Can I use Labview to interface with a Beckhoff BK9000 module directly?

[redkyte510]

Hi,

I am looking to use a Beckhoff BK9000 module with a number of terminals attached for data aquisition purposes.  I cannot seem to get labview to recognise that it is connected to the computer via ethernet although I can ping the module in question.

Do I need to use Twincam to get this to work?  Or is there a way of getting it to work in Labview?

thanks in advance,

redkyte510

[NIquist]

I'm not familiar with that product but a quick search found an app note for interfacing to LabVIEW on their site: http://www.beckhoff.com/usa/default.htm?applicat/appnotes.htm

It's number 13, good luck.

[rolfk]

A possible approach to communicate directly to such a module is provided here. It implements the Beckhoff ADS protocol natively in LabVIEW. It's not trivial since it only really implements the ADS protocol. You still have to figure out which register addresses (IDs) to access for a specific function.

Another solution is to use the Modbus library since the Beckhoff controllers also implement a Modbus server. Again here you have to read in the manual what Modbus address maps to what Beckhoff register.

Then there is the Beckhoff ADS library either as DLL, ActiveX or .Net implementation. You can experiment with ActiveX or .Net yourself. Those libraries allow to access the Beckhoof registers directly too, but also provide some higher level functionality that makes everything a little easier.