Troubleshooting EtherCAT Slave Detection Failures After ADK Suite Upgrade – Fernando Rodriguez

After upgrading to a new version of the SPiiPlus ADK Suite, some users report that one or more EtherCAT slave devices are no longer detected during network initialisation. This article describes the most common causes of this issue and provides a step-by-step resolution guide.

This issue is most frequently reported after major ADK Suite version upgrades (e.g., v4.00 → v4.10) and typically affects controllers in the SPiiPlus EC, MC, and UDM series.

⚠️ Do not attempt to run machine motion if EtherCAT slaves are not fully detected. Operating with an incomplete network configuration may result in unexpected axis behaviour or safety faults.

Symptoms

You may be experiencing this issue if you observe one or more of the following:

The EtherCAT network scan in MMI Application Studio shows fewer slaves than expected
One or more axes appear as "Disabled" or "Not Found" in the axis status panel after upgrade
The controller throws a network initialisation fault (error codes: #5001, #5003, or #5010) on startup
Previously working ACSPL+ programs fail at the ENABLE command with a communications timeout
The EtherCAT state machine does not progress beyond Pre-Operational (Pre-Op) state for affected slaves

Common Causes

Cause	Description
Outdated ESI file	The EtherCAT Slave Information (ESI) file for the slave device does not match the firmware version installed
ESI file not re-imported	A new ADK Suite version requires re-importing ESI files into the MMI Application Studio slave library
Firmware mismatch	The slave device firmware version is incompatible with the new ADK Suite EtherCAT master stack
Stale network configuration file	The saved `.ecs` network configuration file references parameters deprecated in the new ADK version
Windows driver conflict	On some systems, the updated ADK Suite network adapter driver may conflict with a previously installed version

Resolution Steps

Work through the following steps in order. Most cases are resolved at Step 1 or Step 2.

✅ Step 1 — Re-import the Correct ESI File

The most common cause of slave detection failure after an upgrade is an outdated or missing ESI file.

Log in to the ACS Motion Control Resource Library at acsmotioncontrol.com/resources
Search for your slave device model (e.g., IDM, UDM, MDMst) and filter by Software Files
Download the latest ESI file (.xml format) that corresponds to your current slave firmware version
Open MMI Application Studio
Navigate to: Tools → EtherCAT Network Editor → Slave Library → Import ESI File
Import the downloaded ESI file and confirm it appears in the slave library
Re-run the EtherCAT Network Scan (Network Editor → Scan Network)
Verify all expected slaves are now detected and transition to Safe-Op or Op state

💡 Tip: If you are unsure which ESI file version to use, match the ESI file version number to the firmware version shown on the slave device's label or in the drive's diagnostic output.

✅ Step 2 — Rebuild the Network Configuration File

If slaves are still not detected after Step 1, the saved network configuration may contain deprecated parameters.

In MMI Application Studio, open the EtherCAT Network Editor
Delete the existing network configuration (do not apply it to the controller)
Run a fresh Network Scan to auto-discover all connected slaves
Verify all slaves appear with correct device names and axis assignments
Save the new configuration as a new .ecs file with a version-specific filename (e.g., MachineName_ADKv410.ecs)
Apply the configuration to the controller and cycle power

⚠️ Important: Do not overwrite your previous .ecs file until the new configuration is verified working. Retain the old file for rollback purposes.

✅ Step 3 — Check and Update Slave Firmware

If the issue persists, verify that the slave device firmware is compatible with the ADK Suite version installed.

In MMI Application Studio, navigate to Axis Properties → Drive Information for the affected axis
Note the Firmware Version displayed
Cross-reference with the ADK Suite v4.x Compatibility Matrix available in the Resource Library under: ADK Suite → Release Notes → Firmware Compatibility Table
If the slave firmware is below the minimum required version, update it using the Firmware Update Wizard: Tools → Drive Maintenance → Firmware Update
After update, power-cycle the slave and re-run the network scan

⚠️ Caution: Firmware updates are irreversible. Ensure you are using the correct firmware file for your exact drive model and power configuration (voltage / current rating). Incorrect firmware may render the drive inoperable.

✅ Step 4 — Reinstall ADK Suite Network Adapter Driver (Windows)

If the issue occurs only on a specific PC and not on others, a Windows driver conflict may be responsible.

Open Windows Device Manager
Expand Network Adapters and locate the ACS EtherCAT Master Adapter
Right-click → Uninstall Device (check "Delete the driver software for this device")
Open the ADK Suite installation directory (default: C:\ACS\ADKSuite\Drivers)
Run EthercatMasterSetup.exe as Administrator to reinstall the driver
Restart the PC and re-launch MMI Application Studio
Re-run the EtherCAT network scan

✅ Step 5 — Collect Diagnostics and Contact Support

If none of the above steps resolve the issue, collect the following information before contacting ACS Technical Support:

ADK Suite version installed (Help → About in MMI Application Studio)
Controller model and serial number (label on unit or System Properties panel)
Slave device model(s) and firmware version(s)
Full error log from MMI Application Studio (File → Export Log)
Controller diagnostic file (Tools → Diagnostics → Export Controller State)
Screenshot of the EtherCAT Network Editor showing the detected (and missing) slaves
Operating system version and PC hardware details