EtherCAT Master Stack

EtherCAT® Master Stack (for embedded real-time OS)

• Configuration and management of EtherCAT networks with enhanced error detection and diagnostic.
• Cyclic exchange of process data. The cycle can be defined by the EtherCAT master or the application.
• Mailbox based communication with:
  • CAN application protocol over EtherCAT (CoE) with support for Service Data Object (SDO) upload/download, SDO information services and
    CoE emergency messages.
  • Ethernet over EtherCAT (EoE)
  • File over EtherCAT (FoE)
• Sophisticated API common to all implementations as interface between the application and the EtherCAT master stack.
• The master can either be configured with standardized XML based EtherCAT network information (ENI) files (OS independent XLM parser included) or via the API if the OS doesn't support a file system. ENI configuration files may reside in ZIP/GZ archives.
• Allows application defined asynchronous communication in parallel to the cyclic data exchange (e.g. read an EtherCAT slave EEPROM).
• Built-in detailed diagnostic and profiling functions.
• Support for cable redundancy with 2nd Network Interface Controller (NIC) to handle single fault malfunctions (cable break, damaged plug, EMI, slave breakdown) without communication interruption or data loss.
• Support for Distributed Clock (DC) based slave synchronization with initial calculation of delay compensation parameter.
• Support for multi master mode to address independent slave segments via several physical NICs or via a VLAN tag enabled Ethernet switch with a single NIC.
• Support to handle binary EtherCAT Slave Information (ESI) EEPROM data.
• The well defined OS layer and interface to the NIC facilitates a simple adaption to platforms not yet supported.
• Comes with a comprehensive manual and example application in source code.
• Applications: Easy and fast integration of EtherCAT Master support into industrial control and automation systems, testbed systems or production control.