Backing Up Lenze 9300 Drive Parameters via Siemens S7 Manager

Backing Up Lenze 9300 Drive Parameters via Siemens S7 Manager

Many machine builders integrate Lenze 9300 series servo drives into automation cells controlled by Siemens SIMATIC S7-300 or S7-400 PLCs, with the drives participating in a Profibus DP network and a parallel CAN bus backbone for inter-drive coordination. Once the machine is in service, the maintenance question becomes: how do you archive the drive parameter set so that a replacement drive can be commissioned without a service engineer on site? Engineers naturally reach for SIMATIC Manager first because that is the tool used to archive the PLC program and the Profibus GSD configuration, but they quickly discover that the S7 project database only stores the bus topology and the cyclic I/O mapping, not the drive's internal parameter set. This technical reference walks through the complete parameter backup workflow for a Lenze 9300 system with a 2133 Profibus plug-in module, explains why SIMATIC Manager cannot perform the archive, and details three field-proven methods to capture the parameter set: a Lenze USB-CAN adapter running the Lecom A/B protocol, an ifak systems isCAN USB converter, and the on-drive LCD keypad copy function.

Hardware Identification: The Lenze 9300 + 2133 Module Combination

Before selecting a backup strategy, confirm the exact drive family and communication module. The combination described in most field service reports is the Lenze 9300 servo inverter (also cataloged as the EVF9321-xV or EVF9330-xV family depending on current rating) equipped with a 2133 Profibus plug-in communication module snapped into the drive's front communication slot. The 2133 module exposes a 9-pin D-sub Profibus DP port on its faceplate and handles the cyclic process data exchange with the S7 PLC.

Two physically distinct communication channels are present:

1. Profibus DP — connects each drive to the S7 CPU for cyclic process data words (control word, status word, setpoint, actual value). This is the channel the S7 PLC uses at runtime.
2. CAN bus — daisy-chained between drives and used by Lenze for inter-drive synchronization, broadcast telegrams, and for the engineering tool (Global Drive Control, formerly called GDC or Lenze Drive Solution) to access drive parameters via the Lecom A/B protocol.

Why SIMATIC Manager Cannot Archive the Drive Parameters

SIMATIC Manager (Step 7 V5.x) and TIA Portal (Step 7 Basic/Professional) treat every Profibus DP slave as a black-box I/O device. When the S7 project is opened, the engineering station loads only:

• The GSD/GSDML file that defines the device's identity, slot structure, and I/O length.
• The hardware configuration (HW Config) showing the device at its Profibus address.
• The symbolic names assigned to the I/O words mapped into the PLC's process image.

The drive's parameter set — thousands of code numbers covering ramp times, motor data, controller gains, I/O configuration, and fault history — lives in non-volatile memory on the drive's control card and is not exposed through the cyclic Profibus channel in a way that SIMATIC Manager can read in bulk. Even using acyclic DP-V1 services (e.g., WR_REC / RD_REC SFCs) requires custom ladder logic to map every parameter individually, and most GSD implementations for the 2133 module only expose a handful of read-only diagnostic slots. The result: archiving the drive parameter set from SIMATIC Manager is not a supported workflow. The PLC project captures the bus topology, not the drive's configuration database.

Communication Pathway Decision Matrix

For a complete parameter backup, the engineer must use a tool that speaks Lecom A/B — Lenze's proprietary parameter-access protocol. Lecom A/B runs natively on CAN at 20 kbit/s, 50 kbit/s, 125 kbit/s, 250 kbit/s, 500 kbit/s, or 1 Mbit/s (auto-baud to a configured address), and is also exposed on RS232/485 via the optional Lecom serial module (E82ZBL) that replaces the Profibus module temporarily. The Lecom address space is independent of the Profibus node address; on a CAN backbone each drive is assigned a Lecom node number (1–63, default 1).

