PROCESSOR-SDK-AM64X: AM64X

Avothu Ravindar

Part Number: PROCESSOR-SDK-AM64X
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: TMDS64EVM, AM6442

Tool/software:

Hi,

I am working on TI based TMDS64EVM Board,

We need to establish EtherCAT Slave on this board. In manual mentioned as it provides full protocol stack for EtherCAT SubDevice,

I need some of information about this stack, will it be installed and given AM64x if not how it will be installed?

Thanks,

Ravindar A

10 months ago

0 PratheeshGangadhar 10 months ago

TI__Guru 50291 points

I suggest starting from SDK documentation

EtherCAT Slave: Introduction (Full protocol stack also uses Beckhoff SSC stack underneath added features like CiA402, Dynamic reconfiguration of Obj Dictionary). For production license, one requires ETG membership to download Beckhoff SSC. EtherCAT Slave: Beckhoff SSC

AM64x INDUSTRIAL COMMUNICATIONS SDK: EtherCAT SubDevice Demos

AM64x INDUSTRIAL COMMUNICATIONS SDK: EtherCAT SubDevice Beckhoff SSC Demo

0 Avothu Ravindar 10 months ago in reply to PratheeshGangadhar

Prodigy 125 points

Hi Pratheesh,

Thanks for the response...

We want to use EtherCAT Slave interface in AM6442 (AM6442BSFGHAALV), Need some more information about it?

1. We can get complete EtherCAT Slave stack along with AM64x EVM? and is it licensed?

2. If not, how we will be using APIs and libraries related to EtherCAT Slave SubDevice?

3. Can you mention the SDK and CCS versions support for AM64x EVM and EtherCAT Slave stack?

Thanks,

Ravindar A

0 Jim Mrowca 10 months ago in reply to Avothu Ravindar

Genius 4132 points

Pratheesh: I think the TI Germany team under (+) Thomas Leyrer's Profile - Thomas Leyrer - TI E2E support forums should help author an [FAQ] about this.

regards

Jim.

0 Aaron Thomas 10 months ago in reply to Avothu Ravindar

TI__Genius 11535 points

Hi,

Avothu Ravindar said:
1. We can get complete EtherCAT Slave stack along with AM64x EVM? and is it licensed?

EtherCAT SubDevice stack provided with integrated stack offering from TI is a trial version only. To obtain a full version of stack you will need an ETG membership which includes ESC stack code and other conformance software. They will run for 1 hour only. If you want an unlimited version, you need to rebuild the Beckhoff SSC Library used by the examples with a patched version of the original SSC code from ETG.

Avothu Ravindar said:
3. Can you mention the SDK and CCS versions support for AM64x EVM and EtherCAT Slave stack?

The latest Industrial Communications SDK version is 09.02.00.24 available here: INDUSTRIAL-COMMUNICATIONS-SDK-AM64X
The tools version supported in the release can be found in the corresponding release notes: Release Notes 09.02.00.24

Avothu Ravindar said:
2. If not, how we will be using APIs and libraries related to EtherCAT Slave SubDevice?

EtherCAT Slave API Reference has the APIs you can use for your application specific use-case.

Regards,
Aaron

0 Jim Mrowca 10 months ago in reply to Aaron Thomas

Genius 4132 points

Hi Aaron:

Is it true that the 10.01.xx.xx version of the Industrial Communications SDK is due to release near 4/30/25 ? That was a timeframe that (24) PratheeshGangadhar's Profile - PratheeshGangadhar - TI E2E support forums was indicating on another e2e I had seen,

thanks

Jim

0 Aaron Thomas 10 months ago in reply to Jim Mrowca

TI__Genius 11535 points

Yes Jim, Industrial Communications SDK version 10.01.xx.xx for AM243x/AM64x is planned for the end of April, 2025.

Regards,
Aaron

0 Avothu Ravindar 10 months ago in reply to Aaron Thomas

Prodigy 125 points

Hi Aaron,

Thanks for response.

1. We have total 7 cores in this AM64x, 2 - A53, 4-R5F, 1-R4F isolated as per the documents, can you mention which core actually used for what?

like as mentioned R5F for EtherCAT Slave stack free RTOS likewise range of each core usage and support.

2. To run EtherCAT slave stack examples do we need to install CCS and plugin SDK on top of it, do you have any manual how to add?

Thanks,

Ravindar A

0 Aaron Thomas 10 months ago in reply to Avothu Ravindar

TI__Genius 11535 points

Hi Avothu,

Avothu Ravindar said:
. We have total 7 cores in this AM64x, 2 - A53, 4-R5F, 1-R4F isolated as per the documents, can you mention which core actually used for what?

