Documentation EtherCAT Process Data Sniffer 1.1 page 1 of 17

Documentation EtherCAT Process Data Sniffer 1.1

1 General Information ........................................................................................................................ 2

2 System Requirements...................................................................................................................... 3

2.1 Operating System .................................................................................................................... 3

2.2 Network adapter ..................................................................................................................... 3

3 Installation ....................................................................................................................................... 3

3.1 Software .................................................................................................................................. 3

3.2 WinPcap ................................................................................................................................... 3

4 ENI File ............................................................................................................................................. 4

4.1.1 Export from TwinCAT ...................................................................................................... 4

5 Using The Software ......................................................................................................................... 5

5.1 General Control ....................................................................................................................... 5

5.2 Creating A New Project ........................................................................................................... 6

5.3 Channel Setup ......................................................................................................................... 7

5.3.1 Analog Channels .............................................................................................................. 8

5.3.2 Digital Channels ............................................................................................................... 8

5.4 Channel Selection .................................................................................................................... 9

5.5 Table View ............................................................................................................................. 10

5.6 Plot View ................................................................................................................................ 11

5.7 Process Data .......................................................................................................................... 12

5.8 Program Configuration .......................................................................................................... 12

5.9 Project Configuration ............................................................................................................ 13

6 Hardware Connection ................................................................................................................... 14

6.1 Active Network TAP ............................................................................................................... 14

6.2 Passive Network TAP ............................................................................................................. 14

6.3 Access Location ..................................................................................................................... 14

7 EtherCAT Configuration ................................................................................................................. 15

7.1 Cyclic Frame Configuration.................................................................................................... 15

8 Licensing ........................................................................................................................................ 17

9 Support .......................................................................................................................................... 17

Documentation EtherCAT Process Data Sniffer 1.1 page 2 of 17

1 General Information

The “EtherCAT Process Data Sniffer” is a logger software that acquires EtherCAT process data parallel

to an EtherCAT master like TwinCAT. The process data is read by "sniffing" the Ethernet cable in the

EtherCAT system. The EtherCAT data stream is accessed via a network TAP which copies the Rx data

line of the EtherCAT bus to a separate network adapter. The Process Data Sniffer captures the data

and parses the process data from the EtherCAT datagrams. The captured data is converted to the

process data image and from there to the process data variables. The conversion of the data is

thereby based on the information from an ENI file, which holds all the topology information of the

EtherCAT system.

The software can be used as an easy way to log and visualize process data without changing anything

in the control system (TwinCAT). The acquisition can be done on the full cycle rate of the bus up to 10

kHz.

Specific use cases can be:

Diagnosis of faulty machine behavior

Measurement of sensor data

Sensor analysis regarding frequency, noise, chatter

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2 System Requirements

2.1 Operating System

The software can be used on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 in 32 and 64 bit.

2.2 Network adapter

The EtherCAT data is captured with a network adapter. There are no special requirements regarding

the network adapter.

3 Installation

3.1 Software

The software is installed by starting the "setup.exe" file.

3.2 WinPcap

The capturing of the data is done with WinPcap. Therefore this software has to be installed.

The WinPcap installer is integrated in the setup program.

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4 ENI File

The EtherCAT Process Data Sniffer uses an ENI file (EtherCAT Network Information) for the process

data conversion. The ENI file holds all information about the bus topology and the process data setup

of all slaves.

4.1.1 Export from TwinCAT

ENI files can be exported in the TwinCAT System Manager. The export function is located in the

"EtherCAT Device" View.

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5 Using The Software

This chapter describes the usage of the Process Data Sniffer software.

5.1 General Control

The creation and file handling of projects as well as configuration is done via the runtime menu.

The activation of the process data acquisition is done with the lower left buttons:

Start Acquisition - Process data is acquired

Activate Trigger - Trigger values are monitored. If a limit is exceeded, the logging is started

Start Logging - Acquired process data is written to file

The software has different views, which can be selected with the lower right buttons.

Table View - This is a online view of the selected channels

Plot View - During acquisition the channels can be visualized in plots

Channel Selection - Selection of the configured channels

Channel Setup - Configuration of channels

EtherCAT System - Display of the EtherCAT system setup

Process Data - Display of the acquired process data

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5.2 Creating A New Project

A new project can be created from the runtime menu. When this action is selected, a file dialog

opens to select the ENI file of the EtherCAT system. After selecting a valid file, the EtherCAT System

setup is available in the "EtherCAT System" view.

