Communication protocols in industrial automation are becoming more crucial than ever as the sector adopts digital transformation and Industry 4.0 principles.
Six Fieldbus and Ethernet-based protocols have been incorporated into the firmware of the Infineon XMC7000 industrial microcontroller by Infineon Technologies and its partner RT-Labs, a supplier of industrial communication solutions, to facilitate smooth data transmission and control in automation systems.
The firmware is accessible via Infineon’s ModusToolbox development platform, which offers a unified software solution for all of the main industrial communication protocols. To fully utilize the XMC7000 microcontroller’s high-performance capabilities in a variety of applications, such as servo drives, I/O modules, robotic arms, industrial gateways, PLCs, and more, users can quickly and simply build the necessary protocols on the microcontroller.
Standardized sets of guidelines known as industrial communication protocols control the flow of information between systems and devices in an industrial automation setting. Customers can now access the following communication protocols: PROFINET RT, EtherNet/IP, CANopen, CC-Link, Modbus/TCP, and EtherCAT Master thanks to Infineon and RT-Labs’ partnership.
The middleware is hosted on a GitHub repository, guaranteeing current, readily available libraries. Furthermore, Infineon facilitates implementation by offering thorough documentation and easily navigable code examples, obviating the need for the customers to have in-depth knowledge or substantial resources.
Leadership Comments
“Infineon’s XMC microcontrollers have a long history of enabling the factory floor. As Industry 4.0 continues to build momentum, existing Fieldbus and Ethernet-based protocols are critical for industrial automation,” said Panagiotis Venardos, Senior Product Manager Microcontroller at Infineon. “We continue to invest in higher performance microcontrollers and connected MCUs to help drive further enhancements to how the factory floor seamlessly communicates. Our partner RT-Labs helps bring scale to this effort with their field-proven and highly optimized Ethernet and Fieldbus protocol stacks.”
“At RT-Labs, we believe industrial communication should be effortless. As a Premium Partner with Infineon, we’re bringing plug-and-play connectivity to ModusToolbox,” said Marcus Ekerhult, CMO RT-Labs. “With support for leading protocols and U-Phy technology, developers can now accelerate development and launch products faster while ensuring reliability and compliance. We’re excited for this partnership and the innovations it will unlock.”
Availability
The software is available now.
For Further Info: CLICK HERE
