Lenze Engineering Online access with EtherCAT EoE to Endpoint function (TwinCAT)

Question:

Is there a standardised EtherCAT function to route through a controller with an 3th party engineering tool?

Answer:

The Beckhoff Controller system supports two communication interfaces for 3th party Engineering Tools

1. Beckhoff ADS communication

This is a Beckhoff specific proprietary communication protocol.
Beckhoff uses it for their controller system and the TwinCAT software.
The Lenze "Easy Starter" supports this protocol with the communication path setting "Ethernet - EtherCAT via Beckhoff controller"

2. EtherCAT " EoE to Endpoint" communication

This is a standardized EtherCAT communication protocol, tunnelling Ethernet communication via the EtherCAT mailbox to the field devices.
Different controls supplier (Beckhoff, Bachmann, … ) are supporting this in their control equipment to allow various 3^rd party supplier to access their components on the EtherCAT with their own PC-Tools.
In practice the controls supplier has implemented an ip routing from the physical Ethernet port to the virtual Ethernet port of the EtherCAT master in their controller.
The Lenze "Easy Starter" supports this tunnelling with the communication path setting "Ethernet"

This articles describes the option 2 in practice with a Beckoff controller.

Further information on project planning for ADS communication can be found here: ADS