- When should I choose EtherCAT over CANopen or Modbus?
- How do I add an EtherCAT drive to the master project, and what is the ESI file for?
- What are Distributed Clocks (DC), and when should I enable them?
- Which EtherCAT cycle time should I use?
- An EtherCAT slave stays in PRE-OP or SAFE-OP and will not go to OP. Why?
- I see working-counter errors and lost frames. Where do I start?
Skip to content
EtherCAT
CANopen
Modbus RTU
Pulse & direction control
Analog control
CODESYS
PLC and I/O
HMI and Panel PC
Servo commissioning & tuning
Servo alarms
Cables and EMC
Machine mechanics
System design
Start Product Selection
Filter, compare, add to basket
Engineering knowledge base
Frequently Asked Questions
The engineering questions asked most in the field, from EtherCAT and CANopen networks to pulse/direction and analog control, from CODESYS to servo alarms, alongside the catalogue, document and dealer answers.
- 68 engineering answers
- 13 topics
- Basics
- Commissioning
- Troubleshooting
Engineering topics
Every topic has a page of its own: the answer, a checklist and the next step.
- How does CANopen bit rate relate to bus length?
- How do I terminate a CANopen bus, and how do I measure that it is right?
- The CANopen drive communicates but the motor will not enable. What is missing?
- What is the difference between PDO and SDO, and which do I use for what?
- The CAN bus goes bus-off and shows error frames. What can cause it?
- How should I wire the RS-485 line for Modbus RTU?
- The Modbus value I read looks shifted by one address. Why?
- The Modbus slave does not answer at all. What should I check?
- Can I do synchronised multi-axis motion over Modbus RTU?
- What is pulse/direction control, and when is it the right choice?
- What is the difference between pulse+direction, CW/CCW and A/B phase modes?
- How do I calculate the electronic gear ratio?
- Should I use line-driver (differential) or open-collector pulse outputs?
- An axis driven by pulses slowly loses position. Why?
- The motor travels two or four times the distance, or turns the wrong way.
- What is analog speed/torque control, and when is it used?
- How do I scale the analog reference?
- At a 0 V command the motor slowly creeps. How do I fix it?
- If the position loop closes in an external controller, where does the encoder signal come from?
- Should I move from analog control to a fieldbus?
- Which SMB products are programmed with CODESYS?
- How do I add an EtherCAT servo axis in CODESYS, step by step?
- MC_Power, MC_Home, MC_MoveAbsolute: which motion blocks should I start with?
- In the CODESYS task configuration, which task should run at which cycle?
- CODESYS cannot find or connect to the controller. What should I do?
- My variables reset when power is lost. RETAIN or PERSISTENT?
- Which PLC should I choose for my machine?
- Which IEC 61131-3 language should I use: LD, ST, FBD or SFC?
- What is the difference between PNP and NPN sensors, and how do I wire them to a PLC input?
- Is a normal PLC input enough for an encoder or fast counting?
- The PLC stops with a watchdog error. What causes it?
- Should I choose a resistive or a capacitive touch screen?
- An HMI panel or a Panel PC?
- How do I design an HMI screen that operators do not get wrong?
- How do I connect the HMI panel to the PLC?
- In what order should I bring up a servo axis for the first time?
- How is auto-tuning done, and why does the inertia ratio matter?
- How do I tune the gains by hand?
- How do I choose a homing method?
- What is the difference between absolute and incremental encoders? What is BiSS?
- How do I set brake timing on a motor with a brake (vertical axis)?
- The drive trips on overcurrent as soon as it is enabled.
- I get a DC-bus overvoltage alarm while decelerating.
- I get encoder communication errors, sometimes at random.
- Why does a following-error (position deviation) alarm occur?
- The motor vibrates or whines at standstill or while moving.
- The motor runs hot or gives an overload alarm.
- I get an undervoltage alarm while accelerating.
- How should I route power and signal cables?
- How should I ground the cable shield?
- Which cable should I use on moving axes?
- What do an EMI filter and a line reactor do, and when do I need them?
- How long can the motor cable be?
- How do I choose between a ball screw, a belt and a rack and pinion?
- Should I use a gearbox, and how do I choose the ratio?
- Which coupling should I use between the motor and the shaft?
- What do I need to watch when designing a vertical axis?
- Low-voltage DC, 220 V AC or 380 V AC: which level should I choose?
- Which interface should I use between the controller and the drives?
- How do I know whether I need a braking resistor?
- What is STO, and can I use it instead of a contactor for the emergency stop?
- What should I watch when mounting servo drives in the cabinet?
Catalogue, documents and dealers
Catalogue and prices
Why are there no prices in the catalogue?
This catalogue does not publish prices. Most of these products are configured to the application, and the right figure depends on the drive, motor and cable set chosen and on the quantity. You add the products you are interested in to a quote list instead, and send them in one go.
Quote listHow do I ask for a quotation?
Collect as many products as you need with the "Add to Basket" button on each product page, then send the list from the contact form. The list fills the form in for you; you do not have to type the product codes.
ContactChoosing a product
Which drive and motor suit my application?
The selection guide lets you filter products by power, supply, feedback and communication. If you are not sure which of those belong together, the engineering guides walk through the same decision step by step.
Selection guideWhere do I start when choosing a CNC lathe?
The diameter and length of the part, and the bar capacity, are the first three measurements that decide the model. The turning sizer narrows the series down from those inputs.
Turning sizerDocuments and files
Where do I download manuals, datasheets and software?
From the document centre; each product page also lists the documents belonging to that product. When you are after one product's document, its own page is the shortest route.
Document centreDo you publish EtherCAT ESI and CANopen EDS files?
Our EtherCAT ESI files are published in the document centre and on the relevant product page. If the file for your product is not listed, write to us and we will send the version we hold. The Vendor ID under which we are registered for EtherCAT and CANopen is 0x00000B14; that is the identity we appear under in network configuration tools.
Document centreBecoming a dealer
How do I become a dealer?
You send your application from the dealer application page. Once it has been reviewed, the dealer channel is opened on your account.
Dealer applicationWhat does a dealer account give me?
A dealer account shows the catalogue at your own dealer prices, and lets you prepare and send order requests and follow your quotations, orders and invoices from one place.
Dealer panelAccount and personal data
Why do I need an account to send a request?
Requests come from a confirmed e-mail address, so that the reply can actually reach you and so the form cannot be used to send fake enquiries. Signing up happens once and collects the company and phone details the technical team needs in order to come back to you.
My accountHow is my personal data handled?
The KVKK disclosure text states which data is processed for which purpose, and what your rights are. You can ask for your data to be erased from your own account page.
KVKK disclosureCan I read the site in English?
Yes. The language button in the header switches the page between Turkish and English, and keeps you on the page you were reading.
HomeNothing matches that search. You can ask us directly.
Didn't find your answer?
Get in touch
Ask the engineering team
Describe your application and we will work out the right product with you.