Compatibility issue between Labview and Beckhoff EL1252 digital input module

[astmt]

Hi I have connected a Beckhoff EL1252 digital input module as an EtherCAT slave to my system. My real time controller is a NI cRIO-9024 with a NI 9114 chassis connected to it. I have one NI 9402 digital I/O module sitting in this 9114 chassis.

I am running my Labview code in scan mode on the NI cRIO-9024. Basically the code is reading one digital input off of both the NI 9402 and EL1252 from the same signal generator and displaying it on a waveform chart.

I am able to add the Beckhoff EL1252 to my project with no problems, and also access it's input variables (just drag and drop into my labview code). Upon adding one of the input variables from the EL1252 and running my code, it doesn't read anything and also prevents the input node from the NI 9402 from reading in data.

As a test I ran the code without the variable from the EL1252 in my VI (so i was only reading input from the NI 9402) and it read and displayed the input with no problems. This is shown in screenshot 1. Screenshot 2 shows what happens when I run the VI with the variable from the EL1252 in my code, nothing happens (the input variable from the NI 9402 stops updating too) and upon pressing 'stop' I get the error: -2147138393.

Does anyone know what is going on here? Or has someone ran into the same problem before?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

astmt

[astmt]

Anyone know why this might be happening? I have attached a screenshot of the error dialogue.

I don't think it is a power or connective issue, all of my modules are powered up and connected to the cRIO. The Labview project explorer is also able to auto discover the module as well as its input nodes (represented as shared variables) so there is some communication between the two.

[Ryan-C]

Hi astmt,

First, I want to make sure that the EL1252 is actually working to begin with.  Can you verify that it was working as a module in any chassis prior to this setup, just to be sure?

Second, are you using a driver for this?  Did you get a driver from Beckhoff that is in LabVIEW to communicate to their module?

You can try to run the following code that programmatically detects all ethercat items attached you your cRIO: https://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-16612

I have seen some previous issues with this error and Beckhoff motors where the ultimate realization was that the Beckhoff hardware is simply not compatible.  Consider the above questions and suggestions, and maybe it would be a good idea eventually to give Backhoff a call, as it sunds like you are not the first to come across this problem.

Best,

[astmt]

Hi Ryan,

Thanks for the reply. I can't verify for sure if the EL1252 is working, but I have two of those modules both brand new from Beckhoff. It think there is a very slim chance that they are both defective. They both behave exactly the same when I try to access them from labview. I also power them up and input a signal from a signal generator and their input light begins to flash, indicating that they are receiving data.

The drivers I am using are from Beckhoff. I imported each device xml file like it says in this article http://www.ni.com/white-paper/10555/en. I have been able to get other Beckhoff modules easily working in this way. In the labview project explorer, the EL1252 as well as all other Beckhoff modules I am using are auto discovered just fine. I can drag and drop the network shared variables (digital I/O nodes) from the EL1252 into my labview code without any problems, wire them up, and run my code. But nothing happens, no input data is read from the EL1252 and upon stopping my code I receive the error previously mentioned.

The odd thing is that I can connect in this order: NI cRIO 9024, Beckhoff EK1100 bus coupler, EL1252 digital input, and EL2202 digital output. I am able to auto discover each module in labview and successfully output a signal through the EL2202 module even though it is the furthest down the network, but still no input from the EL1252 and the code returns the same error when I stop it. While my code is running I can right click on each device and check its online state, every module returns operational including the EL1252 as in the attached photo.

It may be that the EL1252 is just not compatible. I wonder if anyone else has had success with NI Labview and this Beckhoff EL1252 module?

I am also currently working with someone from Beckhoff to figure this out, but no solution has come up yet.

[DylanC]

Hi astmt,

I haven't found any information specifically to the EL1252 working/not working. I would assume that if the drivers have been correctly imported then it would work, as the EL2202. Has Beckhoff suggested anything to try or any differences between the EL1252 and EL2202 that would cause one to work and not the other? 

I have found some more information on the  -2147138393 error. You can see this error when the device is powered off but still connected as well. Try powering off the device and seeing if you get the same error. Here are the reasons for the errors and steps to reproduce which might prove useful:

User unplug the cable, slave knows the next connection is invalid and the packet won't transfer.

User power off slave, slave and master don't know whether the next connection exist or not and master will wait for timeout.

DylanC

[astmt]

Hi DylanC,

A representative from Beckhoff says there is no reason the EL1252 slave shouldn't work with an NI master. They suggested varying the sync manager watchdog settings.. I tried that and nothing changed.

I tried powering off the device and running the code as you suggested. The same error does appear! I also completely removed the EL1252 from the system before executing the code and I received the same error. Do you have any more info on how I might overcome this problem?

I will post any updates I receive from Beckhoff here as well.

Thanks

[DylanC]

Hi astmt,

What version of NI-Industrial Communications for EtherCAT are you using? The latest is found here.

http://joule.ni.com/nidu/cds/view/p/id/2902/lang/en

[astmt]

Hi DylanC,

I believe all of my software is up to date. I am using NI-Industrial Communications for EtherCAT version 2.3. I have attached a screenshot that shows all of my software versions.

Let me know if I can provide any more info.

Thanks