Lattice Semiconductor has declared that a Sercos III real-time Ethernet solution is readily available. The LatticeECP3 FPGA-enabled Sercos III solution featuring reduced cost and power provides a flexible and economic design choice for industrial networking applications in real-time.
Sercos International, the global user organization for Sercos technology, supports Sercos III . The LatticeECP3-based Sercos III networking system will be displayed at Nuremburg, Germany-based exhibition center at the IPC/SPS/Drives show held from November 22 to 24, 2011.
The digital bus, Sercos integrates motion controls, I/O, drives, actuators and sensors for analytical systems and machines, which has been designed for the rapid serial communication of consistent, automated, synchronized information over industrial Ethernet. The Sercos III real-time Ethernet evaluation kit includes FPGA module and base board, with an optional expansion module. This has been particularly built for performance measurements and test implementations of Sercos III slave devices, which depend on the SERCON100S slave IP core coupled with the LatticeMico32 soft microprocessor and various optional system functions.
The FPGA module includes a LatticeECP3-35 FPGA, 8 MB Flash and DRAM. This module can be incorporated into Sercos III slave devices, owing to its compact dimensions, wide bus and I/O interface, which reduces cost and time . The base board includes 16DO and 16DI, RS232 interface, status LEDs, invariable bi-color Sercos III diagnostic LED, a variety of switches, and with current supply of 24VDC or 5VDC. The socket for expansion modules caters to more interfaces like the analog I/O. This module has been supported by AUTOMATA Sercos III slave tools and the LatticeECP3 FPGA family is well- suited for industrial operations, video camera and display, wireless infrastructure applications, and wire line communications.