This thread has been locked.

If you have a related question, please click the "Ask a related question" button in the top right corner. The newly created question will be automatically linked to this question.

Industrial Ethernet Support for AM335x

Other Parts Discussed in Thread: PROFIBUS, SYSBIOSSDK-IND-SITARA

Just saw TI's announcement that they support EtherCAT, Ethernet/IP, Profinet and SERCOS with these devices...

Its not clear to me

1. Does TI provide the protocol stack for free - or do I have to go and license this from a 3rd party

2. Does the PRU implement the MAC for all the standards or is it just for EtherCAT. Do the other standards use the 2x hard EMACs

 

Thanks

Suhel

  • 1. TI provides a evaluation copy of the commercial application layer stacks in the SDK. That can be used for developmental purposes. To take your product to production and sell in the market, it may be necessary for license one. Whether this is to be done depends on individual protocols. For PROFIBUS, Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, SERCOS - the answer is yes. For EtherCAT, ETG (www.ethercat.org) membership is needed which does not cost anything and with the membership, the stack can be downloaded. If a commercial EtherCAT stack is preferred over what ETG provides, then cost is likely to be involved. 

    2. Yes. In most cases, PRUs are used to do MAC or Layer 2 implementation. Sometimes, the EMAC modules in the integrated gigabit switch can be used - for example, Ethernet/IP in uses where CIPSync is not required or PROFINET where IRT mode is not required. 

    Thanks. 

  • Thank you for that reply - one quick follow-up

    To get the stack for PROFIBUS, Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, SERCOS - can we license these straight from TI?

    Or does TI recommend a partner - if so, who?

  • TI does not own the rights to the stack products you have listed. We do recommend partner products after validation and testing with our devices and PRU firmware. 

    For PROFIBUS, it is Technology Management Group (TMG) based in Karlruhe, Germany. (http://www.tmg-karlsruhe.de)

    For EtherCAT, it is from EtherCAT Technology Group (no cost stack) which is also based in Germany. (www.ethercat.org)

    For Ethernet/IP, PROFINET and SERCOS, we are working with several third parties and more details will be available sometime in second quarter of this year. 

    Are you working with a TI Sales or Distributor? If so, please do get in touch. 

    Thanks. 

  • Dear TI Support,

    what is now the situation about the Sercos III support on AM335x ?

     I have seen on Cannon Automata website here that they have the slave communication stack for your family, link:

    http://www.cannon-automata.com/index.php?ti_sitara_1_en

     

    Do you have any others and also master and what is the licensing way of manage them ?

    Thanks a lot

    Antonio

  • by now ... can you give more details on the partners for PROFINET?

    Thanks.

  • Thank you Matthew for your interest and inquiry. Yes, Profinet-RT is available now. We released this last year.

    Pl find a whitepaper and also the Industrial SDK SW that has support for this. The links are below,

    http://www.ti.com/lit/wp/spry252a/spry252a.pdf

    http://www.ti.com/tool/sysbiossdk-ind-sitara

    Pl let us know if any Qs.

    Thanks

    -Srik

  • Hi Srik,

    thank you for the links.

    In spry252a.pdf it says that the AM335 SDK runs a evaluation copy of the PROFINET stack and "customers are expected to contact the third party to license the stack before taking their product to market."

    Who is the third party provider of the PROFINET stack?

    Regards

    Bent

  • Hello Bent,

    Our stack partner for Profinet and Ethernet/IP is Molex.

    If you need their contact info, pl contact me at gurrapu@ti.com and I can help you with that,

    thanks,

    -Srik

  • Where can I find more details on the molex stack and the supported features?

    thanks.