Using ATOS Valves with EtherCAT

This procedure describes using ATOS EtherCAT servo proportional valves with the RMC200. This procedure was developed based on a DPZO-LES, series number 60, in 2024.

Quick Settings

To skip the detailed procedure, just use these settings:

Setting up the Valve

The ATOS valve can be controlled via an analog +/-10V input or via EtherCAT, and may support various control modes such as flow or pressure. The valve requires either configuration via the ATOS software, or via INIT commands in the RMCTools EtherCAT editor.

This document describes how to configure the valve for EtherCAT with the RMC200 without using the ATOS software. If you do wish to configure settings in the valve, use the ATOS configuration software and consult the ATOS documentation for details.

Setting up RMCTools

This procedure describes the most common scenario of setting up an EtherCAT ATOS valve controlling a hydraulic cylinder for position control or position-force control.

Install the ESI File

1. Apply for and create a My ATOS account. This is required to access the ESI file.

2. On the ATOS website, log into My ATOS. Browse to the EtherCAT configuration files. Click the link to download the ESI file to your PC.

   The ESI file is usually a .xml or .zip file. At the time of this writing, the file name for the servo proportional ATOS valve was Xml - EtherCAT.zip and was described as “XML - EtherCAT - EtherCAT configuration files”.

3. In RMCTools, on the Tools menu, choose EtherCAT ESI Manager.

4. Click Add File, browse to the file you saved and click Open.

5. After the file is added, it will appear in the ESI Files list. Close the EtherCAT ESI Manager.

Add the Valve to the EtherCAT Network

1. Physically connect all the devices to the RMC200 EtherCAT network with the proper cable.

2. If you have not yet configured the EtherCAT network:

   1. In the EtherCAT Editor, on the toolbar, click the Configure Using Network Scan button, and all the devices in the network will be added.

   Or, if you have already configured the EtherCAT network and are adding the device to the network:

   1. In the EtherCAT Editor, determine where you wish to add the valve to the network (it must match the physical configuration), then right-click a device and choose Add SubDevice After.

   2. In the SubDevices box, browse to the ATOS valve. It is likely in the PQ Closed Loop Driver folder. Choose it, then click OK.

   The ATOS valve should now appear in the EtherCAT Explorer.

Review the Valve PDO Mapping

The ATOS valve defaults to a PDO Mapping that works with the RMC. The ATOS PDO Mapping can be modified to include more or less data.

1. In the EtherCAT Editor, click the ATOS device.

2. On the PDO Mapping tab, expand the selected PDOs and review the data items. The Flow Reference is the object that the axis’ Control Output will be sent to.

   The Flow Actual is the spool position.

3. On the Process Data tab, you may wish to add the spool position feedback (Flow Actual) to the RMC’s EtherCAT I/O Data Map so that it can be accessed by plots for troubleshooting.

Create INIT Commands

These steps describe how to create the following INIT Commands:

1. In the EtherCAT Editor, click the ATOS device and choose the CoE Object Dictionary tab.

2. Select row 0x6042 Device_Mode.

3. At the bottom of the window, in the Value box, type 1 and click Write. This will not write to the valve, but rather will create an INIT command on the INIT Commands tab.

4. Repeat for Indexes 0x6043 and 0x604F, writing the values 2 and 0, respectively, as given in the table above.

5. On the INIT Commands tab, review the new INIT commands that were created at the bottom of the list.

Download the EtherCAT Configuration

1. Download the EtherCAT configuration to the RMC.

2. Use the EtherCAT diagnostics to verify that the valve enters Op mode. The Event Log also reports when the network reaches Op mode.

Define an Axis

1. In the RMCTools Project View, expand Axes, then double-click Axis Definitions.

2. Click New, choose Control Axis, then click Next.

3. Choose Local Control (PID in RMC), then click Next.

4. Choose the required number of loops and the feedback types, then click Next.

5. For Control Output, choose ECAT [slot 2] and Valve.

   For Position Input, if using an EtherCAT device, choose ECAT [slot 2] and Generic. Otherwise, choose the input module as required.

