icNET Software Modules for Industrial Communication & Networking

IBV offers software solutions for industrial communication under the icNET brand. The products can be licensed on a project basis.

Currently, the following products are available, supporting the EtherCAT communication protocol:

The purpose of this website is to provide information about demo versions of the icECAT software products.

icECAT EtherCAT Master demos

IBV provides a free demo version of the icECAT EtherCAT Master Stack. This software allows users to evaluate its features and performance. It enables the setup and manual operation of an EtherCAT network.

The demo supports a subset of the icECAT EtherCAT Master Stack’s features, including:

  • Online network scanning: The EtherCAT configuration is automatically generated based on ESI files provided by the SubDevice vendor or SII (online information from the SubDevice)

  • Use of a custom ENI XML file

  • Network state transition to PreOP, SafeOP and OPERATIONAL

  • Cyclic communication, optionally with Distributed Clocks (DC) synchronization in DC master mode if requested by a SubDevice

  • Manual network control via the monitor tool:

    • Access to input and output process variables (PDOs)

    • SubDevice state control

    • SDO download/upload requests

    • Read/write access to ESC (EtherCAT Slave Controller) registers

  • Timing analysis using the built-in performance monitor

  • Simulation of an EtherCAT network based on an ENI file

The demo software is pre-compiled and has the following limitations:

  • Runtime is limited to 10 minutes.

  • Supports a maximum of five SubDevices.

  • EtherCAT features such as FoE, EoE, Hot Connect, and Cable Redundancy are excluded.

  • Does not support building a custom MainDevice application or controlling the EtherCAT MainDevice stack via the API.

The demo software is available for these platforms:

  • Texas Instruments Sitara AM64x on TI TMDS64EVM

  • Texas Instruments Sitara AM64x on PHYTEC phyBOARD-Electra AM64x (coming soon)

  • STM32MP2 on STM32MP257F evaluation board (coming soon)

  • Renesas RZ/T2M on RZ/T2M-RSK Renesas Start Kit+ (coming soon)

  • NXP i.MX8M Plus on PHYTEC phyBOARD-Pollux (coming soon)

You can request a download link for the demo software package here.

Evaluating the icNET software

With the evaluation package, you can build a custom MainDevice application and test its performance on supported platforms. You can request a full-featured evaluation version of the icNET software products at IBV.

Licensing

  • The icNET software products are offered under a project-based license for a one-time fee.

  • All libraries and tools are shipped in source code.

  • No runtime licenses (“royalties”) or development licenses are required.

Contact

For technical support or sales inquiries, please contact:

IBV - Echtzeit- und Embedded GmbH & Co. KG
Bergiusstraße 13
86199 Augsburg
GERMANY