Introduction
In the field of modern industrial automation, servo drives serve as the core component for precision motion control, widely used in semiconductor manufacturing, machine tool processing, food packaging, and robotics. Inovance’s IS620P series servo drives, characterized by high performance, small-to-medium power design (100W~7.5kW), and support for multiple communication protocols (such as Modbus, CANopen, and CANlink), have become a preferred choice for many automation systems. However, faults are inevitable in practical applications. Among them, the Er.d04 fault, a typical issue related to CANopen communication, often causes system downtime and affects production efficiency. This article provides a technical analysis of the causes, diagnostic procedures, and solutions for the Er.d04 fault to help engineers troubleshoot and optimize systems quickly. Based on Inovance’s official manuals and industry practices, this article offers original technical guidance aimed at improving the reliability and maintenance efficiency of servo systems.

Overview of the IS620P Series Servo Drives
The Inovance IS620P series servo drives are AC servo products designed for high-precision position, speed, and torque control requirements. This series supports networked operation of multiple drives, achieving synchronous control via the CANopen protocol, and is suitable for automation scenarios requiring fast response, such as PCB drilling machines and conveyor machinery. The drives are equipped with rigidity table settings, inertia identification, and vibration suppression functions. Paired with MS1/ISMH series servo motors (equipped with 20-bit or 23-bit multi-turn absolute encoders), they enable quiet, stable operation and precise positioning.
From a hardware perspective, the IS620P drive includes main circuit power inputs (R, S, T), control circuit power (L1C, L2C), motor connections (U, V, W), and communication interfaces (CN3, CN4 for CANopen). Its certifications comply with CE standards, including the EMC Directive (EN 61800-3) and the LVD Directive (EN 61800-5-1), ensuring electromagnetic compatibility in industrial environments. The drive’s faults are displayed via the LED digital tube on the operation panel; Er.d04 is a communication-related fault, specifically referring to “Node Guarding or Heartbeat Timeout.”
The version update records of this series show that since 2020, parameter settings and fault handling logic have been continuously optimized. For example, the C04 version in 2022 modified the H01-02 parameter settings to improve communication stability. This makes the IS620P more robust in handling network timeouts, but users still need to pay attention to configuration details.
Fundamentals of the CANopen Communication Protocol
CANopen is an application layer protocol based on the CAN bus, standardized by the CiA (CAN in Automation) organization, and is widely used in industrial automation networks. The IS620P drive supports the CANopen protocol, realizing master-slave communication through NMT (Network Management), PDO (Process Data Object), and SDO (Service Data Object).
- NMT Mechanism: Manages network states, including Initialization, Pre-operational, Operational, and Stopped. Er.d04 is often related to NMT state transitions.
- Heartbeat Mechanism: Slave stations periodically send heartbeat messages, which are monitored by the master station as a consumer. If a slave’s heartbeat times out, the master triggers an alarm.
- Node Guarding: The master polls the slave stations’ status, and the slaves respond to confirm they are online.
In the IS620P, CANopen configuration parameters include H0C-08 (Baud Rate), H0C-00 (Node ID), and 0x1017 (Heartbeat Producer Time). The protocol model is shown in the figure:
Heartbeat timeouts are usually determined by the Consumer Time or Guard Time. If the slave station fails to respond within the specified time, an Er.d04 fault is triggered. Understanding these basics helps diagnose communication issues.

Definition and Trigger Conditions of Er.d04 Fault
According to the Inovance “IS620P Series Servo Design, Maintenance, and User Manual,” the Er.d04 fault is defined as “Node Guarding or Heartbeat Timeout.” Specifically, it occurs when the slave station (IS620P drive) reaches the consumer configuration time or the node guard time expires, leading to a communication interruption. This fault belongs to CANopen-related errors. The panel displays “Er.d04,” and the internal fault code H0B-45 may record additional details.
Trigger conditions include:
- The master station does not receive a heartbeat message from the slave exceeding the set threshold (usually 1.5 times the heartbeat producer time).
- Network nodes drop offline or configurations are inconsistent, causing abnormal NMT status.
- When the motor is enabled, an initialization or stop command is received, but communication is not restored.
Distinction from other faults: Er.d03 is “CAN Communication Interrupted” (excessive errors), and Er.d05 is “NMT transitions to Initialization when enabled.” Er.d04 focuses more on the timeout mechanism and is common in multi-axis synchronous systems.
Root Cause Analysis
The root causes of Er.d04 faults are mostly communication link issues. Based on manuals and field experience, they are categorized as follows:
- Configuration Parameter Errors:
- Improper settings for Heartbeat Producer Time (0x1017) or Guard Time (0x100C). If the guard time is too short while network latency is high, frequent timeouts will occur.
- Node ID conflict or baud rate mismatch (H0C-08). For example, if the master is set to 500kbps and the slave to 250kbps, data frames will be lost.
- Network Connection Issues:
- CAN bus cable damage, poor contact, or missing termination resistors. The standard requires 120Ω resistors at both ends; missing resistors cause reflection interference.
- Node dropout: A slave station’s power failure or disconnection affects the entire network’s heartbeat monitoring.
- Hardware Faults:
- Damage to the drive’s CAN interface chip, or signal distortion caused by external interference (e.g., electromagnetic noise).
- Power supply fluctuations affecting the stability of the communication module.
- Software and System Factors:
- The host computer (e.g., PLC) synchronization cycle error is too large (related to Er.d11, but can induce d04).
- PDO mapping length error (Er.d08), indirectly affecting heartbeat response.
Statistics show that 80% of Er.d04 faults stem from configuration and connection issues. Detailed cause table:
| Cause Category | Specific Issue | Probability Estimate | Impact Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration Error | Heartbeat Time Mismatch | 40% | Slave cannot respond to master queries in time |
| Connection Issue | Loose Cable or No Termination Resistor | 30% | Data frame errors accumulate causing timeout |
| Hardware Fault | Interface Damage | 15% | Unable to send/receive heartbeat messages |
| Software Factor | Host Computer Cycle Abnormality | 15% | Overall network instability |
Diagnostic Steps
Diagnosing Er.d04 requires a systematic approach, combining manual tools (such as InoTouch software) and instruments. The steps are as follows:
- Initial Check of Display and Logs:
- Check the panel for Er.d04 and the internal code H0B-45 to confirm if it is a heartbeat or guard timeout.
- Use InoTouch to connect to the drive and read the fault history (H0A group parameters).
- Verify Configuration:
- Check H0C-00 (Node ID), H0C-08 (Baud Rate), and 0x1017 (Heartbeat Time). Ensure consistency with the master station.
- Monitor 0x1016 (Consumer Heartbeat Time) to verify if the threshold is exceeded.
- Physical Network Inspection:
- Use a multimeter to measure the resistance between CAN_H and CAN_L (should be 60Ω, indicating two 120Ω resistors in parallel).
- Check cable integrity to rule out short or open circuits. Use an oscilloscope to observe signal waveforms; they should be square waves without distortion.
- Node Status Testing:
- Restart all nodes and observe the NMT status (0x1F80). Use a CAN analyzer to monitor heartbeat frames.
- Isolate nodes one by one to locate the offline device.
- Advanced Diagnosis:
- If interference is suspected, test with an EMC filter added.
- Record synchronization cycle errors (parameters related to Er.d11) and adjust 60C2-1h and 60C2-2h.
Diagnostic flowchart (based on the manual):
- Start → Check Configuration → Configuration OK? → Yes: Check Connection → Connection OK? → Yes: Test Hardware → Otherwise, Repair.
Typical diagnosis time: 30-60 minutes.

