Intel, Altera, MSC/GE-Research, and 3S-Systems Software used the Industrial Reference Platform to show a computer numeric controller (CNC) EtherCAT drives demonstration at Embedded World ’09 (see Figure 1). The demonstration used the EtherCAT protocols standard to control drives and motors, with the resulting pattern simulated on the LCD display.
The Intel® AtomTM processor runs the Linux OSADL, application drivers, and the 3S CoDeSys PLC software. The Altera® Arria® GX FPGA (base) board provides the industrial Ethernet intellectual property (IP) and I/O connectivity, communicating with the Intel Atom processor via PCI Express and to the drive control modules across EtherCAT links.
Figure 1. CNC EtherCAT Drives Demonstration, as Shown at Embedded World ‘09
