ethercat® network simulation - acontis

EtherCAT® Network Simulation

Run an EtherCAT controller with a simulated network

• Use Cases overview

• General system architecture

• HiL and SiL architectures

• Use Cases details

• Technical details

• Licensing

Apr 2022 2

Content

Apr 2022 3

Use Cases

Run the Master application without real slaves

Comfortable Debugging of complex topology/slave type scenarios

Master Software Development

Replace manual test procedures by automatic procedures.

Implement enhanced tests

Fieldbus Master Device Test

Develop and test applications based on a software emulation of the machine logic

Virtual Commissioning

Develop slave firmware before hardware is available

Slave Firmware Development

Simulation

Real World

Apr 2022 4

General System Architecture

EtherCAT Master Software

Application Software

Controller

EtherCAT Slave Devices

Characteristic of real-world

system



Software for Imitation of

real-world systemHiL SystemController

Slave Simulation Software

EC-Simulator

PC or embedded Hardware

Apr 2022 5

Hardware-in-Loop (HiL) SimulationAll slaves are simulated

• The System-Under-Test (SUT) is communicating via an EtherCAT cable with the EC-Simulator software running on an external hardware, the HiL System.

• HiL System doesn´t require special hardware, a standard Ethernet interface can be used

• In this setup the unchanged application together with the EtherCAT master can be tested

Master

HiL System

System Under Test

(SUT)

Simulated EtherCAT Network

SUTMaster

Hardware

Simulator

Apr 2022 6

Hardware-in-Loop (HiL) SimulationMix of real slaves and simulated slaves

• EC-Simulator simulates a subset of the EtherCAT network

• A HiL System with one Ethernet port has to be the last device on the network

• A HiL System with multiple ports might be connected also between real slaves

• Slaves which shall be simulated are tagged in the EtherCAT tool EC-Engineer. The resulting network configuration (ENI file) contains all slaves.

System Under Test

(SUT)

Simulated Slaves in EC-Simulator

RealSlaves

Apr 2022 7

• Support for various operating systems, e. g. Linux and Windows

• High performance due to the acontis Real-time Ethernet drivers

• Simulation of EtherCAT Slave Controller (ESC) hardware in software

• Implementation of Beckhoff EtherCAT Slave Stack ET9300

• EC-Simulator offers a “C” language application programming interface (API)

HiL SimulationSoftware architecture

OS Abstraction

Customer C/C++ ApplicationTest Cases, Simple Logic, etc.

EC-Simulator

Simulator

acontis Ethernet Drivers

Cyclic Process Data Image

Programing Interfaces: Process Data, Network Operations, Diagnosis

Slave Registers, EEPROM, etc.

ESC Hardware Simulation

EtherCAT Slave Stack ET9300

• The EtherCAT network is simulated by a software running on the System Under Test (SUT).

• Instead of communicating with the Ethernet Controller, the EC-Master EtherCAT master is directly exchanging EtherCAT frames with the simulation software.

Apr 2022 8

Software-in-Loop (SiL) Simulation

EC-Master

SiL System

Simulated EtherCAT Network

System Under Test

(SUT)

acontis Ethernet Driver

• EC-Simulator replaces the Ethernet Driver normally used for the physical interface. No physical network interface required!

Apr 2022 9

SiL SimulationSoftware architecture

OS Abstraction

Customer Application C/C++

EC-Simulator

Ethernet DriverInterface

EC-Master

Process Data Image

EC-Master

SiL System

Inp

uts

Ou

tpu

ts

Programing Interfaces: Process Data, Network Operations,

Diagnosis

Process Data Image Slave Registers…

Ethernet

Frames

Use Cases

• Run the Master application without real slaves

• Comfortable integration of master stack software into application, e. g., implement and test functionsfor slaves which aren´t available

• Useful for implementing and testing advanced EtherCAT features, e.g., hot connect, firmware download, etc.

• Validate master application with different network configurations and topologies Just load a different ENI file into EC-Simulator

• Execute and debug application with a much slower network cycle time to determine the system behavior step-by-step.SiL architecture: By setting a breakpoint in the application all slaves are staying in OP state, because they are “stopped” as well (no watchdogs are expiring).

Apr 2022 11

Use CaseMaster Software Development

• Simulate slave errors, e.g., slave drops down from OP to SAFEOP

• Simulate cable break, frame loss, bad connectors

• Simulate large networks with many slaves

• Test extended scenarios, e.g., simulate topology changes

• Simulate error scenarios at any location. Before or after the real slaves

• Automatic test protocol generation

Apr 2022 12

Use CaseFieldbus Master Device Release Tests

Simulation

Apr 2022 13

Use CaseVirtual Commissioning with Real-time Simulation



Imitation of real-world

systemHiL System

Controller

Slave Simulation Software

EC-Simulator

Third Party Software forDigital Twin, Virtual Commissioning

• EC-Simulator together with Digital-Twin Software

• Test and optimize the application at an early stage of the engineering, even without any real existing target hardware.

