EtherCAT slave simulation

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sbackman
Posts: 4
Joined: 06 Oct 2017, 10:27

EtherCAT slave simulation

Post by sbackman »

Is it possible to have a RevPi Core 3 and an EtherCAT slave connected to simulate an unit and control the data through Modbus TCP from the RevPi?

Can I have two gateways to simulate two units with one RevPi Core? One connected to the left of the RevPi Core and the other to the right.

Is it possible to connect two gateways without a RevPi Core as a protocol converter?

I want to make the simulation program in LabVIEW and communicate with the RevPi through Modbus TCP (or other protocol that is available on the RevPi) and configure the system so the EtherCAT slave sends the data to the EtherCAT master on my system. Is this possible with configuration on the RevPi system or do I need to write some software on the RecPi Core to do this?
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volker
Posts: 1046
Joined: 09 Nov 2016, 15:41

Re: EtherCAT slave simulation

Post by volker »

Although I did not really get the point of what you plan to connect... I'll try to give some information. Maybe it will answer your question. If not, then please explain your planned setup a little bit more.

1) The KUNBUS Gateway modules are originally built to be used as a pair of 2 in order to convert one bus/protocol to the other without any software or configuration.

2) Not knowing what you mean by simulating "units" (what is a unit???): If you connect one of the KUNBUS Gateway modules to the RevPi then the RevPi does cyclically exchange it's data (process image) with the gateway module. The gateway on the other hand is always a slave to the field bus and will behave as such when talking to a field bus master device (often a PLC). So the fieldbus master (PLC) can cyclically exchange 2 x 512 byte data with the slave gateway module which is exchanging its 2 x 512 byte data on the other hand with the RevPi core's process image.

3) The PiBrige is designed to be used with up to 2 gateway modules but we strongly recommend to use a RevPi 3 if you are using 2 gateways (they will consume a high portion of the Core's compute power).

4) The RevPi Core's Modbus master and slave modules are virtual ones and there are master as well as slave stacks implemented. Both are also exchanging their fieldbus data (from connected master or slave devices) with the central process image.

5) If you want to mirror data between Modbus and 1 or 2 Gateway modules connected to the RevPi you will need to write code to do so. This code needs to cyclically read the data in the process image area from the source module and write the data into the process image area of the destination module.
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