Interface LinMot C1250-MI-XC-1S Drive with ctrlX CORE via EtherCAT

Introduction Prerequisites Used Hardware Versions Used and Required Software Documentation EtherCAT Setup Motion Setup (Axis profiles)Motion Setup (Axes)PLC Setup Advanced: Adding additional parameters or variables to the real-time PDO Advanced: Logging into the Drive via EoE Contact Related Links

Introduction

This how-to guide explains how to interface a LinMot DS402 drive with a ctrlX CORE via EtherCAT and use it as a Motion axis.

LinMot & MagSpring

We develop, build and sell high-quality linear motors, linear rotary motors, linear modules and linear systems for use in industrial automation. The customer receives everything for linear motion from a single source. NTI AG was founded in 1993 as an independent business unit of the Sulzer Group and has been an independent company since 2000. NTI AG is headquartered in Spreitenbach near Zurich, Switzerland. As an international, innovative company with an experienced customer service, sales and support network with over 150 locations worldwide, we are always a competent and reliable partner for the realization of linear and rotary motion.

Prerequisites

Used Hardware

ctrlX CORE X*-Serie
LinMot CoE / DS402 Drive(e.g. C1250-MI-XC-1S-000 )
LinMot PS01-37... Stator
LinMot PL01-20... Runner

Versions Used and Required Software

ctrlX PLC Engineering v3.6.2+
ctrlX I/O Engineering v3.6.2+
LinMot-Talk 6.14 Drive Configuration Software -> Download
ctrlX Apps from ctrlX OS Store
- ctrlX OS - EtherCAT Master v3.6.0+
- ctrlX OS - Motion v3.6.1+
- ctrlX OS - PLC v3.6.2+
Drive XML File (latest version included in LinMot-Talk), used version in this How-to:
NTIL_CiA402_Servos_MI_V1_0r3.xml
476.08KB
Motor homing mode setup within the LinMot Drive > YouTube Motor Wizard Tutorial
Example project I/O:
IO_LinMot_20250922.project
347.36KB
Example project PLC:
PLC_LinMot_v1_20250922.project
339.97KB

Documentation

EtherCAT Setup

Open the Web-Interface of the ctrlX CORE and navigate to the EtherCAT App. There, click on the I/O Engineering icon.
Fig. 2.: Open ctrlX I/O Engineering in the Web-Interface
In the ctrlX I/O Engineering tool, make sure you are connected to the ctrlX OS device.
Fig. 3.: Connecting the ctrlX CORE in the I/O Engineering Tool
Right-click the EtherCAT master and “Scan for Devices”.
Fig. 4.: Scan for Devices Connected with the ctrlX CORE
If the XML (ESI) file is not installed, the drive will appear as shown below. Simply click “Install device descriptions” and select the XML file for the drive in use.
Default XML location when LinMot-Talk is installed:
C:\Program Files (x86)\LinMot\LinMot-Talk 6.xx Build xxxxxxxx\Firmware\Interfaces\EtherCat_NX\XML
Fig. 5.: Loading an XML File in I/O Engineering

After that, the drive is shown and can be added to the project and the wizard closed with “OK”.
Fig. 6.: Adding the Devices in I/O Engineering

To transfer the configuration to the ctrlX CORE, first establish an online connection, then click the “Download” button to send the configuration to the device.
Fig. 7.: Sending the configuration to ctrlX CORE

In the ctrlX OS Web-Interface, the EtherCAT Master should now be in operational with all slaves.
Fig. 8.: Web-Interface EtherCAT Master in operational mode

Motion Setup (Axis profiles)

Navigate to Motion > Axis Profiles and click “Add axis profile”.
Fig. 9.: Adding the axis Profile
Assign a “Axis profile name” and the “Field bus device”.
Fig. 10.: Assigning the Axis profile name and Fieldbus Device
Set the scaling parameters for the LinMot linear motor and click “Save”.
Type: Linear
Resolution: 10'000
Numerator: 1
Denominator: 1
Fig. 11.: Setting the scaling parameters of the Axis Profile
Hint: For a LinMot PR0x rotary motor the Scaling must be set as shown below.
Type: Rotary
Resolution: 360'000
Numerator: 360
Denominator: 360

Motion Setup (Axes)

Navigate to Motion > Axes and click “Add axes”.
Fig. 12.: Click on Add axes
Keep the drive Type set to “Virtual”, assign a name to the axis, and confirm by clicking “Add”.
Fig. 13.: Assign an name to the axis
Set the “connection to physical drive” by selecting the profile defined before.
Set the limits and units according to your application needs.
Fig. 14.: Setting the Connection to physical drive
Make sure the system is set to Running mode instead of Configuration. Afterwards, navigate to the Commissioning tab, choose the desired axis, and activate it — but only if it is safe to do so.
Fig. 15.: Axes in Running mode
The basic configuration steps are now complete. You can proceed to operate the motor using the available control functions.