Solution 1: Lenze OEM USB-CAN Adapter (EWL0007)

The Lenze USB-CAN adapter (catalog code EWL0007, also sold as part of the Lenze Engineer Tool Kit) is the only adapter that Lenze officially qualifies for use with Global Drive Control. The adapter is a USB device that presents itself as a virtual COM port, and the driver disc installs the VCAN kernel-mode driver. Plug the adapter into the CAN bus (typically via a pigtail connector on the bus backbone, never on a live drive's Profibus port), launch Global Drive Control (GDC), and select Online > Settings > Lecom A/B as the active driver. Set the baud rate to auto and the Lecom node to broadcast (0) for the first scan; GDC will enumerate every drive on the bus and show them as a tree node. Right-click each drive, choose Upload parameters to PC, and save the .lc file with a meaningful name (machine name, drive number, date).

Advantages:

• Guaranteed to work with every Lenze drive that supports Lecom A/B on CAN.
• Auto-baud detection handles unknown bus speeds.
• Multi-drive access from a single physical connection — no need to walk to each drive.

Disadvantages:

• Acquisition cost typically USD $600–$1,000 — the most common budget objection.
• Requires GDC software license (a perpetual seat license is required per engineering workstation).

Solution 2: ifak systems isCAN USB Converter (Third-Party Path)

For maintenance teams that need a permanent backup tool but cannot justify the OEM adapter, the ifak systems isCAN USB converter is a documented third-party alternative. The isCAN USB presents itself as a USB CDC device and is bundled with the canAnalyser / isCANtool driver package. When configured with the correct device driver signature, Global Drive Control will accept it as a CAN interface.

Configuration procedure:

1. Install the ifak USB-CAN driver package and verify the device enumerates in Device Manager as ifak isCAN USB.
2. Launch GDC. Open Online > Communication settings and select Lecom A/B over CAN as the protocol.
3. Select the ifak isCAN USB as the physical interface. If GDC does not list the device directly, map the ifak driver to the GDC VCAN shim using the ifak configuration utility.
4. Set baud rate to auto and click Scan network. Confirm that all four drives (or however many are on the bus) appear as nodes.
5. Click Upload parameters and save the file.

The ifak converter is typically a quarter of the OEM adapter cost, but verify Lenze's current support statement before deploying it in a production environment, as the OEM's recommendation may still favor their own adapter for warranty service work.

Solution 3: Generic USB-CAN Adapters and the OBDII Hack

Some maintenance teams have experimented with automotive OBDII-to-USB cables that expose a CAN interface (for example, cables based on the ELM327 or CANable chipsets). These adapters can be made to talk on the CAN bus, but several constraints apply:

• Baud rate ceiling: Many OBDII cables top out at 38400 baud in their default firmware, while Lenze CAN backbones typically run at 125 kbit/s, 250 kbit/s, or 500 kbit/s. The drive will not respond if the baud rate is wrong.
• Lecom A/B recognition: GDC must be able to enumerate the device as a CAN interface. Generic cables rarely expose the VCAN shim that GDC requires.
• 11-bit vs 29-bit identifiers: Lecom A/B uses 11-bit CAN identifiers. Some OBDII cables default to 29-bit; verify with the cable utility before scanning.

Result: a generic OBDII cable may produce traffic on the bus, but the combination of baud-rate mismatch and missing GDC driver hook usually prevents parameter upload. Treat this approach as a last resort and budget for the OEM or ifak adapter.

Solution 4: Lecom Serial Module (Point-to-Point Backup)

If multi-drive access is not required and the budget is tight, the Lecom serial path is the most cost-effective single-drive backup method:

1. Power down the drive. Remove the 2133 Profibus module from the front communication slot.
2. Install the Lenze Lecom serial module (E82ZBL) in the same slot. The module provides a D-sub-9 RS232/RS485 port for Lecom A/B on EIA-485.
3. Connect a USB-to-RS485 converter (any industrial-grade FTDI-based adapter, typically USD $30–$80) to a laptop running GDC.
4. Configure GDC for Lecom A/B over serial at 9600 or 19200 baud, 8N1, node address 1 (or whatever the drive's Lecom address is set to).
5. Upload parameters and save the file.
6. Power down, swap the Lecom module back to the 2133 Profibus module, and restore production operation.

