LabVIEW Interface for third party EtherCAT slaves

[rosh]

I have a third party EtherCAT hardware (slave) and software. I am using and industrial PC with Intel PRO network card as the EtherCAT master. This setup works fine, and I can talk to the EtherCAT modules using the thirdparty software. 

Now, I would like to develop a LabVIEW interface to talk to the EtherCAT slaves for testing purposes, since most of my test programs are written in LabVIEW.

Is it possible to write EtherCAT software in standard LabVIEW 2013 using an inustrial PC as Master?

If I use the DLL of the third party software, do I need LabVIEW Real Time module for etherCAT communication?

-Thanks

[Matthew-B]

Hi rosh,

I think it will depend on how the DLLs are designed. If you call the DLL at the right rates, you may be able to avoid using LabVIEW Real-Time. If you want to run LabVIEW Real-Time on your PC, you would need to replace the existing OS with LabVIEW Real-Time. Once you do that, you may be able to run your existing DLLs but compatibility is not guaranteed. This KnowledgeBase article describes the process of determining if your DLL is compatible with LabVIEW Real-Time (NI PharLap ETS is what installs when you replace the OS). For our other Real-Time operating systems on different targets, you would need access to the original source code so you could recompile for the new target.

Best Regards,

[Jesse_D]

Hi Rosh, 

I would just use the NI Ethercat driver, it supports third party slave and will save you the hassle of wrapping another dll. 

[rosh]

Thanks Jesse. Do I need LabVIEW RT to use the NI Ethercat driver? Currently I am using LabVIEW 2013.

[Jesse_D]

Hi rosh, 

You will need an RT desktop, cRIO or PXI and  LV RT. 

[K.Ross]

Hey Jesse_D

How did you get on with using LabVIEW RT as EtherCAT master to a thrid party slave?

Would be good to hear back as I am working on a similar project and having some issues 

Thanks

KR

[Aix-La-Chapelle]

Hi K.Ross,

In order to use the NI-Industrial Communications for EtherCAT driver you must have a device that is compatible with the driver. You find a list of devices that you can use here.  Can you explain the issues that you are experiencing?

[K.Ross]

Hi Matt S, 

I wrote this post on the forum before I got help from NI (Your self and the UK branch). 

Just to complete the thread the issue turned out there was a problem with the xml the revision version in the xml did not match the slave. Would be good if there were some NI EtherCAT debug tools that allowed me to intergeate the slave as this is how NI where able to solve the issue, and spot this mistake.

Many thanks for all your help with the project, you and your team have done a fantastic job. 

Kev