• Test error scenarios which are dangerous and/or lead to damages

• Develop slave firmware before real hardware is available

• EC-Simulator is based on the Beckhoff EtherCAT Slave Stack ET9300. All standard APPL_XXX() functions are available on application layer.

• Development firmware on Windows or Linux with comfortable IDE Better debugging options compared to typical embedded platform

Faster turnaround times

• Use recorded or generated test data as process data input for slave firmware

• Trace process data outputs and states into files etc.

• Test parameter up- and downloads (CoE, VoE)

• Test firmware downloads (FoE)

Apr 2022 14

Use CaseSlave Firmware Development

Technical Details

Apr 2022 16

Configuration based on ENI file

• Standard EtherCAT Network Information (ENI) file is used to configure the EC-Simulator software

• ENI can be exported by EC-Engineer or any other configuration software, e. g., Beckhoff TwinCAT, supporting it.

Master

SimulatorENI.XML

Master

Simulator

Apr 2022 17

ESC hardware simulation based on EXI configuration file

• ENI file does not include information about the slave hardware

• The EXI (EtherCAT Extended Information) file includes Slave Object Dictionary from ESI or from real slave. Values are also editable!

ESC register values from real slave

Real EEPROM content (instead of default content)

• EXI can be exported by EC-Engineer

ENI.XML

EXI.XML

ESI.XMLESI.

XMLESI.XML

Apr 2022 18

Diagnosis with EC-Engineer/EC-Lyser

OS Abstraction

C/C++ Application

Ethernet Driver

RAS Server (TCP)

Master

Simulator

RAS Client (TCP)

TCP/IP

Online Functions

Apr 2022 19

• Power down/up a specific slave

• Create CRC errors on a specific port (by random)

• Simulate test cases like “Unplugging a cable”

Simulate Power Loss, Link Loss and Frame Errorswith EC-Engineer/EC-Lyser

• Process data logic implemented by customer application from process data image

Apr 2022 20

Process Data Provider:Case A: Default implementation


EC-Simulator

ET9300 EtherCAT Slave Stack Code (SSC) Functions

Inp

uts

Ou

tpu

ts

Process Data

Process DataLogic / Handling

MailboxData

Slave 1Process

DataMailbox

Data

Slave 2Process

DataMailbox

Data

Slave 3Process

DataMailbox

Data

Slave N

CEcSimulatorSscAppl

• Process data provided by sample application, e.g., CiA402, instead of process data image

• Behavior of sample application can´t be changed

• Select “Sample application” in EC-Engineer

Apr 2022 21

Process Data Provider:Case B: Use integrated sample application


EC-Simulator


Process Data

MailboxData

Slave 1Process

DataMailbox

Data

Slave 2Process

DataMailbox

Data

Slave 3Process

DataMailbox

Data

Slave N

CEcSimulatorSscApplCiA402

CiA402 Appl

• Interface for developing and testing own slave firmware: Hook existing own APPL_XXX() slave functions to own code

• Control EtherCAT State Machine, handle process, CoE objects

Apr 2022 22

Process Data Provider: Case C: Implement own slave firmware


EC-Simulator


Process Data

MailboxData

Slave 1Process

DataMailbox

Data

Slave 2Process

DataMailbox

Data

Slave 3Process

DataMailbox

Data

Slave N

Interface Functions:Slave Firmware

CEcSimulatorSscApplExt

Inp

uts

Ou

tpu

ts

• Generic SSC Interface functions APPL_Application()

APPL_GetDeviceID()

• EtherCAT State Machine APPL_StartMailboxHandler(), APPL_StopMailboxHandler()

APPL_StartInputHandler(), APPL_StopInputHandler()

APPL_StartOutputHandler(), APPL_StopOutputHandler()

APPL_GenerateMapping()

APPL_AckErrorInd()

• Process data handling APPL_InputMapping()

APPL_OutputMapping()

Apr 2022 23

Process Data Provider: Case C: Implement own slave firmware

• For each slave a different handling can be choosen

Apr 2022 24

Process Data Provider: Summary


EC-Simulator


Inp

uts

Ou

tpu

ts

Process Data

Process DataLogic / Handling

MailboxData

Slave 1Process

DataMailbox

Data

Slave 2Process

DataMailbox

Data

Slave 3Process

DataMailbox

Data

Slave N

CEcSimulatorSscAppl

CEcSimulatorSscApplCiA402

Interface Functions:Slave Firmware

CiA402 Appl CEcSimulatorSscApplExt

Inp

uts

Ou

tpu

ts

A set of functions to manipulate the network:

• Change the network topology Disconnect/connect/move a slave

Power down/up a slave

• Change a slave state, e.g., switch to PreOp state

Apr 2022 25

Programming InterfaceNetwork Operations


EC-Simulator

RW

Network Topology


VariableDefinitions

SlaveDefinitions

SlaveDefinitions

SlaveDefinitions

VariableDefinitions

VariableDefinitions

A set of functions to perform diagnosis:

