CANopen and Ethernet Powerlink to harmonise

An EPSG (Ethernet Powerlink Standardization Group) product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jul 3, 2003

The CAN in Automation international users and manufacturers group and the Ethernet Powerlink Standardization Group have agreed to use CANopen device profiles in Ethernet Powerlink devices.

The CAN in Automation (CiA) international users and manufacturers group and the Ethernet Powerlink Standardization Group (EPSG) have agreed to use CANopen device profiles in Ethernet Powerlink devices.

In addition, the EPSG will define a communication profile compatible to the CANopen profile (CiA DS301 and EN50325-4).

The specifications of both profiles will be harmonised in a joint CiA/EPSG Task Force.

Due to identical data formats and compatible communication services, this integration will make seamless and transparent combinations of CANopen and Ethernet Powerlink devices available to industry users.

"The CANopen family of profiles comprises generic device profiles for I/O modules, electric and hydraulic drives and encoders, as well as specific device profiles for extruders, looming machines, temperature control and various specific sensors (like inclinometer)", says the General Manager and Member of the Board of the CiA, Holger Zeltwanger.

"Due to these facts, CANopen is widely accepted at manufacturers of serial machinery".

However, the CAN bandwidth is limited to 1Mbit/s and cannot meet all datarate requirements, in particular in motion control applications.

With Ethernet Powerlink, the CAN user will get an Ethernet-based alternative capable to handle extremely time-critical data communication demands like in motion control applications.

The system is compatible to worldwide IT standards like IEEE802.3 Standard Ethernet, and IP-based protocols like TCP/IP, UDP/IP, http etc, and allows seamless integration with corporate wide networks.

"Today, the CANopen-world offers one of the most comprehensive set of proven device profiles.

It was not reasonable to re-invent the wheel for Ethernet Powerlink", says Dr Edwin Kiel, Chairman of the Board EPSG and Managing Director Lenze Drive Systems.

"More than 400 CiA members worldwide develop and manufacture CAN-based systems and components.

In comparison to many other associations, CiA is not dominated by one single large corporation, thus succeeding on a very broad basis.

This fits very well with our Powerlink strategy of openness and independence, with its wide acceptance at medium-sized companies.

In addition, both communication systems complement each other ideally".

The combination of Ethernet Powerlink with CANopen profiles will offer transparency from sensor level, via drives up to Ethernet-based factory networks and above.

By using CANopen profiles, machine builders will be offered an easy migration path between CANopen and Ethernet Powerlink and vice versa.

Inexpensive gateways will make it possible to connect Powerlink subsystems to CANopen networks and CANopen subsystems to Ethernet Powerlink networks.

The CiA/EPSG Joint Task Force (Communication Profile Harmonization) is open to all CiA and EPSG members.

First results of the co-operation are already expected for the SPS/IPC/Drives show in November in Nuremberg.