Procurement/update of the elements

The three elements can be procured:

HW:

• Procurement: only by purchase from/exchange by Beckhoff
• Update: An update of the hardware is usually possible only by exchanging the device.

FW:

• Procurement: by enquiry to Beckhoff/Support
• Update: An update of the firmware is usually described in the device documentation and must be carried out using the Beckhoff System Manager. You must check with Beckhoff, or in the documentation specifications, which possible firmware version a certain available device supports in accordance with its hardware version.
  Note/hint: the readable FW version on the exterior of the device must be manually adapted by the person carrying out the update so that the new FW version is also visibly recognizable.

ESI/XML:

• Procurement: the current version is available for download on the Beckhoff website and, when a new TwinCAT build is written, the ESI current at the time of writing is integrated into the TwinCAT installation. Depending on which TwinCAT version is installed, the device descriptions located in C:\TwinCAT\IO\ after the TwinCAT installation may not correspond to the current Beckhoff version.
• Update:
• in the System Manager: the ESI files (*.xml, *.xsd and if necessary further files in the same folder) in the TwinCAT master directory (e.g. TwinCAT 2: C:\TwinCAT\IO\) must be exchanged. Afterwards is it necessary to restart the System Manager.
• in the device: An update of the revision is usually described in the device documentation and must be carried out using the Beckhoff System Manager. You must check with Beckhoff, or in the documentation specifications, which possible revision version a certain available device supports in accordance with its hardware version.
  Note/hint: the readable revision version on the exterior of the device must be manually adapted by the person carrying out the update so that the new revision version is also visibly recognizable.

"Never touch a running system!"

An update of firmware or revision should be carried out only if there is a justified cause to do so.
If both are changed, then as a rule the firmware is to be changed first, then the XML/revision in the EEPROM. Notes in the documentation are to be observed!
 

There is no right to demand that Beckhoff hands out information on HW/FW/Revision changes.

Downloading ESI descriptions Beckhoff makes the current versions of the ESI device descriptions available for download on its website. These ESIs are thus available to every EtherCAT user, every configuration creator and every customer. However, it is recommended that configuration creators/programmers internally clarify within their company/firm/group which revision versions are to be released for internal company use, so that a uniform configuration version can be maintained over the years in delivered machines. This simplifies the stocking of spare parts.