This view lists all slaves, the input and output variables as well as the cyclic frame configuration.

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5.3 Channel Setup

In this view the configuration of the channels is done. These are represented by the EtherCAT

process data objects. The input and output channels are shown for each slave in the list field.

Each variable of a slave can be configured to be a channel by selecting the channel type. The channel

type can be analog, digital or raw. Only when a channel type is entered, the variable can be selected

for logging. For each channel an alias name and a description can be entered.

If a slave has input and output variables and uses a LRW datagram to access these values, the output

variables, which conflict with input variables, are not listed. See chapter 6 for further information on

LRW frames.

The channel types analog and digital support the configuration of triggers.

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5.3.1 Analog Channels

Analog channels provide 2 scaling steps with gain and offset. The first step can be used to convert a

ADC value (for example 16 bit counts) to the electrical representation like volts. This scaling step has

selectable standard gains. The second scaling step can be used to convert from electrical value to

sensor values.

The precision value is used for logging and display accuracy. In cases where the data type for an

analog value is not explicitly defined by the EtherCAT data type, this information has to be enetered

manually in the Field "Data Type".

Two trigger conditions can be defined for the analog channel.

5.3.2 Digital Channels

A digital channel is displayed as 0 or 1. Also a trigger condition can be entered.

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5.4 Channel Selection

Configured channels can be selected for logging and online view. Only the selected channels are

scaled and used for triggereing.

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5.5 Table View

The table view shows the selected channels and displays online values, if acquisition is started.

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5.6 Plot View

The plot view allows the display of a channel in a plot. The history to display in count of points can be

selected. The plot update can be deactivated can to have a snapshot of the channel data.

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5.7 Process Data

This displays the process data acquired from the EtherCAT system in bytes display.

5.8 Program Configuration

The program configuration can be opened from the runtime menu.

Here the network adapter can be selected.

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5.9 Project Configuration

This dialog can be accessed from the runtime menu. The project configuration contains the log file

settings as well as destination folder.

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6 Hardware Connection

This chapter gives information about the hardware options to acquire the EtherCAT data stream. This

is done by placing a network TAP (Test Access Point) into the EtherCAT topology.

6.1 Active Network TAP

An active network TAP copies the data stream to a monitor port, while the data passes through the

device. For a realtime Ethernet it is important to use a zero delay device to not disturb the master

cycle.

The EtherCAT Data Sniffer only reads the Rx line, so it is required that the network TAP does not

merge Rx and Tx lines on the monitor port.

A suited network TAP can be purchased with the software.

6.2 Passive Network TAP

A passive network TAP does not use active electronic to copy the data strream. This is a low cost

solution, which can introduce faults into the data stream.

6.3 Access Location

The data exchange with the slave devices is done on the Tx line. The EtherCAT Data Sniffer only reads

the Rx line with the returning packets. So the network TAP can be placed anywhere in the topology.

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7 EtherCAT Configuration

7.1 Cyclic Frame Configuration

The cyclic frames handle the process data of the slaves in an EtherCAT topology. A frame is sent on

the Tx line from the master and passes all slaves. input and output data is exchanged with the slaves

while the frame passes the slaves.

For better performance on the bus "LRW" Datagrams can be used. These datagrams basically hold

input and output information in one address space. The slave output data is taken from that address

space and the slave input data is written to that address space. This results in the problem, that

output data, which shares address space with input data, is not available on the Rx line. It can

therefore not be read by the EtherCAT Process Data Sniffer software. All output variables in LRW

datagrams which conflict with input variables are not listed in the channel selection.

The use of LRW datagrams can be configured in TwinCAT per slave. So if it is neccessary to read

inputs and outputs, the configuration of that slave hace to be changed to not use LRW datagrams.

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8 Licensing

The licensing is based on a USB dongle.

9 Support

For support contact:

Ackermann Automation GmbH

Kelsterbacher Strasse 15-19

60528 Frankfurt am Main

www.ackermann-automation.de

Tel.: +49(0)69-40562742

Fax: +49(0)69-40562816

info@ackermann-automation.de