Perfect Integration: Connecting NI Systems to BECKHOFF EtherCAT Slaves

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Application Description: In common measurement and control systems, if an NI control system is used as the master, you can connect Beckhoff's EtherCAT Coupler (e.g., EK1100) and Beckhoff's I/O modules (e.g., EL1008, EL2008, EL3058, EL4024, etc.) to the NI control system.


Step 1: Locate the ESI File


First, locate the EtherCAT terminal module device description file (EtherCAT XML Device Description (ESI)). There are three ways to obtain the ESI file:


  1. After installing TwinCAT2, find the corresponding .xml file in the directory ...\TwinCAT\Io\EtherCAT.
  2. After installing TwinCAT3, find the corresponding .xml file in the directory ...\TwinCAT\3.1\Config\Io\EtherCAT.
  3. Download the corresponding ESI file from http://www.beckhoff.com/english.asp?download/elconfg.htm?id=1983920606140.




Step 2: Configure the EtherCAT Master and Import the ESI File

  1. In the NI system, configure the EtherCAT interface.

  1. Select the EtherCAT master port.



  1. Right-click on the EtherCAT Master, then choose Utilities»Import Device Profiles to import the ESI file into the NI system.

Step 3: Configure the EtherCAT Slave

After adding the XML (ESI) file, you can configure your project:

  1. Right-click on EtherCAT master»New Target or Device.
  2. In the pop-up window, select EtherCAT Slave Device»Beckhoff Automation GmbH»EK1100 EtherCAT Coupler (or similar options).


  1. After adding the Coupler, repeat the steps above, this time clicking on the Coupler in your LabVIEW project, and select your I/O devices as shown in the following image.

The I/O items should now appear under the device. You can now use them in your real-time VI.