EtherCAT Master for Windows

Master Stack

Programming Library

   Download Manual EtherCAT Master Documentation
  Download Software EtherCAT Master Software
Intelligent Station Management
EtherCAT Station Cycles upto 250 μsec
Logical, Physical and Alias Addressing
Mailbox Interface and COE Management
Integrated EtherCAT PDI Control
EtherCAT FMMU Management
EtherCAT SYNC Management
Distributed Clock Support
Watchdog Support
EtherCAT State Management
XML, SII and Native Station Configuration
High/Low-Level Programming Interface
 EtherCAT Master Devices

Additional Tools
EtherCAT Verifier EtherCAT Verify
DC Manager EtherCAT DC Manager
EtherCAT PDO configurator PDO Configurator

Typical Applications
Assembly
Packageing
Service
Measurement
Welding
 EtherCAT Master Sample

Video Coach
Video EtherCAT Master Installation Video: Installation
Video EtherCAT Master Configuration Video: Configuration
Video EtherCAT Master Programming Video: Programming
Video PDO Parameterization Video: PDO Parameterization
Video Code Assistant Video: Code Assistant

EtherCAT Master Library for Windows

With the PC-based EtherCAT Master Stack for Windows and the X-Realtime Engine the need for a separate controller hardware has been eliminated, as the Master Control is implemented directly from PC with standard Ethernet adapters. With the X-Realtime Engine of SYBERA a standard Ethernet card can be used as EtherCAT Master directly. The physical connection is made via a standard INTEL or REALTEK PCI or a corresponding PCMCIA or PCIe adapter. Basis for this is the SYBERA Master protocol stack and the X-Realtime Technology. The software runs ander Windows, and allows the control of devices (e.g. the EtherCAT modules of Beckhoff GmbH) in realtime. Depending on the PC hardware and application telegram update times are feasible upto 50 micro-sec. The latest version of the EtherCAT master controls Drives from Beckhoff, LTi, Metronix, Kollmorgen, ELMO (and more) DC synchronized with a sampling rate of 100 microseconds and an update period of 1 msec (changeable). For controlling Drive controllers SYBERA uses the procedure "Dynamic Jitter Compensation" with active and passive feedback. The PDO parameters are set with the EtherCAT Configurator.

EtherCAT Master Functionality

Beside numerous extended functions for Distributed Clock, COE and State management, the library system also allows to control EtherCAT devices, even without a corresponding XML file. With the integrated station management the devices may be completely administered and controlled almost implicitly, or every single functional step (FMMU, SYNCMAN, PDO, STATE...) may be controlled separately. In addition, SYBERA has developed the comprehensive test software ECATVERIFY which allows the developer to test Ethercat devices without programming and to parametrize the devices. Thereby the developer is led through the startup procedure interactively by single functional groups and states. All information can be visualized in detail here. The integrated PDO Configurator allows easy definition of the PDO mappings for EtherCAT devices. With the Configurator, adding, removing and moving of PDO objects is made easy. In the ECATDEVICE.PAR file registered devices can be listed or searched for processing the PDO mapping. New PDO mappings are entered with index, PDO and bit size, and the corresponding PDO mapping list (TX / RX) will be assigned. After Configuration the entry within file ECATDEVICE.PAR is automatically updated and the corresponding length of the FMMU-, SYNCMAN- and descriptors entries are restated.

EtherCAT Master Technology

On this occasion, not only the sending and receiving of ethernet frames ander realtime condition due to the specification of the EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) is realized. The interface allows the functional control of EtherCAT telegrams in a separate realtime task. The system is based on 4 realtime tasks, for sending and receiving of ethernet frames, and functional control. With an integrated state machine the tasks are functionally synchronized. A realtime error task recognizes any frame failure and hardware latency. It is checked if an answer was received to a sent telegram (integrated timeout condition), if the working counter of the answer telegram is 0 and if the index fields of the sending telegram match the and receiving telegram. In addition, an emergency telegram is deposited, being sent by the error task in case of an error condition. A frame filter will separate the EtherCAT telegrams within the ethernet frame and transfer them to the telegram stack. In this case hhe developer has the opportunity, to implement the functional processing (Realtime Level2) in a real-time task on system or application level. SYBERA uses with the EtherCAT Master Library the procedure "Dynamic Jitter Compensation" with active and passive feedback. Although the X-Realtime Engine runs with a low maximum jitter of about 15 microseconds (depending on the hardware platform), it results in an additive jitter due to the systemic of sampling operation. This is negligible for the unsynchronized communication with Industrial Ethernet devices in most cases. However, to realize the control and synchronization of drive controllers, the reduction of additive jitter, as well as the dynamic drifts within the EtherCAT Master code (PDF) libraries was mandatory required. The integrated Distributed Clock (DC) management of the Master Library compensates the time offset, the static and dynamic drift, as well as the propagation delay. Depending on the configuration of the drive the parameters (eg control word, status word, target position, current position) can be accessed directly in real-time. For the initialization of the drive the corresponding XML file is read and evaluated by the master and converted into corresponding commands.

EtherCAT - Training
To apply the fieldbus communication efficiently, SYBERA provides training "EtherCAT development". In our training we transfer the knowledge neutral and product-independent. The training allows by use of examples and practical exercises a comprehensive insight into the EtherCAT technology. In the training Watchdog module monitoring, Distributed Clock, parameterization and XML files, the priorities fandamentals of EtherCAT structure, State Management, PDI control, SYNC Management, FMMU management, mailbox communication, COE and PDO Assignment, are dealt with in detail. The participants in the training receive detailed background information on the EtherCAT technology for everyday use and consolidate their knowledge with Wireshark analyzes. The participants of the training will be able to configure EtherCAT projects autonomously, to program and to analyze errors. The training thus aimed at all developers and service technicians.

EtherCAT - Life
SYBERA offers the unique opportunity to experience the field bus system directly in the realtime simulator in Holzgerlingen. The simulator unites digital and analogous sensors and actors in a complicated pneumatics machine. A passenger's cell can be controlled with lift movements, rolling movements, pitching movements and rotary movements. To the modules connected devices enclose laser distance sensors, inductive sensors, pressure sensors, incremental sensors, and valves, reflecting therefore the known sphere of the control technology. The passenger has the possibility to change the parameters and to influence therefore the latency and jitter of the controlling system. The realtime simulator helps all prospective customers to be able to estimate the field bus system for the industrial use.