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RTOS/PROCESSOR-SDK-AM335X: EtherCAT Master implementation

Davide Brunelli
Intellectual 980 points
Part Number: PROCESSOR-SDK-AM335X
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: SYSBIOS, AM5728, AM3359

Tool/software: TI-RTOS

Goodmorning,

I write you to have your opinion about how to implement an Ethercat master with Beaglebone Black. I see two possibilities:

  1. I can stay in a Linux environment, with all the advantages that an OS can give (for example, using it for controlling a display, using hdmi output, connect a webcam and use opencv, etc.). For the ethercat I could install something like the following . One drawback could be the response latency of ethercat. I'm not an expert of Yocto, but I used it in the past for creating SDKs with all the programs that I needed.
  2. I pass to TI-RTOS as the acontis solution explains here . In this case I should give up to all the advantages that Linux gives, but I think that I could achiieve a better latency for ethercat.

Have you ever done something like this? What do you think would be the best solution?

Thank you.

  • 0
    TI__Guru**** 393215 points
    The EtherCAT experts have been notified. They will respond here.
  • 0
    TI__Mastermind 39020 points

    Hi Davide, it depends on your final application and use case, how much jitter you can bear, what is the minimum cycle you need to be able to achieve, you will be doing some motion control or it is more I/O devices what you are going to control, etc..

    One option is that you can use acontis Linux version. In this way you can have a more industrial-ready EtherCAT master option running on Linux. From the same link you shared you can download  "EC-Master AM57x/AM437x/AM335x V2.9 Evaluation for Linux"

    hope this helps,

    Paula

  • 0 in reply to Paula Carrillo
    Intellectual 980 points

    Hello,
    thank you for your kind answer. I know that I've been quite generic. Regarding our final application, we need to drive 6 motors as fast as possible plus some slow I/O. According to your experience what is the least jitter achievable and how stable the communication is, using or the Linux solution or TI-RTOS solution (consider that we would use a light custom image with just Qt libraries for driving a display). We are in front of a crossroads, and we want to make sure to take the right path.

    The second question is if you can suggest me some software that can run on my host PC as an ethercat slave, for testing purposes, preferrably without buying any external hardware. Besides the application should return the trasmission statistics like jitter, delay, etc.
    I've searched in internet for an ethercat slave simulator,and in acontis I found ECSlaveTestApp.exe but I cannot find the link.
    Thank you for your support.

    Regards,
    Davide Brunelli

  • 0 in reply to Davide Brunelli
    TI__Mastermind 39020 points

    Hi Davide, we have some "cyclic CPU consumption" benchmark for AM335x on Sysbios but not on Linux. Details were documented on a TI Design (TIDEP0043) . For Linux benchmark on TI AM335x you can contact acontis support (ecsupport@acontis.com).

    About, jitter, EC-Master prints stats at the end, which are pretty usuful. On top of my head is ~11us when I tested with only one slave (TI's AM5728 IDK), and TI RTOS. You can take a look of this other TI Design for more details (TIDEP0079). For AM335x + Linux I don't have a jitter number, but I would assume we are in the tens of us as well.

    FYI, our Linux PSDK has QT ready: http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/Sitara_Linux_Training:_Hands_on_with_QT

    About a PC slave, I haven't used ECSlaveTestApp.exe, so I cannot comment. But if you already have AM3359 boards maybe easier to run TI's PRU-ICSS EtherCAT slave . You can download pre-build package so you don't have to deal with instructions on how to build it. In summary, for running the TI's Ethercat slave you just need an ICEv2 board (or another TI's supported device), pre-build app, MLO (bootloader) and an SD card.

    Thank you,

    Paula

  • 0 in reply to Paula Carrillo
    Intellectual 980 points
    Hello Paula,
    I think that your answer resolves our doubts. I'll contact acontis for Linux statistics so that I can compare the TI-RTOS and Linux results.
    Thank you very much.

    Best Wishes,
    Davide Brunelli