75 lines
4.0 KiB
Markdown
75 lines
4.0 KiB
Markdown
# MetalMusings EtherCAT device
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This repository contains the EtherCAT devices I have designed, built and put in use in linuxcnc.
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Everything should be here - Schematics, PCB layouts, and what is needed to build the boards.
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Software tools to create an ESI-file and program the ESC eeprom.
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Software tools to create the application running on a STM32F407VG.
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I have (so far) used two different ESC ICs: LAN9252 and Ax58100.
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Both work, I can't really see a difference.
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The Ax58100 has a leg spacing of 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm for the LAN9252.
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On paper the Ax58100 has more builtin functionality like stepper motor drivers,
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but the documentation is lacking. Or my understanding of the documentation is lacking.
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The LAN9252 is the true and tested IC of the two. If you don't know, go for the LAN9252.
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I learned most of what I know about EtherCAT through a number of Youtube Videos I made.
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There are accompanying git branches. For example, for video 8 you can check out the
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Video8 branch to get the software tree in the state at the video.
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More info on the videos, which now more are of historical intereste, but also a bit of learning
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by following [this link](Videos.md)
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=======
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## EaserCAT 2000 - a testbench for ESC+MCU, SOES, stepper generator, linuxcnc
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This was the first card that got used in Linuxcnc. Follow [link here](Cards/EaserCAT-2000/)
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I think I got it working pretty well in the end. There was, and still is, an issue with
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synchronization between the linuxcnc servo-loop and the ESC DC loop.
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I don't remember the status of it anymore, it was some time ago I worked with it.
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The main thing was that it lacked optocouplers and isolation for the external signals.
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## EaserCAT 3000 - All in one board with Ax58100
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This card is an evolution of the EaserCAT 2000 and was intended to be used in my plasma cutter.
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It features four stepper driver outputs, input for a THCAD arc voltage card, an encoder,
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an analog output (for spindle +- 10V), eigth digital inputs, four digital outputs,
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plus some 12 I/O for any possible extension. The IOs are isolated from the MCU.
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However, I couldn't get this card to work, almost at all. The Ax58100 didn't even load the eeprom.
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Struggling with the documentation for the Ax58100, which formed my negative opinion about that,
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I gave up and let it sit for over half a year. It was first when a user came and asked questions
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around it had another look. I built a new board, and it all started to work.
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At time of writing it all seems to work.
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[Link here](Cards/EaserCAT-3000-Digital-Stepper-Analog-Encoder-Frequency/)
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## EaserCAT 4000 - THCAD reader
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Faced with the problems with the EaserCAT 3000 board, and still wanting to use EtherCAT in
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my upcoming plasma cutter, I made this board whos single purpose is to read the PWM frequency
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from Mesa's THCAD board. The THCAD board reads the voltage between the nozzle and the workpiece
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which is 100V something. Highly isolated, and with a voltage to frequency converter it
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delivers a differential pwm signal. The frequency of this signal can be related to the voltage.
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That's what is needed for linuxcnc torch height control.
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In the tests on the bench this can read up to 200 kHz, but its's better to be below 100 kHz.
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It seems to work fine. Implementation is with interrupts. The best option would be to use
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TIM2's PWM_INPUT function. I tried a lot but couldn't get it to work. It still works for
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its intended use. If time and interests are in phase with the moon, I might look at that again.
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[Link here](Cards/EaserCAT-4000-THCAD-Reader/)
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## EaserCAT 5000 - Digital IO without MCU
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A card, just doing Digital Input and Digital Output. The intentions is to read limit switches
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and some other switches around the plasma torch. And to switch on the plasma torch.
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It's a single LAN9252, configured for local IO. To IO pins are optocouplers attached for isolation.
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At point of writing it has not been run yet. Still waiting for parts.
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[Link here](Cards/EaserCAT-5000-Digital-8In-8Out-LAN9252-only/)
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###License
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Don't violate the original licenses. No warranties. Use it any way you like.
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