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3 POWERLINK Information
POWERLINK V2.0, also called “CANopen over Ethernet“, is a
Real-Time Ethernet-
T
echnology
and is particularly suitable for
-
Synchronization of drives
-
Robotics
-
Axis controls
-
Process automation
POWERLINK was developed primarily in 2001 by Bernecker + Rainer Industrie-
Elektronik GmbH (B&R) and is available as an open standard. The “
E
THERNET
P
owerlink
S
tandardization
G
roup” (EPSG) user association was established for the
further development of this technology.
POWERLINK is a publicly accessible specification, which was published by the IEC
(IEC/Pas 62408) in 2005 and is part of ISO 15745-4. This part was integrated into the
new editions of the international field bus standards IEC 61158 (Protocols and
Services) and IEC 61784-2 (Communication Profiles).
3.1 General
Ethernet POWERLINK (EPL) is a communication profile for Real-Time Ethernet
(RTE). It extends Ethernet according to the IEEE 802.3 standard with mechanisms to
transfer data with predictable timing and precise synchronization. The communication
profile meets timing demands typical for high-performance automation and motion
applications. It does not change basic principles of the Fast Ethernet Standard
IEEE 802.3 but extends it towards Real-Time Ethernet. Thus it is possible to leverage
and continue to use any standard Ethernet silicon, infrastructure component or test
and measurement equipment like a network analyzer.
Key features
● Ease-of-Use to be handled by typical automation engineers without in-depth
Ethernet network knowledge
● up to 240 networked real-time nodes in one network segment
● deterministic communication guaranteed
– IAONA Real-Time Class 4, highest performance
– minimum cycle time of ≤ 200 µs
– minimum jitter of < 1 µs, for precise synchronization of networked nodes
● direct peer-to-peer communication of all nodes (publish/subscribe)
● “Hot Plugging” functionality
● Seamless integration into other networks via routing
● Standard Compliant
– IEEE 802.3u Fast Ethernet
– IP based protocols supported, e.g. UDP
– Integration with CANopen Profiles EN50325-4 for device interoperability
