Appendix
EL6692
138
Version: 3.2
EL6692
Hardware (HW)
Firmware (FW)
Revision no.
Release date
00
01
01/2008
00 - 01
02
07/2008
01
03
Prim.:
EL6692-0000-0016
Sec.: EL6692-0002-0017
02/2009
04
07/2009
02 - 16*
05
Prim.:
EL6692-0000-0016
Sec.: EL6692-0002-0018
09/2009
06
11/2009
07
05/2010
08
Prim.:
EL6692-0000-0017
10/2010
09
05/2012
Prim.:
EL6692-0000-0017
Sec.: EL6692-0002-0018
10/2012
10
Prim.:
EL6692-0000-0018
Sec.: EL6692-0002-0020
08/2013
11*
01/2014
*) This is the current compatible firmware/hardware version at the time of the preparing this documentation.
Check on the Beckhoff web page whether more up-to-date
6.5
Firmware Update EL/ES/EM/ELM/EPxxxx
This section describes the device update for Beckhoff EtherCAT slaves from the EL/ES, ELM, EM, EK and
EP series. A firmware update should only be carried out after consultation with Beckhoff support.
Storage locations
An EtherCAT slave stores operating data in up to 3 locations:
• Depending on functionality and performance EtherCAT slaves have one or several local controllers for
processing I/O data. The corresponding program is the so-called
firmware
in *.efw format.
• In some EtherCAT slaves the EtherCAT communication may also be integrated in these controllers. In
this case the controller is usually a so-called
FPGA
chip with *.rbf firmware.
• In addition, each EtherCAT slave has a memory chip, a so-called
ESI-EEPROM
, for storing its own
device description (ESI: EtherCAT Slave Information). On power-up this description is loaded and the
EtherCAT communication is set up accordingly. The device description is available from the download
area of the Beckhoff website at (
). All ESI files are accessible there as zip files.
Customers can access the data via the EtherCAT fieldbus and its communication mechanisms. Acyclic
mailbox communication or register access to the ESC is used for updating or reading of these data.
The TwinCAT System Manager offers mechanisms for programming all 3 parts with new data, if the slave is
set up for this purpose. Generally the slave does not check whether the new data are suitable, i.e. it may no
longer be able to operate if the data are unsuitable.
Simplified update by bundle firmware
The update using so-called
bundle firmware
is more convenient: in this case the controller firmware and the
ESI description are combined in a *.efw file; during the update both the firmware and the ESI are changed in
the terminal. For this to happen it is necessary
