Key Features

Host Microcontroller connected via SPI to the netX system on chip
one hardware for all industrial real time ethernet systems
Supports the following protocols: PROFINET IRT and RT Device, EtherCAT Slave ,Ethernet/IP Adapter, POWERLINK Controlled Node, Sercos III Slave, Modbus/TCP Client/Server
two RJ45 ports with real time ethernet switch for line and ring topologies
power supply via Mini-USB connector
reset button
bootmode jumper
netX firmware flash programming via USB
netX protocol stack firmware available as free download for evaluation
host software examples available

Description

netSHIELD is an evaluation expansion board with Arduino Uno pin out compatible connectors for development purposes. The extension board is designed and tested for 3.3V based hardware designs like STM32 Nucleo Micorcontroller evaluation boards.

It enables the user to connect a Microcontroller based application to all market relevant Real-Time-Ethernet industrial networks with best-in-class real time capabilities, like PROFINET, Ethernet/IP, EtherCAT and others.

The extension board features a netX 52 system on chip. The netX SoC architecture is designed from the ground up for the highest demands on flexibility, determinism and performance in terms of multi-protocol capability and low latency for short cycle times. The heterogeneous multi-core architecture features an ARM processor core, coupled with a flexible communication subsystem (xC) for varieties of industrial applications support.

The communication subsystem, i.e. the Protocol Stack, runs completely independent on the netX SoC and requires only small memory and very limited CPU resources from the host microcontroller. A protocol specific firmware image for the netX network controller is stored in a serial flash memory.

GETTING STARTED

Documentation and Software for netSHIELD can be found here: Downloads NSHIELD 52-RE

STM32Cube Expansion

Key Features

Generic API for all Protocol Stacks from Hilscher
Application examples for PROFINET, Ethernet/IP and EtherCAT
Requires a netX companion chip beside the STM32 Microcontroller
Prepared to work with netSHIELD expansion board for STM32 Nucleo-64 and Nucleo-144
Configured for SPI connection between STM32 MCU and netX companion chip
Can be adapted to parallel interface

Description

The I-CUBE-NETX Software Expansion contains a middleware API component, called cifX API. It eases access to a netX companion chip for Real Time Ethernet protocols.

The cifX middleware component API is internally based on a generic cifX Toolkit.

The netX system on chip operates as an independent and flexible communication controller, beside the STM32 host Microcontroller. Industrial protocols like PROFINET, EtherCAT, Ethernet/IP, POWERLINK, Sercos III, and many others are supported by different netX firmware binaries, stored in a serial flash.

Data exchange between the STM32 application MCU and the netX protocol execution controller is performed via a dual port memory. Both chips are physically connected by a serial (SPI) or flexible parallel interface.

This STM32Cube Expansion features API functions to exchange cyclic process data between the network and the application, as well as acyclic mailbox packets.

GETTING STARTED

The STM32Cube Expansion and documentation can be downloaded here: Downloads NSHIELD 52-RE

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