When your Indramat drives mess up — and it doesn’t happen often — they give you an error code which you can then look up in a troubleshooting manual and address. There are two error codes that might be especially mystifying now:
- E296 Number of EcoX slaves incorrect
- E410 Slave not scanned, or address = 0
Indramat has not been in existence as a separate company for nearly a quarter of a century. They haven’t updated their manuals during that time, of course, so it can be confusing to see old-fashioned terminology like “slave.” We don’t use that expression for machinery any more because it reminds people of slavery, and nobody needs reminding of that barbaric custom when they’re trying to trouble shoot machinery.
What are slaves in this context?
Master-slave systems in Indramat drives are configurations where one drive (the master) controls the operation of multiple other drives (the slaves). This setup is commonly used in applications requiring synchronized motion, such as conveyor systems, packaging machines, and robotic systems.
- Master Drive: The master drive receives control commands from a higher-level control system (PLC, motion controller, etc.). It processes these commands and generates control signals for both itself and the slave drives.
- Slave Drives: Slave drives receive control signals from the master drive and execute them accordingly. They typically operate in a closed-loop control mode, using feedback from their own position or speed sensors to maintain precise synchronization with the master.
- Communication: The master and slave drives communicate via a communication bus, such as CANopen, EtherCAT, or ProfiNet. This bus allows for the exchange of control signals, status information, and error messages.
Common applications:
- Conveyor systems: Multiple motors are synchronized to maintain consistent product movement.
- Packaging machines: Precise coordination of multiple axes for product handling and packaging.
- Robotic systems: Synchronized motion of multiple joints for complex tasks.
- Machine tools: Coordinated movement of axes for machining operations.
Synchronized motion ensures precise coordination between multiple drives and simplifies control logic. Drives are still set up in this way, but are now more likely to be called “primary” and “secondary” drives rather than “master” and “slave.”
Understanding those error codes
Error Code E296: Number of EcoX slaves incorrect
In the context of Indramat drives, this error typically indicates a discrepancy between the expected number of connected drives (slaves) in your system and the actual number detected by the drive controller.
Possible Causes:
- Incorrect configuration: The drive controller is expecting a different number of drives than are physically connected.
- Drive failure: One or more drives might be faulty or offline.
- Communication issues: There could be problems with the communication bus between the drives.
Error Code E410: Slave not scanned, or address = 0
This error suggests that the Indramat drive controller cannot detect a specific drive (slave) on the system.
Possible Causes:
- Drive failure: The drive might be faulty or powered off.
- Incorrect address: The drive’s address might be set incorrectly or conflicting with another drive.
- Communication issues: There might be a problem with the communication bus or cable between the drive and the controller.
Troubleshooting Steps
- Check physical connections: Ensure all drives are securely connected and powered on.
- Verify drive addresses: Confirm that each drive has a unique address and there are no conflicts.
- Inspect communication bus: Check for any damage or loose connections in the communication cable.
- Review system configuration: Verify that the number of drives configured in the controller matches the actual number of connected drives.
- Check drive status: Monitor the status of each drive using the drive’s diagnostic tools.
- Consult Indramat documentation: Refer to the specific Indramat drive model’s user manual for detailed troubleshooting guidelines.
Need a manual?
When you need Indramat service or support, contact us immediately for assistance. We’ll get you up and running fast, limiting downtime and saving money in the long run.