.

Up to and including firmware 04, changes in the signal state of the output variables have no effect in ZPA mode.

In the factory setting, the process data of the digital inputs and outputs are disabled in ZPA mode.

Activating process data

Activate the following process data objects in the "Process Data" tab:

Index

Process data object

0x1600

"DO Outputs"

0x1A00

"DI Inputs"

Digital inputs and outputs in ZPA mode 2:

Available inputs/outputs

If ZPA communication takes place via digital inputs/outputs (factory setting), four of the eight digital inputs/outputs are reserved for ZPA communication.
You can use the other four digital inputs/outputs freely. In the factory setting, these are the inputs/outputs at the sockets X01 and X05 or the variables "Input 1...4" and "Output 1...4":

Digital inputs and outputs in ZPA mode 3:

The assignment between the socket numbers and the variable names in TwinCAT can be found in the chapter Assignment of connections and process data.

Activate the ZPA communication via EtherCAT to be able to use all eight digital inputs/outputs freely. See chapter ZPA communication via EtherCAT.