EtherNet/IP-Stack for ERTEC - Industrial Ethernet-Software from NetModule

The ERTEC (Enhanced Real Time Ethernet Controller) family of controllers from Siemens/NEC offers a powerful connection to industrial fieldbus systems based on Ethernet (Industrial Ethernet). Two controllers are currently available, ERTEC200 with 2 integrated Ethernet ports and ERTEC400 with 4 integrated Ethernet ports. Both controllers contain an intelligent switch and support Fast Ethernet (100 MBit/s). The integrated ARM 946 processor takes care of all communication tasks and thereby unburdens the processor of the connected device.

Siemens and other companies use ERTEC for devices to be connected to PROFINET. Siemens also offers the required software, the PROFINET stack. NetModule implemented an EtherNet/IP stack for the ERTEC. Device manufacturers are now able to offer the widely used Industrial Ethernet standard 'EtherNet/IP' together with PROFINET on the same hardware platform and hence get access to new market segments.

EtherNet/IP offers a producer/consumer model for the exchange of time critical process data. The Application and Transport Layers are CIP (Control and Information Protocol), a protocol also inherent in ControlNet and DeviceNet. EtherNet/IP uses standard Ethernet and IP technology to transport CIP packets.

EtherNet/IP does not ask for additional features from the standard Ethernet technology (IEEE 802.3) However, we recommend to use a powerful switch technology and full duplex operation in order to improve the real-time behavior.

The EtherNet/IP stack from NetModule implements the Application and Transport Layers of CIP according to the specification of ODVA (Open DeviceNet Vendor Association). Furthermore, it implements the CIP Adaptation Layer for EtherNet/IP following the guidelines of ODVA. This layer connects the stack with the operating system VxWorks that Siemens provides together with ERTEC.

NetModule's EtherNet/IP stack is also available for the Microsoft Windows operating system.