Industrial Partner: IXXAT Automation GmbH

IXXAT is one of the leading suppliers of data communication technology for the industrial automation and automotive industries. IXXAT's solutions support real-time industrial Ethernet protocol standards (EtherNet/IP, EtherCAT, Powerlink, and PROFINET), providing a fast and cost-efficient way to adopt devices to various industrial Ethernet technologies. IXXAT also provides industrial networking protocol software and reference designs that use Altera^® Cyclone^® III FPGAs and Nios^® II embedded processors.

On October 14, 2008, IXXAT announced that the company will demonstrate their new industrial Ethernet module at the upcoming SPS/IPC/Drives 2008 Fair in Nuremberg, Germany. The industrial Ethernet module supports EtherNet/IP (adapter device), EtherCAT (slave controller), Powerlink (controlled node), and PROFINET RT (I/O device) on Altera Cyclone III FPGAs and Nios II processor. Modbus/TCP (server device) and SERCOS III (slave device) protocol standards are on the roadmap. Key benefits for customers using the industrial Ethernet module (or the reference designs) are a single hardware approach pre-certified for all protocols mentioned above, short and reliable, time-to-market, and reduced development risks and costs. Figure 1 shows IXXAT's industrial Ethernet module.

Figure 1. Cyclone III FPGA-Based IXXAT Industrial Ethernet Module

Board Image Courtesy: IXXAT Automation GmbH