This method requires physically walking to each drive and a few minutes of downtime per drive, but it works with a minimum-cost tool chain and is the technique many small maintenance teams standardize on. Document the Lecom node address of every drive on the machine before starting the swap procedure.

Solution 5: LCD Keypad (E82ZBB) Parameter Copy

If the drive is fitted with the optional Lenze E82ZBB LCD keypad, the keypad itself can clone a parameter set. This is the cheapest and fastest method when the keypad is available, and it doubles as a "warm spare" commissioning tool.

1. Plug the E82ZBB into the front of the source drive. Navigate the menu: MAIN MENU > PARAMETER > SAVE (or SAVE PARAMETERS on newer firmware). The keypad stores the entire parameter set in its internal EEPROM.
2. Power down the drive. Move the keypad to the destination (or replacement) drive.
3. On the new drive, navigate to MAIN MENU > PARAMETER > LOAD. The keypad pushes the stored parameter set to the new drive's control card.
4. Cycle power and verify normal operation.

Limitation: the parameter set is drive-family specific. You cannot load 9300 parameters into a 9400 or an i500. The keypad copy is also a blind operation — there is no file on the PC, just a copy in the keypad. Combine it with Solution 1 or Solution 4 to also keep a file-based archive.

GSD File Integration in SIMATIC Manager HW Config

While SIMATIC Manager cannot back up the drive, the GSD file is required for the PLC to communicate with the drive at all. For the 2133 Profibus module the GSD file is named LEN_2133.GSD (or a family-specific variant) and is downloaded from the Lenze product page. Installation procedure:

1. Download the GSD file from the Lenze download portal (search for the 2133 module under Communication > Profibus).
2. In SIMATIC Manager, open HW Config, then Options > Install GSD File…. Browse to the .GSD and the matching .bmp icon file.
3. After installation, the Lenze 2133 appears in the hardware catalog under PROFIBUS DP > Other field devices > Drives > Lenze.
4. Drag the device onto the Profibus subnet, set its DP address to match the physical switch setting on the 2133 module, and assign the slot configuration that matches your application (typically 4 words of process data in / 4 words out for the standard PPO type 1 mapping used by the 9300 family).
5. Compile and download the hardware configuration to the S7 CPU.

Reference the official Lenze communication manual for the 2133 module for the exact PPO type and slot assignments; do not guess the slot configuration, as a mismatch will cause a Profibus diagnostic interrupt on the S7 CPU.

Step-by-Step: Full Parameter Backup Procedure with GDC + USB-CAN

The following procedure assumes the OEM USB-CAN adapter and a licensed copy of Global Drive Control.

Prerequisites

• Lenze Global Drive Control (GDC) installed and licensed on the engineering workstation.
• Lenze USB-CAN adapter with the VCAN driver loaded (or the ifak isCAN USB with the shim configured).
• USB cable and physical access to the CAN backbone pigtail connector on the machine.
• List of Lecom node addresses for every drive on the CAN backbone (from the machine documentation or by reading them off each drive's keypad).
• A network share or local folder for the parameter archive, with a file-naming convention such as MACHINE_SERIAL_DRIVE01_YYYYMMDD.lc.

