EtherCAT Master Stack

The EC-Master Stack is designed and optimized to run on different embedded (real time) operating systems. Already existing implementations are available Linux (with and without Real-Time), Windows® 7/8/10, VxWorks, QNX, RTX, INtime®, Integrity, Xenomai, On Time RTOS-32, RTEMS, FreeRTOS, eCos, TI-RTOS, T-Kernel and more operating systems. The EtherCAT master stack can be ported on any other embedded operating systems.

Software Architecture

ethercat master software architecture

  • Application Interface Layer: Programming the EtherCAT master core in C/C++, C# and Python.
  • EtherCAT Master Core: The main EtherCAT master functionality in the core layer. All protocol handling, e.g. process data transfer and mailbox protocols (CoE, EoE, FoE, SoE) are executed here.
  • EC-Link Layer: Data exchange between master and slaves. Zero-copy and/or polling techniques together with the core layer are supported to achieve best real-time performance and minimize CPU load.
  • Configuration Layer: The integrated XML parser supports the EtherCAT Network Information (ENI) file defined in the EtherCAT specification.
  • Operating System Layer: The only OS specific layer. All operating system calls are executed here. To achieve best performance the most functions can be implemented using simple "C"-language macros.

Advantages

  • High performance and low CPU load to achieve fast update rates.
  • Ready-to-run for many operating systems.
  • Supporting the CPU architectures x86 (32 Bit und 64 Bit), ARM (32 Bit und 64 Bit) und PowerPC (PPC).
  • Available for many processors from Intel, Texas Instruments, ST, Broadcom, Nvidia, Renesas, NXP, Xilinx and Infineon.
  • Together with our services you get professional partnership setting up your custom control system. On request you may get the complete system integration.
  • Reliable and robust implementation. For example, the EC-Master Stack is running in the KUKA Robot Control and in controllers from Yaskawa, Lenze and Omron.

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