EtherCAT® Master Stack

Feature set according to ETG.1500

• Support of the EtherCAT Master (MainDevice) Class-B feature set
• Most important features of the EtherCAT Master Class-A

EtherCAT mailbox protocols

• CoE (CAN over EtherCAT)
• SDO Info Service [Roadmap]
• SoE (Servo Drive Profile over EtherCAT)
• EoE (Ethernet over EtherCAT)
• FoE (File Transfer over EtherCAT)
• VoE (Vendor specific)

Synchronization

• Distributed Clocks (DC)
• DC master mode and DC slave mode

Other EtherCAT functionalities

• HotConnect, also in combination with EtherCAT DC
• Cable redundancy: base functions and diagnosis functions
• Slave-to-Slave communication
• Read / write access to SII (Slave Information Interface) [NEW]
• Explicit Device ID [Roadmap]

EtherCAT network configuration

• Network configuration via ENI information
• Either via the integrated XML parser or via generated source code

EtherCAT communication

• Cyclic communication (PDO) in one or more cyclic tasks with different cycle times
• Acyclic communication via mailbox protocols and EtherCAT commands by the application
• Different modes for the scheduling of cyclic and acyclic frames
• Support of time-triggered send (TTS) feature of Ethernet controller

Diagnosis

• Configurable state monitoring and network supervision
• Statistics and error counters
• Event API for notification of errors in the network

Detailed information is given in the datasheet

Software architecture with flexibility

• The master stack library provides a C API.
• Easy integration in existing applications – the stack does not impose the software architecture to the application.
• The EtherCAT master tasks (cyclic, acyclic) can be driven by the application. Usage in single-threaded or multi-threaded application, main-loop architecture and ISR
• Multiple instances of the master stack are possible in one application.
• Adaptation layer allowing an easy integration of the portable stack and the sample applications on an operating system

Driver for EtherCAT communication

• The EtherCAT network can be accessed via the network stack of the underlying operating system and an existing network driver.
• As alternative, optimized link layer drivers with DMA support are available for common Ethernet controllers.

Optimized for performance

• Zero-copy transfer of cyclic frames via DMA when using an optimized link layer driver
• Direct access to the process image in the cyclic frame via macros and functions
• Cycle time of 100 microseconds and shorter even on small platforms

Optimized for usage also on microcontrollers

• Usage is possible without an operating system based on a main-loop architecture and an ISR
• Usage is possible without a filesystem, network stack, etc.
• Small footprint (ROM, RAM) – stack features which are not necessary can be removed at compile time.

» Architecture diagram

EtherCAT Master Monitor

• Visualization and controlling of the network, access to process variables, ESC, statistics, etc.
• As terminal application with connection via TCP/IP or serial
• Useful during development and for diagnosis

EtherCAT Performance Monitor [NEW]

• Online measurement of key performance indicators like processing time, frame jitter, etc. and output on the target system

Converter for ENI files

• Conversion of XML in source code for static linking in an application

icECAT EtherCAT Configuration Library

• Library for EtherCAT network configuration
• For integration in a custom engineering tool
• Optionally with a GUI

icECAT EtherCAT Network Simulator [NEW]

• Software-in-the-loop (SiL) simulation of an EtherCAT network (SubDevices) based on an ENI file
• Simulation of an EtherCAT network (SubDevices) based on an ENI file
• Simulation of process data and CoE object is possible
• Helps for the development and testing of a control application

Convince yourself of the functionality and performance of the icECAT EtherCAT Master Stack. IBV offers evaluation versions for the following platforms:

• Linux Preempt-RT
• QNX
• Texas Instruments TI Sitara AM64x EVM, PHYTEC phyBOARD-Electra (AM64x)
• NXP i.MX RT1064 auf NXP i.MX RT 1064 EVK Board (Video Tutorial)
• STM32H7 on Nucleo development board NUCLEO-H743ZI2
• An evaluation on a customer specific platform is possible on request

Please contact the sales team of IBV:

• The master stack is offered under a project-based license.
• All libraries and tools are shipped in source code.
• One-time fee for a project. No runtime licenses (“royalties”) or development licenses are necessary.

Support services by IBV

• “Getting Started” support (included in master stack bundle)
• Support for the integration of the EtherCAT master stack
• Support for the integration with the EtherCAT network
• Maintenance and upgrades for the icECAT software products

Engineering services by IBV

• Custom enhancements
• Development of EtherCAT master applications
• Development of EtherCAT slave software
• Training for the EtherCAT technology