The Road to embedded world ’23: Taipei City, Taiwan, ICOP

January 11, 2023

Blog

We are back yet again in such a short time. You might think we just decided to stroll around, and we have, sort of, but one must remember a poem from The Fellowship of the Ring that sings of Aragorn with, “Not all those who wander are lost.” So, now we wander in an organized way over to see ICOP and witness what innovative EtherCAT solutions it is bringing to booth 1-581 at embedded world 2023. 

ICOP is bringing its EtherCAT master motion controllers and slave modules. The technology will demonstrate how ICOP is at the forefront of its industry with integrated hardware and software that is well suited for industrial automation applications.

EtherCAT?

EtherCAT (Ethernet Control Automation Technology) is a communication protocol centered on the standard Ethernet design. Advantages of utilizing EtherCAT is low cost, high speed, and support for many differing component manufacturers, making it ideal for machine automation to connect with real-time I/O devices.

Communication Level Comparison:

• Factory Level: < 1000ms. (Ethernet – TCP/IP, etc.) IPC / Server PC / Wireless
• Machine Level: < 100ms. (Modbus / CC-Link, etc.) HMI / Panel PC
• Unit Level: < 5ms. (EtherCAT, etc.) Digital IO / Analog IO / CANOpen Interface

The following is an example of ICOP's EtherCAT master (QEC-M) highlights during embedded world 2023:

QEC-M-01 (Quick to EtherCAT)

• Vortex86EX2 processor
• 86Duino Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
• Low Code Programming Tools support
• Hard/Soft Real-time
• Modular structure of EtherCAT Master: CoE, FoE, DC, Cable-Redundancy
• Operating temperature -20°C to 70°C

QEC-M-043T

• Vortex86EX2 processor
• Arduino programming environment (Support Scratch)
• Guarantee real-time
• Cable redundancy
• Minimal 125μs cycle time
• Support EtherCAT CoE, FoE
• Fanless design, Operating temperature -20°C to 70°C 

QEC-M-070T

• Vortex86EX2 processor
• 86Duino Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
• Low Code Programming Tools support
• Hard/Soft Real-time
• Modular structure of EtherCAT Master: CoE, FoE, DC, Cable-Redundancy
• 7-inch TFT 800×480 Resolution LCD
• Operating temperature -20°C to 70°C

Summary of the master family features:

1. Designed as a real-time Arduino Integrated development environment
2. Distributed Clocks support
3. CANopen over EtherCAT (CoE)
4. File Access over EtherCAT (FoE)
5. Configuring EtherCAT cable redundancy
6. 86Duino IDE (Arduino based)

ICOP will also present its Ethercat slave modules and controllers (QEC-R) to visitors at its booth, including:

LCD

EtherCAT Slave module can support TFT LCD.

QEC-R00UN01-N

• Suitable for EtherCAT protocol
• Support 2.5” and 3.5” TFT LCD
• Support EtherCAT Cable Redundancy
• Support two-isolated Power
• Support Complete Library
• LED indicators for I/O status

HID

EtherCAT Slave Gateway Controller. (MPG + UART + Keypad +LCM)

QEC-R00HU

• Suitable for EtherCAT protocol
• Support two standard RS232/485
• Support MPG Hand-wheel
• Support Keypad + LCM
• Internal Monitoring (voltage, current, temperature)
• LED indicators for I/O status
• The QEC-RXXHU series are industrial EtherCAT slave HID modules equipped with EtherCAT protocol. With a wide range of EtherCAT gateway functions, which integrate RS-232/485, MPG (hand wheel), keypad, and LCM into the EtherCAT bus system and are very easy to install and use.
• The QEC-RXXHU series can connect industrial equipment that cannot be linked with Ethernet to the EtherCAT bus, converting data and sending it to the master or the PC, perfectly realizing diversified applications.

Digital IO

EtherCAT Slave Digital Input/Output module

QEC-R00D

• Suitable for EtherCAT protocol
• 16-ch Digital Input / 16-ch MOS Relay Digital Output
• 1500 Vrms Optical Isolation for each Digital I/O
• Vp/Vs Dual Isolated Power Input with Redundancy backup
• Wire-break detection for DI
• LED indicators for I/O status

Stepper Motor

EtherCAT Slave Stepper Motor Controller.

QEC-R11MP3S-N

• 3 stepper motors (2-phase bipolar stepper motor)
• Drive current up to 4.5A (Adjustable by Switch)
• Encoder interfaces (A, B, Z), differential
• Highest resolution: 16 micro-steps per full step
• Automatic current reduction when the motor is not moving
• Support EtherCAT protocol

QS

EtherCAT Slave Controller for Analog Slots.

QS11-RKIOGEDB-C

• Support EtherCAT protocol
• 8-slot Customization Analog Input
• SPI/I2C Interface
• Diagnostic LED Indicators

For further information on how you can implement your own EtherCAT connected system, visit www.qec.tw/.

Chad Cox. Production Editor, Embedded Computing Design, has responsibilities that include handling the news cycle, newsletters, social media, and advertising. Chad graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a B.A. in Cultural and Analytical Literature.

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