It contains the protocol stack for the Managing Node (master) and for the Controlled Nodes (clients). POWERLINK, which operates with standard, on-board Ethernet controllers, reaches cycle times up to 0.5 milliseconds in this Open Source implementation while ensuring high synchronicity. Supported by co-processors, POWERLINK even ensures cycle times up to 0.1 ms.
The BSD license allows anyone to use, distribute and modify the software and to add development enhancements free of charge. Any user may integrate the software into products and sell these. As long as they do not remove the copyright notice from the underlying source code, users are not required to disclose the source code of their own adaptations to the stack.
In releasing the software package, we support users and manufacturers alike by enabling them to closely analyze the Ethernet-based real-time protocol and to adapt it to their own applications without license obstacles.
POWERLINK already is the market leader in the field of communication systems for hard real-time applications. "Through the Open Source release, users gain complete independence in handling the network and are free to adapt it to their own applications. We are thereby aiming at increasing their confidence in this fully developed technology", explains Siegmar Schmidt, managing director of SYS TEC electronic. "We offer services to customers and provide professional support, i.e. in adaptations for specific operating systems or the development of customer-specific extensions. Based on our know-how regarding the stack, we are an ideal partner for all requirements."
Systec also offer a POWERLINK Starter Kit to help you get started quickly with your Ethernet POWERLINK device development. At the core of every kit is a fast freescale MCF5484 single board computer. It is preprogrammed with a Linux-OS, a fully functional EPL stack, as well as sample application code.
