Verified on the test bench — drives and I/O from different manufacturers
Axes, spindle and I/O coupler from different manufacturers work on one EtherCAT bus: we normalize CiA 402 profile dialects, and an axis knows the profile, not the brand.
EtherCAT CiA 402 drives from different manufacturers
The list of verified models is available on request.
Test bench measurements: the spindle at 0.1 rev/s for 2 s gave 0.200 revolutions; the I/O coupler has three 16-channel digital output modules and one 4-channel input module. All drives work via CiA 402 through one and the same axis profile; a new drive is added by its device description, and the machine and program never know the manufacturer's name. This is a test lab, not factory operation.
A follower drive from one manufacturer follows a leader from another
What was built
The leader axis is a servo drive from one manufacturer, the follower from another (both verified on the test bench). The link is a PLC program, not a drive setting.
Measurement
≤ 0.004 rev — follower-to-leader deviation bench measurement 20.08
Why it works
Both drives go through one CiA 402 axis profile: the program sees two axes, not two brands.
How the compatibility of your units is checked
- List of unitsDrives and I/O on an open industrial bus, for example EtherCAT with CiA 402.
- Bus and profileBus scan, transition to OP, drive mode, reaction to a break.
- SpecificationThe result of the check is recorded at the start of the implementation.
Test levels
Full cycle
The device is on the test bench bus: operational state (OP), object dictionary and motion for a drive; inputs and outputs for an I/O module. Measurements are in the row.
Per datasheet
The data are taken from the nameplate or the manufacturer’s datasheet; they were not measured separately on the bench.
Bus and object dictionary
For some drives the bus and the object dictionary were checked, but motion was not — the row says so. Motion of your drive is checked at the start of the implementation.
How a drive is checked at the start of the implementation
| Step | What is checked | Confirmed by |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bus scan | Device found, object dictionary readable | Device row on the bus and bus snapshot |
| 2. Operational state | Transition to OP | Device state on the bus |
| 3. CiA 402 path | Switch-on, enable operation, fault reset | Drive statusword |
| 4. Mode | Position or speed — by the role of the axis | Displayed operating mode |
| 5. Scale | Axis travel matches the setpoint | Travel measured by encoder |
| 6. Bus break | What the drive does without communication | Torque off or fault — measured |
| 7. Profile and run | The program axis moves on the drive | “Command versus actual” oscilloscope, run log |
The result of the check is recorded in the implementation specification; the drive behaviour — in the test report.
Profile objects an axis relies on
| CiA 402 object | Why |
|---|---|
| Controlword and statusword | Switch the drive on, enable operation, reset a fault; know which state it is in |
| Operating mode and its display | Set a position, speed or torque and make sure the drive is in that mode |
| Target position, speed, torque | Axis setpoint in the cycle |
| Actual position, speed, torque | Feedback to the screen and the line shadow |
| Following error, error code | Axis faults and what they mean |
| Homing method and speeds | Axis homing; with absolute encoders — no search |
The objects and units of a particular manufacturer are checked against the drive catalogue during commissioning. More on the profile — EtherCAT and CiA 402.
Questions about drive compatibility
Which models are verified?
The list of verified models with test levels is available on request.
Can drives from different manufacturers be mixed?
Yes: on the test bench, axes, spindle and I/O coupler from three manufacturers (all verified on the test bench) work on one bus. An axis knows the profile, not the brand.
What if my drive is not on the list?
A drive on an EtherCAT bus with the CiA 402 profile is checked by the steps above at the start of the implementation; if a separate work-out is needed, it is part of the research.
Discuss an implementation
Describe the unit or line — we will tell you what we will verify and in what time. Target indicators are fixed in the implementation specification.
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