PLC Setup

To control the motor via the PLC, you can use the available templates as a starting point.

Open the “PLC Engineering” tool from the Web-Interface.
Fig. 16.: Opening the PLC Engineering tool in the Web-Interface
Create a new project by using the “ctrlX OS ARM64 project” template.
Fig. 17.: Creating an new ctrlX OS ARM64 project
Go to Device > Communication and select your “ctrlX OS device”.
Fig. 18.: Connecting the PLC with the ctrlX CORE
Right-click on “Application” and select “Insert templates...”.
Fig. 19.: Inserting an template in PLC Engineering
Select all “Check Functions” and the “AxisInterface” and click “Insert”.
Fig. 20.: Selecting all Check Functions and the AxisInterface
Log in to the PLC and open the “OverviewAxes” visualization. You should now be able to control the axis from there.
Fig. 21.: Overview of the Axes in PLC Engineering

Advanced: Adding additional parameters or variables to the real-time PDO

You can add any LinMot drive parameter/variable to the real-time PDO. In this example, we add the drive Error Code, so that it can be logged in the Logbook.

Open ctrlX I/O Engineering, navigate to the LinMot drive, and select “Expert settings”.
Fig. 22.: Selecting the Expert Settings in the LinMot drive C1250_MDS_XC_1S

Move to the “Expert Process Data” tab activate Input PDO 16#1A30, select it from the PDO List and right-click > Insert at Offset 0.0 .Choose the Error code and click “OK”.
Fig. 23.: Adding the Error Code in User Defined Inputs

“Download” the config into the ctrlX CORE.
Fig. 24.: Select EtherCatMaster and download the configuration to ctrlX CORE
On the ctrlX-OS Web-Interface go to Motion > Axis Profiles and edit the profile. In the tab Variables click on “Add”.
Fig. 25.: Adding Variables in the Axis Profile pLinMot

Select “diagcode” and the Device variable we have just created.
Fig. 26.: Select diagcode and the User_Defined_Inputs.Error_code
You can add any UPID (LinMot drive parameter ID). To do so check the UPID in the LinMot-Talk software and add it to the “User Defined Inputs” or “User Defined Outputs” PDO.

For example, the variable “Min. Motor Temperature Reserve” with UPID 16#1C00 can be added. The UPID, data type, and parameter displayed in LinMot-Talk.
To enable continuous monitoring, activate the cyclic reading of the variables.
Fig. 27.: Activate the cyclic reading of Variables per example "Min. Motor Temperature Reserve"

This UPID can be added to the PDO in the same way as the Error Code was added previously. Click “OK”, and download the configuration into the PLC.
Fig. 28.: Add the "Min. Motor Temperature Reserve" as an User Defined Input

The actual value of this variable is now available in the axis profiles.
Fig. 29.: Adding the Variable "User_Defined_Inputs.Min_Temp_Reserve" to the Axis as the "user-pdo-input 1"

Advanced: Logging into the Drive via EoE

LinMot drives like the C1250-MI support EoE. Therefore, it is possible to log into the drive's web interface by using its EoE IP address.

Ensure the following settings are enabled:
- “Enable IP forwarding” and “Use external Settings” on eoe0
- “Enable IP forwarding” on all EtherCAT devices in use
Fig. 30.: "Enable IP forwarding" and "Use external Settings" in eoeO
The EoE IP addresses of the EtherCAT devices can be viewed in the EtherCAT Master “EoE” interface.
Fig. 31.: Finding the EoE IP adress of the Drive in the EtherCAT Master
To access the EtherCAT devices from your PC, you need to add a route to the ctrlX CORE.
Example:
- ctrlX CORE IP: 10.3.12.198
- EtherCAT Master IP: 172.31.254.254
Open a Commando Prompt or Windows PowerShell with administrator privileges and enter:
```
route add 172.31.254.0 MASK 255.255.255.0 10.3.12.198
```
Once the route is added, the system should respond with “OK” to indicate that the command was executed successfully.
Fig. 32.: Indication of an successful execution of the route adding
Open LinMot-Talk, go to File > Login, select Ethernet, and enter the EoE IP address of the LinMot drive.
Fig. 33.: Login Details for connecting the LinMot drive with LinMot-Talk