Industrial Ethernet – Software blueprint for EtherCAT, PROFINET & EtherNet/IP

Implement Industrial Ethernet communication on the phyCORE-AM64x quickly and reliably. Together with our partner IBV, we provide a development kit with a pre-configured software SDK that gets EtherCAT, PROFINET, and EtherNet/IP up and running immediately on PHYTEC hardware. Use our ready-made demos as a starting point and the SDK as a solid foundation for your own application development.

Industrial communication protocols such as EtherCAT, PROFINET or EtherNet/IP place special demands on the hardware and the operating system: They require deterministic latencies that a standard Linux system alone cannot guarantee.

The phyCORE-AM64x solves this problem through its heterogeneous processor architecture. The SoC combines powerful Cortex-A53 Linux cores with dedicated real-time processors (R5F) and special industrial Ethernet units (PRU-ICSSG). This allows demanding communication protocols to run in real time, while the actual application logic conveniently runs under Linux.

Our SDK, which we developed together with IBV, makes precisely this architecture accessible to you.

Our service: Industrial Ethernet out-of-the-box

In cooperation with our partner IBV, we have taken over the complex software integration for you:

  • Pre-configured SDK: A complete software development kit for the AM64x that makes the industrial Ethernet protocols EtherCAT, PROFINET and EtherNet/IP directly usable.

  • Protocol demos with quick start guide: A fully functional demo application is available for each of the three protocols, including a quickstart guide for immediate use.

  • Standalone test image: A ready-made Linux image for the phyCORE-AM64x Industrial Communication Kit, which you can flash directly onto an SD card and use for initial testing.

  • Yocto Meta-Layer as a BSP template: The meta-indcomms-ibv layer serves as a clean starting point for your own production-ready Yocto image.

  • Integration support: Beyond the demo, PHYTEC and IBV will support you in integrating the protocols into your specific application.

More technical details

The TI AM64x seamlessly integrates Linux and real-time computing: The application runs on the Linux-compatible Cortex-A53 cores, while time-critical communication is offloaded to dedicated PRU-ICSSG units. These PRUs execute the protocol firmware directly, ensuring deterministic behavior regardless of the Linux load. The result: Both soft and hard real-time scenarios are achievable on a single SoC.

Each protocol uses a proven, industry-grade software stack:

  • EtherCAT: Based on the Beckhoff SSC stack, which is considered an established EtherCAT slave stack. IBV brings many years of ETG membership and integration experience to the table.

  • PROFINET: The PRU-ICSSG runs the TI PROFINET Device Firmware, based on the Siemens ERTEC Stack with lwIP as the network basis (Industrial Communications SDK v09.02).

  • EtherNet/IP: Also implemented via the PRU-ICSSG of the AM64x, provided by the TI/IBV software stack.

Hardware expansion for full access to the PRUs

To make the PRU-ICSSG interfaces of the AM64x usable, the phyCORE-AM64x Industrial Communication Kit An adapter board is included, providing two additional Ethernet ports. These ports are used for the Industrial Ethernet protocols.

Recommended Hardware

The  phyCORE-AM64x Industrial Communication Kit This is the direct hardware basis for this Ezpire component. It consists of the phyCORE-AM64x SOM, a carrier board, and an adapter board for accessing the PRU Ethernet ports. It comes with a pre-flashed SD card, allowing you to immediately start using the protocol demos. The kit is aimed at developers who want to evaluate Industrial Ethernet on the AM64x or build their application directly on this platform.

Links & Resources

Get started right away with the SDK and demo applications. Here you'll find all the necessary materials, from the appropriate development kit to the Yocto resources for your own integration.

phyCORE-AM64x Industrial Communication Kit
Here you will find all the details and ordering options for the Development Kit, on which our SDK and the provided images are ready to run directly out-of-the-box.
SDK package (image, quickstart, demos)
The complete package for a quick start. Includes fully functional demo applications for EtherCAT, PROFINET and EtherNet/IP, as well as the corresponding quick start guide.
BSP image (IBV v0.1)
The finished, pre-configured Linux image including IBV protocol stack for direct flashing onto an SD card.
PHYTEC documentation: Industrial Ethernet Dev Kit
Our comprehensive technical documentation guides you step-by-step through the commissioning and use of the protocols.
GitHub: Yocto Meta-Layer
The official Yocto meta-layer. Use this BSP template to cleanly and securely integrate the Industrial Ethernet SDK into your own production-ready image.
IBV icNET: Industrial Communication Software
Detailed technical information from our partner IBV regarding the fieldbus and Industrial Ethernet stacks used in the SDK.
IBV Website