EtherCAT DeviceDesigner

The EtherCAT DeviceDesigner from emtas GmbH is an easy to handle tool for the fast and cost-saving creation of EtherCAT devices. With a few mouse clicks the object dictionary can be created on the base of predefined profile and the characteristics of the objects can be specified.

The EtherCAT DeviceDesigner creates the object dictionary and initializing functions in C source code, an electronic data sheet in XML format and the device documentation.

The highlights are:

  • generation of object dictionary source code for Beckhoff EtherCAT Slave Stack Code (SSC)
  • fast device development by using predefined, standardized profiles
  • helps to avoid double and error prone work by automatic generation of output from a data source 
  • consistency of the object directory with XML file and the generated documentation
  • resource saving configuration of the EtherCAT stack according to the device characteristics
  • easy handling through simple input masks for bit coded values
  • newly added support for modules, slots and enumeration
  • tested to match the requirements of the newest EtherCAT Conformance Test Tool (CTT)

According to the profiles and input the object dictionary is generated as C source code file that is integrated as interface for the stack into the application. As defined in the configuration it is possible to access the objects of the object dictionary directly as C variable from the application. Additionally a configuration- and initializing file is created which ensures that only the used services of the EtherCAT stack will be compiled and initialized. By doing so a memory saving configuration of the EtherCAT stack is achieved. Finally an EtherCAT Slave Information (ESI) file is generated that matches the object dictionary exactly.