MCU features built-in EtherCAT slave node for compact industrial system designs
The XMC4800 from Infineon saves space and simplifies circuit design in industrial systems that use EtherCAT® technology for robust, deterministic communication. On-chip memory, analogue functions and communications interfaces support high levels of integration.
The XMC4800 Arm® Cortex®-M4 core-based industrial microcontroller from Infineon includes an embedded EtherCAT slave node, enabling OEMs to realize very compact designs without the need for a dedicated EtherCAT ASIC and its associated external memory and crystal.
In fact, the XMC4800 version housed in a 100-lead QFP package requires no external components, and is one of the smallest fully integrated EtherCAT slave MCUs on the market.
Alongside the 144 MHz CPU, the XMC4800 offers up to 2 Mbytes of embedded Flash memory, 352 kbytes of RAM, and a comprehensive range of peripheral and interface functions. The peripherals include four parallel 12-bit ADC modules, two 12-bit DACs, four delta-sigma demodulator modules, six capture/compare units, and two position sensor interface modules.
In addition to the EtherCAT slave functionality, the XMC4800 communication functions include interfaces for Ethernet, USB, and SD/MMC. Featuring a multi-layer bus matrix, the XMC4800’s CPU can handle EtherCAT data while the MCU Ethernet DMA controller moves data to an internal memory without producing timing conflicts. This enables designers to implement complex applications in the XMC4800, taking advantage of the flexible internal integration of multiple standard communications interfaces.
Examples of EtherCAT slave-based applications to which the XMC4800 is well suited include:
- Motor control systems using encoder or resolver interfaces
- Factory automation sub-systems such as I/O modules and programmable logic controllers
- Robotics systems requiring real-time control and low latency