Configure NI Ethernet Interface Device as an EtherCAT Master

This article explains how to configure an NI Ethernet Interface device as an EtherCAT master. Find see below for the Hardware (NI and Third Party) and Software requirements.

Hardware 

NI Hardware

The four NI Ethernet interfaces that are supported by the NI-Industrial Communications for EtherCAT are the following: 

• NI PCIe-8231
• NI PCI-8232
• NI PCIe-8233
• NI PCIe-8235 

Third-Party Hardware 

• The desktop PC used as the EtherCAT master must have a real-time operating system installed 
• The desktop PC used as the EtherCAT master must have a supported processor chipset, Ethernet adapter chipset, hard drive format, RAM, and motherboard
• To test compatibility, you can use the NI Real-Time Module USB Utility to verify desktop PC compatibility with LabVIEW Real-Time

Software: 

Development PC

You will need to install the following software requirements for the development computer: 

Software	Version for LabVIEW Real-Time Only	Version for LabVIEW Real-Time and LabVIEW FPGA
LabVIEW	8.6 or later	2009 for later
LabVIEW Real-Time Module	8.6 or later	2009 or later
LabVIEW FPGA Module	-	2009 or later
NI-RIO Driver	3.0.1 or later	3.2 or later
NI-Industrial Communications for EtherCAT	1.0 or later	1.1 or later

Make sure the software is also compatible with your development PC OS by checking the relevant software's readme. 

 

Real-Time Desktop PC

You will need to install NI LabVIEW Real-Time Debug/Deploy License for Desktop PCs for every PC target for which you want to install a real-time operating system: 

Adding and Configuring the EtherCAT Master in LabVIEW

1. ​Create a desktop real-time system. 
2. Add the desktop real-time system as a new target in the LabVIEW Project
   1. Right-click Project >> New >> Targets and Devices

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3. In the Add Targets and Devices dialog window, select Existing target or device and expand Real-Time Desktop under the Targets and Devices list. Expand the EtherCAT Master Device category to auto-discover the EtherCAT port. 

 

4. Select the available EtherCAT master port and click OK. 

For more details, please refer to Setting Up EtherCAT on NI Programmable Controllers.