6. Click Finish, then OK. The RMC will restart.

Set the Axis Parameters

1. In the RMCTools Project View, expand Axes, then double-click Axis Tools.

2. In the Axis Parameters, on the Setup tab, set the following:

   • Output SubDevice: choose the Atos valve

   • Setpoint Index: 0x6300:01

   • Control Word Index: 0x6040:00

   • Status Word Index: 0x6041:00

   • Output Type: Counts Bi

   • Output at 100%: 16384

   • Output at 0%: 0

   • Output at 100%: -16384

   Note: If the Setpoint Index axis parameter does not exist, make sure that in the Axis Definitions, the Output is set to EtherCAT and Valve. A common mistake is to choose Drive or Generic instead of Valve.

3. Configure the axis feedback parameters as required for your axis type.

Verify that the Axis Moves

1. Enable the axis by sending the Enable/Disable Axis (97) command, the Enable Controller (7) command, or by entering Run mode. In the Axis Tools, in the Status Registers, the Valve State should be Active.

2. Use the Direct Output (9) command to move the axis.

3. When a positive output signal is given to the valve, the position units should increase. If not, check the Invert Output Polarity axis parameter, then ensure a positive signal causes the position units to increase.

Scale and Offset and Tuning

1. In the Axis Parameters, set the Position and Negative Travel limits.

2. Set the feedback Scale and Offset parameters as usual.

3. Tune the axis as usual.

Explicit device identification (Optional)

The ATOS valve supports explicit device identification using the Station Alias method.

To enable Identification Checking:

1. In the EtherCAT Editor, select the ATOS device.

2. On the Advanced Options tab, in the Identification Checking section, check the Check Identification box. The Select Local Address should be 0x0012, which indicates that the ID value is stored in the EtherCAT Slave Controller register 0x0012 in the valve.

   Now you have enabled identification checking.

3. Next, you will configure the RMC to expect the valve to have a certain ID value:

   1. In the box below Check Identification, enter an identification number. This can be any whole number you choose, up to 65,536. Good practice is to make sure the number is different from other SubDevices on the network.

      Now you have configured the RMC to expect this ID value in the ATOS valve.

4. Next, you will write the same ID value to the valve itself:

   1. Click Write to EEPROM.

      If a confirmation window appears stating “Writing EEPROM value successful. Power cycle required to apply changes.”, then the write succeeded.

      If there was no confirmation of success, or if the Write to EEPROM button is grayed out*, do the following:

   1. Open the EtherCAT Diagnostics, choose the ATOS valve, and select the EEPROM tab.

   2. Click the Load button, which will put the valve in INIT mode and load the EEPROM contents.

   3. In the EEPROM Values box, select row 0x0004, Configured Station Alias.

   4. Below the EEPROM Values box, in the Edit EEPROM Value box, enter the desired ID value (same as you entered on the Advanced tab).

   5. Click Write.

      * The Write to EEPROM button is functional only if the SubDevice was added to the network using Configure Using Network Scan. The button is not functional for SubDevices added manually in the EtherCAT Explorer, or added via the Edit Topology dialog.

5. Cycle power to apply the EEPROM value:

   1. Remove power from the sensor, then apply power again.

   2. Wait a few seconds for the valve to restart. If the network does not enter Op mode, you may need to restart the network again.

6. Verify that the identification value was applied to the valve:

   1. In the EtherCAT Diagnostics, on the ESC Register tab, locate Index 0x0012, Configured Station Alias.

   2. Make sure the Value is the same as the ID you applied.

7. Download the EtherCAT Configuration to the RMC and update Flash.

8. Restart the EtherCAT network.

9. In the EtherCAT Diagnostics, in the toolbar, click the EtherCAT Network Mismatch Analyzer button.

   For the ATOS valve, locate the Config Device ID (the ID that the RMC expects) and the Network Device ID (the ID in the valve). These values should match.

See Also

Using Valves with EtherCAT | EtherCAT Overview

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