AM64x has 2 instances of PRU_ICSSG subsystems, with 6 cores per PRU subsystem for a total of 12 PRU/RTU/TX_PRU cores. You can refer to 7.3.1 Programmable Real-Time Unit Subsystem and Industrial Communication Subsystem (PRU_ICSSG) section in AM64x Sitara Processors datasheet (Rev. G) and 6.4.1 PRU_ICSSG Overview section in AM64x/AM243x Technical Reference Manual (Rev. H).
Following are the PRU ICSS cores available on AM64x:
Coming to EtherCAT SubDevice (Full Protocol Stack from TI)implementation, the host runs on R5F0_0 core and the EtherCAT Firmware (ESC) runs on PRU_0 and PRU_1. Additionally emulated MDIO firmware runs on TX_PRU_0 core of the ICSS.
Details for the emulated MDIO can be found here: PRU-ICSS Firmware for MDIO Manual Mode
By default on AM64x, the EtherCAT firmware runs on ICSSG1 instance (ICSS_G1_*). There is an option to run the EtherCAT on ICSSG0 instance (ICSS_G0_*) by following the following documentation : Ethernet PRU_ICSSG instance-0 (PRU_ICSSG0) Usage Guide

Avothu Ravindar said:
2. To run EtherCAT slave stack examples do we need to install CCS and plugin SDK on top of it, do you have any manual how to add?

Yes, you will be needing CCS and plugin the SDK on top of it. You can refer to the following documentation for the same: Getting Started. Once CCS is installed, you can import the project to CCS and build using CCS or using makefile and test by loading the .out or flashing the .appimage.

Regards,
Aaron

0 Avothu Ravindar 10 months ago in reply to Aaron Thomas

Prodigy 125 points

Hi Aaron,

In ARM Cortex-A53 Dual core, we are planning RT Linux / FreeRTOS / both

2. Suggest me which option will be the best with respect to the support.

3. Dual core is possible with independent operating system?

Suggest any documents related to OS.

Thanks,

Ravindar A

0 Aaron Thomas 10 months ago in reply to Avothu Ravindar

TI__Genius 11535 points

Hi Avothu,

I'll assign this thread to the concerned expert to clarify your queries.

Regards,
Aaron

0 Ravindar A 10 months ago in reply to Aaron Thomas

Prodigy 20 points

Hi Aaron,

We are waiting....

Kindly respond the above queries.

Thanks,

Ravindar A

0 Aaron Thomas 10 months ago in reply to Ravindar A

TI__Genius 11535 points

Sorry for the delay. I’ll ping the concerned expert to comment here.

To give a preliminary overview, RT Linux on A53 is better supported.

Regards,
Aaron

+1 Karan Saxena 10 months ago in reply to Avothu Ravindar

TI__Guru* 78035 points

Ravindar

Avothu Ravindar said:
In ARM Cortex-A53 Dual core, we are planning RT Linux / FreeRTOS / both

2. Suggest me which option will be the best with respect to the support.

3. Dual core is possible with independent operating system?

Suggest any documents related to OS.

What do you plan to run on the Arm Cortex A53s? These are application cores which can give you around 3 DMPIS/MHz translating to 6K DMIPS for the dual core cluster. These cores running Linux in SMP is fully supported in the Linux SDK, you can refer to the SDK doc below. We support Yocto and Debian distros for Linux on AM64.

https://software-dl.ti.com/processor-sdk-linux/esd/AM64X/11_00_09_04/exports/docs/devices/AM64X/linux/Overview.html (Yocto)

https://software-dl.ti.com/processor-sdk-linux/esd/AM64X/11_00_09_04_Debian/exports/docs/debian/Overview.html (debian)

We also support Linux with the PREEMPT_RT patches enabling RT Linux. Below is the SDK link.

https://www.ti.com/tool/download/PROCESSOR-SDK-LINUX-RT-AM64X/

For RTOS, we don't claim support for RTOS running in either SMP or AMP mode on the Cortex-A cluster on AM64, but there are some experimental features which are available. See below.

https://software-dl.ti.com/mcu-plus-sdk/esd/AM64X/11_00_00_15/exports/docs/api_guide_am64x/RELEASE_NOTES_11_00_00_PAGE.html#EXPERIMENTAL_FEATURES

In short, it'll depend on how you want to utilize the Cortex-A cores on the device, what real time (if any) requirements you have & what performance / boot KPIs you are trying to achieve.

Regards

Karan

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PROCESSOR-SDK-AM64X: AM64X