Appendix
EL6731 173Version: 2.8
EL6731-0010
Hardware (HW) Firmware Revision no. Release date
05 - 07 04 EL6731-0010-0016 2008/05
05 2008/09
06 EL6731-0010-0017 2008/11
07 07 2008/12
08 - 20 08 2009/09
09 2010/10
EL6731-0010-0018 2012/10
EL6731-0010-0019 2013/11
10 EL6731-0010-0020 2014/07
21 - 26* 11 EL6731-0010-0021 2014/06
12 2014/10
13* 2018/07
*) 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 documentation is available.
7.3 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 (https://www.beckhoff.de). 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
• for the firmware to be in a packed format: recognizable by the file name, which also contains the
revision number, e.g. ELxxxx-xxxx_REV0016_SW01.efw
• for password=1 to be entered in the download dialog. If password=0 (default setting) only the firmware
update is carried out, without an ESI update.
• for the device to support this function. The function usually cannot be retrofitted; it is a component of
many new developments from year of manufacture 2016.
Following the update, its success should be verified
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