API for ctrlX drive

[aFouraker]

Does the ctrlX drive have a REST-API that can be used to gather data? The use case would be, for example, to monitor the temperature of a drive with an edge device. In this way, a ctrlX core could be used to make requests through Node-Red to the ctrlX drive. 

[Jochen_Mueller]

Hello Alex

as far I know there is no rest API interface for the ctrlX DRIVE.

But if you use it under a ctrlX CORE I would advice to use the DriveConnect app. Here all drive parameters are mirrored into the datalyer which can be read via rest interface.

Regards

Jochen

[CodeShepherd · Accepted solution]

There is no REST API directly in the ctrlX DRIVE. But when using a ctrlX CORE you can read drive parameter via the REST API of the Data Layer.

1. Via the DRIVE Connect App:
   ctrlX CORE Data Layer drives
2. Via the EtherCat master:
   ctrlX CORE Data Layer device access

[aFouraker]

Is this true when the drives are not configured for EtherCAT? For example, when the drives on a system with a different master, say an XM with sercos, will drive connect find and expose the parameters?  

[CodeShepherd]

The Drive Connect App is a function of the ctrlX CORE. So it is not available on a XM controller.

[aFouraker]

Yes, that part is clear. The question was if another master control is connected to the drives, an XM using sercos for example, could the drive connect app on the ctrlX core be plugged into the backend of the network and still get access to the drives? 

I tested this in the meantime and the answer is yes, this is possible. 

[aFouraker]

To elaborate a little more, this is the setup that I was able to get working. The XM controls the real time fieldbus over sercos in a line topology. The ctrlX access the drives with the drive connect app over the NRT channel of sercos by plugging into the last port on the system. The primray purpose here is to get access to the drive data for systems that are not yet compatible with ctrlX. In this case, the ctrlX will gather and send/store data on some interval using node-red to make requests from the data layer.