EtherCAT Master - Library for Windows

With the EtherCAT Master Stack for Windows from SYBERA the PLC is not necessary. The master control is realized directly from the PC with standard Ethernet adapters. In combination with SYBERA's "X - Realtime Engine" one Ethernet port can be upgraded to an EtherCAT Master. The physical connection is done via a standard INTEL or REALTEK PCI(e) adapter.

The supported hardware can be found in the Ethernet Realtime Core manual chapter 1 page 7-11.

The basis of the programming library is the EtherCAT Master Protocol Stack with the "X - Realtime" technology. The software is executable under Windows and enables the control of EtherCAT devices in real-time. Depending on PC hardware and application telegram update times up to 250 μsec with a jitter <10μsec are realizable.

The latest version of the EtherCAT Master controls DC synchronized (Distributed Clock) drives (e.g. KEB, Kollmorgen, ELMO, LTi, Metronix and others) with a sampling rate of 100 µsec and an update period of 1 msec (changeable). For the control of EtherCAT Drive Controllers SYBERA uses the Dynamic Jitter Compensation method. Active and passive feedback as well as pulse width modulation are used. The parameterization of the DC is done with the EtherCAT DC Configurator.

EtherCAT Master functionality

• 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
• Beginner/ Expert Programming Interface
• Code AssistantCatalogue Builder

Besides numerous extended EtherCAT functions (e.g. for Distributed Clock, COE and State Management) the library system allows to operate the EtherCAT devices without a corresponding XML file. With the integrated station management of the EtherCAT master the devices can be managed and operated almost completely implicitly. Also every single function step (e.g. FMMU, SYNCMAN, PDO, STATE ...) can be controlled specifically.

Additionally SYBERA has developed the comprehensive test software ECATVERIFY. This software enables the developer to test the EtherCAT devices without programming and to execute the parameterization (e.g. PDO mapping). The developer is guided interactively through the individual function groups and states. All information is visualized in detail. The integrated PDO configurator allows the easy definition of PDO mappings. The configurator allows to add, remove and move PDO objects. Devices entered in the ECATDEVICE.PAR file can be listed for editing the PDO mappings or searched for (e.g. by name). New PDO mappings (with index, PDO and bit size) can be entered and assigned to the corresponding PDO mapping list (TX / RX). After configuration the entry in the file ECATDEVICE.PAR is updated automatically. The corresponding length entries (for FMMU, SYNCMAN and descriptors) are adapted automatically.

SYBERA distributes software with developer licenses and runtime licenses

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A runtime license authorizes the exclusive redistribution of the SYBERA runtime files (*.DLL and *.SYS) required to run with an application or driver on one (1) computer or system and require at least the purchase of one (1) developer license.

Runtime licenses declared as unlimited refer exclusively to a certain application or to a certain driver and require at least the acquisition of one (1) developer license. The use of the SYBERA software with other applications or drivers requires the purchase of further runtime licenses.

The sale always requires a signed software license agreement!