Hello everyone, I am currently experiencing an issue where my Ethercat couplers appear offline even though they are functioning properly. I have set up tags linked to different statuses (partial, minor, major, and operation), but when a fault is created by disconnecting an Ethernet cable or powering off the coupler, the status does not change. While offline with the PLC, there is an option to go online with the coupler via USB, which I have not tried. The faults do show up on the troubleshooting page. I have noticed the GetECErr function block, but I am exploring ways to utilize the tags I have already created. In the image below, when online with the PLC, the faults always remain false. Thank you,K.
Hello, I am experiencing the same issue. Have you been able to find a solution to it yet?
Hi K, It seems you are facing a synchronicity issue between the actual status of your Ethercat couplers and their reported status in the PLC. Even if faults are appearing on the troubleshooting page, they might not be reflected in the PLC's operational status tags. Instead of focusing solely on utilizing the existing tags, I'd recommend checking the refresh rate of status updates or the mapping of these reported statuses in the PLC. Also, the USB-online option certainly warrants further exploration. It could provide an alternative route for fault detection if standard Ethernet communication fails. Always remember, building redundancies in your fault detection mechanisms can prove beneficial in critical applications.
Hey K, it sounds like the issue might be due to communication delay or some kind of synchronization issue between your Ethercat couplers and your PLC. It might be worth checking your Ethercat update cycle time and make sure it's effectively synchronizing with your PLC scan time. However, since you’re able to see the faults on the troubleshooting page, I'm inclined to think that your issue might be with how you've programmed the tags. Maybe you could cross-check your script or logic related to the state changes? Also, if you haven't tried to go online with the coupler via USB, it might be worth checking whether this makes a difference. Please give us an update after trying these suggestions.
Hi K, it sounds like you're dealing with a challenging problem. Have you ensured that your EtherCat settings, specifically your network settings, are correctly configured? Sometimes, issues like these could be because of mismatched network parameters. Please check your settings, especially the IP address assigned to the Ethercat couplers. Another possible issue could be the communication interval between your PLC and the Ethercat coupler; it might be set too high, causing a delay in updating tags. Since you mentioned the faults do show up on the troubleshooting page, it might be worth trying to go online with the coupler via USB as a troubleshooting step. Finally, please make sure your PLC program is making use of the GetECErr function block to update the status of the EtherCat network. This could be what's missing in your program causing the faults to remain false despite the disconnection. Hope this helps!
Hi K, it definitely sounds like a tricky situation. You might want to ensure that your tags are properly linked to the status indicators. Sometimes, incorrect or incomplete addressing of tags might lead to non-functional indicators. Regarding the GetECerr function block, it's actually quite useful in detecting and diagnosing EtherCAT errors. I suggest you integrate this into your system as it directly correlates to EtherCAT error conditions, making fault detection and system debugging processes much more efficient. Remember, being open to using multiple troubleshooting sources might improve the success of your process. Lastly, the USB option for going online with the coupler might be worth exploring as a backup solution during such faults. Hope this helps!
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Answer: - The offline status issue could be due to faults not being detected by the tags linked to different statuses (partial, minor, major, operation). It is recommended to troubleshoot the fault detection mechanism.
Answer: - The GetECErr function block can be utilized to retrieve error information from the Ethercat network. You can explore ways to integrate this function block with the existing tags to improve fault detection.
Answer: - While there is an option to go online with the coupler via USB when it appears offline with the PLC, it is not mandatory. It is advisable to first investigate the fault detection mechanism and utilize the existing tags effectively.
Answer: - The issue of faults always remaining false on the troubleshooting page when online with the PLC could be related to how the status tags are configured or how the fault detection logic is implemented. It is important to review the configuration and logic to ensure accurate fault detection and reporting.
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