• API to read and write slave registers, e. g. read slave states

• API to read and write slave EEPROM content (e.g. write new slave configuration)

• API to read simulator object dictionary

• API to evaluate the network topology

• RAS server for connecting EC-Lyser/EC-Engineer

Apr 2022 26

Programming InterfaceDiagnosis


RW

RAS Server (TCP)

EC-Simulator

Network Topology


VariableDefinitions

SlaveDefinitions

SlaveDefinitions

SlaveDefinitions

VariableDefinitions

VariableDefinitions

Registers

EEPROM

Ou

tpu

ts

• Slaves with and without mailbox

• Mailbox protocol CANopen over EtherCAT (CoE)

• PDO configuration and assignment commands via CoE

• Support for all mailbox initialization commands

• Basic object dictionary

• Support for distributed clocks

• Released for acontis EC-Master

• Tested with EtherCAT Masters from Beckhoff (TwinCAT) and CoDeSys

Apr 2022 27

Features

Evaluation Software and Licensing

• System Requirements: SiL Simulation EC-Master V3.1 PC with Windows 10 Linux, x86, ARM, 32-Bit or 64-Bit

• System Requirements: HiL Simulation PC with Windows 10 Linux, x86, ARM, 32-Bit or 64-Bit PC with LxWin Intel Pro/1000 Ethernet Controller Realtek Gigabit Ethernet Controller

• Restriction Simulator stops after 10 minutes Maximum 5 slaves

Apr 2022 29

Evaluation Version

License Model: SDK, Maintenance, Runtimes• Software Development Kit Documentation, “C” examples with source code, header files,

EC-Simulator Library (binary) Can be used by multiple developers Maintenance: 90 days after delivery is included Runtime licenses have to be ordered separately Examples: 120-100-1-1 EC-Simulator HiL, SDK, Linux, x86, SockRaw 120-101-1-1 EC-Simulator HiL, SDK, Linux, x86, Intel Pro/1000

• Maintenance Optional Support and Updates for 12 months Examples: 120-120-1-1 EC-Simulator HiL Edition, Maintenance, Linux, x86, SockRaw 120-121-1-1 EC-Simulator HiL, Maintenance, Linux, x86, Intel Pro/1000

Apr 2022 30

Licensing: HiL Editions (1)

• Runtimes Different editions supporting a limited number of slaves

Multiple runtime instances on one hardware possible

Combinations / accumulations of runtimes not possible

The software is copy protected

License key based on MAC address of the Ethernet controller

Examples:

120-110-1-1 EC-Simulator HiL Edition, Runtime 24 Slaves, Linux, x86




120-114-1-1 EC-Simulator HiL Edition, Runtime unlimited, Linux, x86

Apr 2022 31

Licensing: HiL Editions (2)

License Model: SDK, Maintenance, Runtimes• Software Development Kit Documentation, “C” examples with source code, header files,

EC-Simulator Library (binary) Can be used by multiple developers Maintenance: 90 days after delivery is included Runtime licenses have to be ordered separately Examples: 121-100-1-1 EC-Simulator SiL Edition SDK, Linux, x86 121-300-1-1 EC-Simulator SiL Edition SDK, Windows, x86

• Maintenance Optional Support and Updates for 12 months Examples: 121-120-1-1 EC-Simulator SiL Edition Maintenance, Linux, x86, monthly 121-320-1-1 EC-Simulator SiL Edition, Maintenance, Windows, x86, monthly

Apr 2022 32

Licensing: SiL Editions (1)

• Runtimes Different editions supporting a limited number of slaves

Multiple runtime instances on one hardware possible

Combinations / accumulations of runtimes not possible

The software is copy protected with USB dongle

Examples:

121-110-1-1 EC-Simulator SiL Edition, Runtime 24 Slaves, Linux, x86




121-114-1-1 EC-Simulator SiL Edition, Runtime unlimited, Linux, x86

Apr 2022 33

Licensing: SiL Editions (2)

• License Model SDK and Maintenance, no runtimes Only for internal usage Can´t be delivered to end customers as a product

• Software Development Kit Documentation, “C” examples with source code, header files,

EC-Simulator Library with source code Can be used by multiple developers Maintenance: 90 days after delivery is included Examples: 122-100-0-0 EC-Simulator Controller Test Edition, Linux, SDK 122-200-0-0 EC-Simulator Controller Test Edition, QNX, SDK

• Maintenance Optional Support and Updates for 12 months Examples: 122-110-0-0 EC-Simulator Controller Test Edition, Maintenance, Linux 122-210-0-0 EC-Simulator Controller Test Edition, Maintenance, QNX

Apr 2022 34

Licensing: Controller Test Edition

ethercat® network simulation - acontis

Documents