TwinCAT control of CNC machine over CoE

Fast paced development of industrial technologies, particularly NC and CNC machines, has created many modern technologies like TwinCAT control systems and EtherCAT communication field bus. However, there is an increasing gap between these new technologies and older NC machines that are not compatible with them. In order to be able to control older CNC machines using TwinCAT that can operate only on CAN bus, it is necessary to bridge two different communication technologies. This paper aims to propose and verify such a solution on a cutting table equipped with older axis drives, which has to be automated using the G code interpreter within the TwinCAT system. This solution consists of configuring the communication to be able to exchange process data between TwinCAT and axis drives via CoE (CANopen over EtherCAT), as well as creating and applying the concept of axis control via TwinCAT. Finally, the solution is verified on specific G code trajectories.