Solutions
Targeting the causes, here are step-by-step solutions:
- Fix Configuration Errors:
- Set 0x1017 to 1000ms (default), ensuring Guard Time 0x100C x 0x100D > Heartbeat Time.
- Unify baud rate: H0C-08 = 5 (500kbps). Reset NMT (send 0x01 to the slave).
- Optimize Network Connection:
- Replace damaged cables and ensure the twisted pair shielding is grounded.
- Add termination resistors: Connect 120Ω resistors in parallel at the two end nodes.
- Reset nodes: Power cycle or send an NMT reset command via software.
- Handle Hardware Faults:
- Replace the CAN interface card or the drive. If it is noise, add a magnetic ring to the UVW lines (wrap 2-4 turns).
- Ensure stable power supply and add an isolation transformer.
- Software Adjustments:
- Reconfigure PDO mapping to ensure consistent transmission length (related to Er.d08).
- Update the drive firmware to the latest version (e.g., C04) to optimize communication logic.
Example parameter table (based on the manual):
| Parameter | Description | Recommended Value | Effective Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| H0C-08 | Baud Rate | 5 (500kbps) | Immediately |
| 0x1017 | Heartbeat Producer Time | 1000ms | After Reset |
| 0x100C | Guard Time | 1000ms | After Reset |
After applying the solution, test the system: send a test heartbeat and monitor for timeouts.
Preventive Measures
Preventing Er.d04 starts from design, installation, and maintenance:
- Design Phase: Select a master station compatible with CANopen and ensure parameter standardization. Use EDS files to configure the network.
- Installation Best Practices: Cable length < 500m, linear bus topology, avoid branches. Ensure good grounding, and separate signal lines from power lines by > 30cm.
- Maintenance Strategy: Regularly check heartbeat logs and monitor using InoTouch. Set alarm thresholds to detect problems early.
- Training and Documentation: Engineers should be familiar with manual version changes (e.g., H05-54 modification in 2022) to avoid configuration errors.
Implementing these measures can reduce the fault rate to < 5%.
Case Studies
Case 1: Semiconductor equipment multi-axis system. The equipment used 10 IS620P drives networked via CANopen, with a PLC as the master station. Er.d04 was reported during operation. Diagnosis: Found missing termination resistors and inconsistent baud rates (some at 250kbps). Solution: Unified to 500kbps, added 120Ω resistors, and restarted NMT. The system recovered, and production efficiency increased by 15%.
Case 2: Machine tool application. Single drive Er.d04. Inspection revealed a loose cable and a heartbeat time that was too short (500ms). Solution: Adjusted to 1000ms and secured the cable. No recurrence.
These cases prove that systematic diagnosis saves downtime.
Related Parameters and Tools
Key Parameters:
- H0C Group: Communication settings.
- 0x1000~0x1FFF: CANopen Object Dictionary.
Tools:
- InoTouch Software: For parameter adjustment and fault logging.
- CAN Analyzer: For frame monitoring.
- Oscilloscope: For signal integrity checks.
Advanced: Use virtual VDI/VDO to expand IO and simulate heartbeat tests (H0C-09=1).
Conclusion
Although the Inovance IS620P Er.d04 fault is common, it can be efficiently resolved through systematic analysis and step-by-step diagnosis. Understanding the CANopen mechanism is key; users should focus on configuration consistency and network stability. In the future, with firmware optimizations, such faults will be further reduced. Regular maintenance is recommended to ensure the efficient operation of automation systems.






















