The real problem is the endpoint device. There will have to be some way to decode the signals from the ethernet into the actual drives. It will probably be a while before cost effective drives are available with ethernet inputs. Until then we will have to use decoders that provide translation of the ethernet commands to individual bits such as are on the parallel port.
This is a project that I would be willing to undertake with some others who are interested. I'm on an ANSI working group that has developed a standard for this type of control data. The standard is called ACN, which stands for Architecture for Control Networks. It is designed to support real time events in a real world network where packets may arrive out of order and still have to operate in order. This protocol has been implemented in plenty of embedded applications, and it is possible to strip it down for smaller processors. I helped develop one stripped down version for a specific task. It had been my hope that we could establish a generic structure for streaming data, but that was not the direction the task group took. On the other had we (EMC) could do the same thing but tailor it to motion control. If there is interest in doing this, let me know and I will generate a proposal that describes the protocol, it's structure, and how we could implement it. If anyone wants to look at sample code for the streaming protocol mentioned above, go to http://www.etcconnect.com/product.downloads.asp?ID=20339 which is the download page. The standard has not been finished (still in public review cycles) but it is not likely to change much. Javid ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kirk Wallace" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Enhanced Machine Controller (EMC)" <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, October 26, 2007 11:53 AM Subject: [Emc-users] Ethernet I/O > There is some discussion on another thread about using Ethernet for EMC > I/O. I can see that there is the appeal of plentiful and cheap hardware > available with Ethernet, but there seems to be a fair amount of hacking > needed to make it work. For my education, why not use a communication > standard designed, from the start, for machine control? Can Ethernet > overcome it drawbacks to become a full-fledged method for machine > control communication? > -- > Kirk Wallace (California, USA > http://www.wallacecompany.com/machine_shop/ > Hardinge HNC lathe > Bridgeport mill conversion pending > Zubal lathe conversion pending) > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > This SF.net email is sponsored by: Splunk Inc. > Still grepping through log files to find problems? Stop. > Now Search log events and configuration files using AJAX and a browser. > Download your FREE copy of Splunk now >> http://get.splunk.com/ > _______________________________________________ > Emc-users mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This SF.net email is sponsored by: Splunk Inc. Still grepping through log files to find problems? Stop. Now Search log events and configuration files using AJAX and a browser. Download your FREE copy of Splunk now >> http://get.splunk.com/ _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