Procedure

1. Connect the USB-CAN adapter to the engineering workstation. Wait for Device Manager to enumerate the VCAN interface.
2. Connect the adapter's CAN pigtail to the machine's CAN backbone connector. Ensure the bus is properly terminated (120 Ω at each end, with the middle devices' termination switches OFF).
3. Launch GDC. In the menu choose Online > Settings > Communication. Set Protocol to Lecom A/B, Interface to VCAN, Baud rate to Auto.
4. Click Scan network. GDC polls each Lecom address from 1 to 63 and lists every drive that responds, with its firmware version, catalog number, and current parameter set summary.
5. For each drive, right-click and choose Upload parameters to PC. Save the resulting .lc file using the agreed naming convention.
6. Open one of the saved files and verify the parameter count matches the drive's keypad display (e.g., the keypad shows "C0050 = 12.5"; the file should show the same value).
7. Copy the archive folder to the same network share that holds the S7 project backup. Include a README.txt with the machine serial number, the drives' Profibus addresses, and the date of the backup.
8. Close GDC and disconnect the USB-CAN adapter.

Verification

• Open the .lc file in GDC offline mode and confirm the parameter set is intact (no truncation in the file).
• Compare the drive's keypad readout for the most critical parameters (motor rated current, encoder resolution, ramp times) against the values in the archived file.
• Store the archive in a versioned location (Git, SharePoint with check-in, or a numbered folder) so the parameter set can be compared against previous revisions.

Integration with SIMATIC Manager Project Backup

The S7 project archive (created with SIMATIC Manager > File > Archive) and the drive parameter archive should travel together. Best practice is a single folder per machine:

\Backups\MACHINE_12345\
  ├── PLC\
  │   ├── MACHINE_12345_S7V5_2024-01-15.zip      (SIMATIC Manager archive)
  │   └── MACHINE_12345_S7V5_2024-06-22.zip
  ├── DRIVES\
  │   ├── MACHINE_12345_DRIVE01_2024-01-15.lc
  │   ├── MACHINE_12345_DRIVE02_2024-01-15.lc
  │   ├── MACHINE_12345_DRIVE03_2024-01-15.lc
  │   ├── MACHINE_12345_DRIVE04_2024-01-15.lc
  │   └── MACHINE_12345_DRIVE01_2024-06-22.lc
  └── README.txt

Document the GDC version used to create each archive in the README, because parameter file compatibility is generally forward-compatible but not always backward-compatible across major GDC releases.

Troubleshooting Matrix

Field-Proven Recommendations

1. Buy the OEM adapter if you own more than three machines. At typical maintenance time savings, the $600–$1,000 pays back within the first year. A single walk to a machine at 2 AM with the right tool is worth the cost.
2. For one or two machines, the Lecom serial module swap is the budget answer. Stock one E82ZBL module per plant and train two technicians on the swap procedure.
3. Always keep a fresh .lc archive on the same share as the S7 project. A drive replacement that requires on-site Lenze service costs orders of magnitude more than the engineering time to capture the archive.
4. Add the LCD keypad (E82ZBB) to your spare-parts budget if it is not already fitted. It is the lowest-cost way to keep a portable parameter image that survives drive replacement.
5. Document the Lecom node map. On commissioning, capture the Lecom address, the Profibus address, the drive's catalog number, and the motor it controls. A one-page table per machine saves hours of detective work later.
6. Do not expect SIMATIC Manager or TIA Portal to back up the drive. Budget for a separate tool and put the resulting archive alongside the PLC project backup.

Related Standards and References

For deeper background on the protocols involved, refer to the following official documents:

• IEC 61158 (Industrial communication networks — Fieldbus specifications) — defines the Profibus DP-V0/V1 services used by the 2133 module.
• ISO 11898-1 (Controller area network — Data link layer) — defines the CAN framing used by Lecom A/B on the 2171/2173 communication module.
• Lenze 9300 communication manual — describes the parameter code structure (C0001, C0002, C0005, etc.) and the Lecom A/B telegrams.
• Lenze 2133 Profibus module manual — defines the GSD file, PPO type, and slot structure for HW Config.
• Siemens SiePortal — entry point for SIMATIC Manager / Step 7 V5.x documentation and firmware compatibility lists.

FAQ